I know, in comparison to other places, we aren’t exactly dry. Still, a good day of spring rain is wonderful; one can watch the buds swell, the color come into the trees, the grass turn green. It was also a good day for slipping a few new roses into the ground. Among them: ‘Alba Maxima’ the Jacobite Rose (which is also known as the White Rose of York) and ‘Gallica Officinalis’ the Apothecary’s Rose (which is also known as the Red Rose of Lancaster). History lives in plants; I hope that these will get along better than the people did….perhaps I ought to plant a thistle and a leek?
One extreme to another Saturday, Apr 18 2015
Landscapes connecticut wildlife 20:05
Funny how it goes from nothing to inspire writing to too busy doing to write…
Two new trees: a Serbian Spruce and a Sweetbay Magnolia, joined the collection today. We shall see how they do, hopefully well…the holes are good….
Stopping to enjoy the land is as important as working to maintain it. I had the pleasure today of managing to put aside the to-do list (in this case a list for the land trust of which I am a board member) and just enjoy a piece of property we manage. This property is something of a love/hate for the board. A gorgeous, big parcel with the potential to be a real showcase, it also protects an important bit of land. But, it has just about every problem that an old New England dairy farm/sand-gravel pit/abandoned property can have.
However, we collectively decided to simply enjoy the walk, nominally meant to determine a possible trail. The view was a good reason. One wood turtle, far from the stream, likely laying her eggs; numerous tree swallows; three phoebe nests (one in a muddy blown down tree root-ball); Ruby Crowned Kinglets; one Sharp-Shinned Hawk; one Broad-Winged Hawk; one Red Tail Hawk; a variety of other birds; sign of coyote, bobcat, porcupine; and (the crowning glory) two wonderfully well constructed, very active (one trail was actually wet) beaver dams. That the beavers were busy cutting down the alder, birch, and willow we had carefully cleared the invasive shrubs from two years running and that their dams made a several proposed river crossing rather problematic for our trail design….well, entirely worth it.
Remarkable what the Connecticut woods have!
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21 Years Ago Today Thursday, Apr 16 2015
Esperanza and Landscapes photography, trucks 17:32
April 16th, 1994: Ten years old.
April 16th, 2015: 21 years old.
I’m a Chevy girl!
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Transcendence and time Monday, Apr 13 2015
Uncategorized 19:37
There is something remarkable, something beyond rational comprehension but not beyond human thought, in contemplating a Mourning Cloak Butterfly delighting in the first warm, still air of spring; while standing in a place where time is written in stone. One butterfly, three people discussing cemetery maintenance now and in perpetuity (a word so seldom used these days!), and all around the graves of four centuries in silence stand.
It is rare that we ask ourselves, or are asked, to do things which will bear fruit, for good or ill, in the time beyond our lives and the lives of our children. I think we are better for it when we do though.
Peep! Saturday, Apr 11 2015
Uncategorized 20:06
The wood frogs have started up in the ponds finally. Not a deafening chorus, but definitely determined. It must be spring! They have to wait till the ice is essentially gone, which it is now, except for some shaded corners of swamps. Though, the big reservoirs are still covered in ice, rotten but ice nonetheless. I suspect by tomorrow though, that ice will be gone, probably all at once.
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Pondering Thursday, Apr 9 2015
gardening 19:42
I’ve alluded to the crocus border more than once, after this ridiculous winter (there is still snow out there) it was finally coming up. I’ve also alluded to my interest in some of the more unusual types of crocus. They are also coming up. However, did you know deer like to eat crocus? No, neither did I. They appear to be especially fond of C. sieberi (the Cretan Crocus: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crocus_sieberi) and C. biflorus. And, of course, the young daylilies; preferably the cultivars. The deer also have large feet, what they don’t eat, they step on. So much for that set of flowers.
These same deer are persistently hanging out in the vegetable garden. Actually, the does are hanging about in the vegetable garden; the big buck and a yearling are hanging out in the Big garden (where the tulips are).
The deer, the skunk, the feral cats, the fisher cat (if you recall the Zombie fish episode, the fish survived the winter only to be eaten by the fisher), the raccoons, the possums, the bears….it is getting to be a bit much. And expensive. I love the hawks and the foxes, but not so much the rest. The type of gardening/landscaping we want is running hard up against the animals, all of whom have learned that this is a quiet, food-rich location. Either we have the animals or we have the gardens or?
So what to do? The various repellents are no longer especially effective on our herd (besides, an apparent change in formulation means that they are no longer safe to apply to foliage of broad-leaf evergreens) and can’t be used in a vegetable garden. With the consequence that the tulip beds just got dressed for Halloween. And, of course, none of the other critters are repelled by deer repellents (I bet the bear likes it!)
Step one is clearly some fencing. We can’t spring for deer fencing all the way around (the West Meadow would be a problem). But some level of fence to cut down on the casual stroll.
And likely dog proof. Because, after all there is a reason certain animals were domesticated. And a reason large properties tend to have dogs. Just as they tend to have cats in their houses.
More thought, much more thought is needed; dogs are a lifestyle after all and not cheap. Fence first.
What sort of dog? Collies and Australian Shepherds are high on the list, from past experience with Aussies and enjoying Collies. I admit a certain fascination/fondness with the Beauceron. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beauceron) A breed I have only met in person once, the gravest pair of dogs I’ve ever encountered. However, aside from being rare and reputed to be challenging to train, I am not at all sure that other family members would be comfortable with them. Though, they would be useful for security, even if only visually, which is another consideration.
Weighty thoughts. Family members, chime in!
What’s blooming? Tuesday, Apr 7 2015
Uncategorized 09:47
The answer is not much….
The new ‘Arnold Promise’ Witch hazel is, and for its first season it appears that it may be living up to the hype about it. Big, long lasting, gold, fragrant flowers.
A few species crocus where the snow is gone and the ground isn’t cold mud.
A few bedraggled snowdrops where the snow is gone and the ground isn’t cold mud…
Everything else is waiting.
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Time-sink Saturday, Apr 4 2015
Uncategorized 19:19
A fascinating archive of a great city (hat tip to Maggie’s Farm)
http://nycma.lunaimaging.com/luna/servlet/allCollections
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It’s back! Friday, Apr 3 2015
gardening and Modern Photos crocus, crocus angustifolius, gardening 13:00
I think something ate a fair number, but there are definitely some. And it is early yet. Further observations from last year show that they do send up multiple flowers and are fragrant. They also appear to be able to multiply (a skunk dug up a corm and I noticed that it had several small corms (cormlets??) splitting off.
https://acairfearann.com/2014/04/14/crocus-angustifolius/
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Acair Fearann 