random snapday

 

Last week we had, in no particular order, temps ranging from high 80s to below freezing. During one of the warmer days, the outdoor shower was unpacked again - huzzah! Shower Assembly Day is now right up there with Hose Installation Day (which also happened last week) as a celebratory seasonal event. Hose Day signals the seasonal end of carrying bucket after bucket of water from the house to the paddocks every day. Being able to clean and fill all the waterers "on the spot" is a thrill which does not get old.

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The goldfinches are coloring up!

There is a small flock of goldfinches at the feeders every day. More than any other birds here, the goldfinches spend more time trying to scold each other away from the feeders than they spend actually eating, which is a pity because there is plenty of room and plenty of seed for all of them.

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From the "What A Difference A Week Makes" department...

sugar maple (Acer saccharum), 16 April (above) and today:

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The black flies are here. They began to roll in a couple of days ago, and apparently have now caught up on all their tiny housekeeping tasks, and can devote themselves to biting. Which means it's time for me to pull out all the spray bottles of herbal concoctions and check my notes from last year to see what worked best and what the goats hated least.

Wish me luck.

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Are you planning some nice things to do this weekend? So far, the only plan I've come up with is "make a trip to the dump" so clearly advice is needed!

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still raining

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a note from saturday morning

Yesterday was refreshingly sunny.

Bright blue skies!

Fluffy wisps of clouds sailing by!

They were sailing, of course, because it was windy. It was also very cold.

Piper insisted on coming out for the first session of morning chores, but expressed a wish (immediately granted) to return to her cozy bed long before those chores were finished.

 "Okay, I see you have an adequate handle on the chores.

You can take it from here. I'll be in my office."

Meanwhile, at the sliding glass door on the porch, Moxie and Della have front-row seats for Squirrel Theatre. Performances scheduled daily, under the birdfeeders.

Della: "Athletic but incoherent performance."

Moxie: "I liked him much better as Hamlet."

More snow is predicted this weekend. And Monday.

Also: Wednesday and Thursday.

This morning, the sky is dense and grey again.

So...

let's have another look at yesterday's sky, shall we?

Red oak, white pine, American beech.

Quercus rubra, Pinus strobus, Fagus grandifolia.

A dear and familiar skyscape.

Sugar maple and white birch.

Acer saccharum and Betula papyrifera.

When I want a lesson in survival,

I look to trees.

I hope your Saturday is beautiful.

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wordless wednesday

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sky candy

It poured all night long, and has been raining off and on all day. So here are two pictures taken earlier this week, adding some cheery color to this gloomy day.

I hope you are having your favorite kind of weather, wherever you are!

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fresh greens

Fresh greens, and lots of them!

I've been going out in the early morning, after chores, to photograph the greens.

Don't you love watching the new growth on trees?
The buds and flowers and foliage?

The initial fragility of the leaves and needles that will be relied upon to support the tree never fails to amaze me.

Every year, it amazes me.

Here in New England, there are shapes, colors and textures that appear for only a very short time each year - weeks, or even days.

Would you like to see some?

I winnowed down from about 80 images, because you may have other things to do besides looking at pictures of leaves.
And needles.

But do you have time for just seven?

White Birch (Betula papyrifera)

Balsam Fir (Abies balsamea)

North American Beech (Fagus grandifolia)

White Ash (Fraxinus americana)

 Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum)

Black birch (Betula nigra)

 Eastern Hemlock (Tsuga canadensis)

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Ahhhhhh.  Isn't that a breath of cool morning air, after chores?
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Coming soon: 
goat updates (and names to be chosen!)
a handy (yet unlikely) kitchen tip
and a special yarny giveaway!

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