phenological events May 2012

May 2012

1st jack by the road
2nd cat birds arrive
5th phoebe nesting above window
8th pissants in abundance!
10th blueberry blossoms
11th cherry fruits on dwarf tree
28th transplanting tomatoes

what's growing on

The month of May is green one around the riverrim. As the forest canopy unfurls, the ground beneath it is sprouting seedlings of all types. The early spring wildflowers are everywhere! After a rain, their perfume fills the air. Some of them, like the Jack by the Road, pictured above, don't always smell of the best perfume...JBTR smells of garlic.

Most of the fruit trees have finished their flowers already, and some have small fruits. The currant bushes are full of little green currants...and the cat bird, who arrived earlier this week, has already staked out his territory nearby.

No doubt, he and his mate have laid claim to the nearby blueberry bushes as well...

The blueberries are loaded with bloom, so they must have enjoyed the mild winter.

And the rhubarb is ready! I found a good recipe for a rhubarb cake that is made with brown sugar and pecans. Trouble is ...the resulting cake yields enough to feed a whole Platoon! I had to calculate and cut the amounts down to a manageable size.

Last summer, I allowed my lettuce plants to go to seed. This spring I have some very nice, though questionable, crosses. They are mixed in with weed, but will be easy enough to harvest. I have already enjoyed a fresh salad with them. I was surprised they were so mild and tender, I was expecting bitter or tangy and tough leaves.

When this little patch finishes out, it will be turned under to become the bed for this years carrots.

The success of the late summer or early fall sowing of lettuce seeds is always uncertain. I have tried it before with some success, but mostly failure. I don't know what to attribute it to..either it is the variety of the individual seed, or maybe due to lack of snow and long term freezing weather. I plan to keep trying...may allow a few of these plants to seed up and see what happens.

goodbye to Lakota

She slipped away last night when the moon was so big and so bright.

...it is so hard for me to say goodbye...and thank you. She was such a shy creature, but a loving one. Her wool, though not the best I have ever seen, was fine enough to be knit into a beautiful garment that was sent across the sea... as a gift...and in return, I received a song. A tune of my own.

I used that tune to calm the soul of a loved one, during a very troubled time.

So, my friend, I thank you. Good-bye for now. I will miss you. But I will always remember you, and your wool will keep me warm for years to come.

2012 MAPACA Jubilee

Last weekend, I was in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania for the
2012 MAPACA Jubilee.
The Association was celebrating its Sixteenth Year! I had been invited to participate and was involved with demonstrations and mini classes on Great Wheel Spinning, Treadle Wheel Spinning, Spindle Spinning, as well as some hints on preparing Alpaca fiber for handspinning. There was a good turn out and I really enjoyed meeting and teaching all the people who attended my classes.

The Mid-Atlantic Alpaca Association (MAPACA) is a cooperative group of alpaca owners and breeders in the Mid-Atlantic states of Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia. This was my second year participating in the Jubilee Show, and I was very happy to attend. Many thanks to all of the people involved in producing a show of this magnitude!

Due to some issues with a memory stick on my hard drive, I am having some trouble with my usual photo editor, and so at this time, I don't have any photographs to share from the event....however, here is a video of last years Jubilee Show..and you may recognize me at the Great Wheel.. about two and a half minutes into the film.