The Energy Explosion

 

Ferns begin in Winslow, Maine

And so it begins. This picture is one John took while fishing in a friend's stream. We have ferns likewise Beginning, and the expansion of leaves everywhere has also started. I've always been amazed at the enormity of energy exerted by our natural systems in the spring. I expect someone has measured it. . .or made a rough estimation, but it has to be enormous.

Sun in peeking through today, and the Pleasant Garden Tasks await!

The First Chickadee house in situ.

Spring Weather, Maine style

Jasper and I were finally able to hike French Mountain today, after a couple of months when the trails on it were ice flows. They are melted and clear, and surprisingly un-muddy. John, and some Mainers, talk about a mud season here, but we haven't seen it in the two springs since we've been here. More like Mud week.

So to the left is the first view of Long Pond from the trail. I love that this trail sort of runs around the top edge of the mountain (which is really a big hill by Western standards), so you get a continuous and changing view of the lake for quite some time. I was reminded today that one of things I most love about Maine is that these wonderful trails, cared for by volunteers like John and I, are often uncrowded. Today I was the only person parked in the lot. That combination of solitude and community coming together is worth so much. Even worth the long and icy winters. At least so far.

Jasper is at his best on these hikes. While he sort of loafs around the house most of the day, and is reluctant to follow me around the yard (which is what all of our past dogs did), he seems to have endless energy on a not-too-hot not-too-icy/snowy day. Yep. He's a little finicky about his weather too. I think it's the been-there-done-that of a ranch dog. He has definitely evolved into an "indoor dog" in his dotage.

Though I think he could go at that dog trot all day. This hike is shorter than I'd like on a beautiful day like today, so I need to remember to bring tea and biscuits the next time. Odd how I never think to take the time for that, even now that I can.

Lest I wax too starry eyed about life here in Central Maine, I'll include a couple of photos from 8 days ago. (!) This is our back yard. Not only is there still snow on the ground, but check out that grass. It's been under a foot or more of snow for a few months, and yes. It looks a lot worse for wear. I was sort of stunned by this last year, thinking we were going to have to re-seed the entire half acre. But it did, and will recover. In fact, even today it looks decent, and in two weeks, it will look like our normal "lawn", which is always a mixed bag of species. The snow is also a mixed bag. While it stresses the grass by covering it for so long, it also protects it, and other low plants, from the coldest temperatures.

The only plant that was seriously thriving 8 days ago was this creeping thyme, which I planted between stepping stones last year. It was sort of limping along last year, but was full on early this spring. I'm hoping that other freshly planted perennials (including my raspberries!) will do the same. I'm hoping that last year they were focused on root production, and this year they'll start to put some energy into shoots. And of course, flowers and berries. Eat. Survive. Reproduce. Yay.

The Easter Hike 2023

Sun among the still dormant trees

Our holiday hikes were initially started with the expressed intent of exhausting the children and the dogs so we could take a nap before dinner. It still works beautifully, but we're down to one dog. 

Who you have  likely heard of.

Jasper at the picnic

Sanders Hill is a favorite holiday hike since moving to Maine. It's about a 20 minute drive, so we rarely hike it on non-holidays. And it can be long or short, and is usually uncrowded. Well, to be fair, all of our Maine hikes are uncrowded except those we tramped in Acadia National Park.

It also covers all sorts of terrain, and about 2 miles in, there is a creek crossing that is just tear-inducing beautiful. There is still a fair amount of snow there, as well as some ice. I donned my crampons about halfway in, but John and Jasper went au naturale. Ok. John did have shoes on. It was cold enough to keep our jackets on, but warm enough to sit in the sun by the swollen creek and listen to the water and the birds.

Our initial plan was to rock hop through the creek to the picnic bench pictured below. It is on an island in the middle of the creek. John and I could have made it (she said with utter confidence), but I was concerned that Jasper would end up in the drink. So we found a flat-ish rock streamside, and settled in for our lunch of cheese, rosemary buns (compliments of John), fruit, Easter candy, and wine. Oh. And dog biscuits.

Picnic Table in the Wilderness

It was a wonderful way to celebrate the coming of spring, even if it is coming more slowly than I would like. But I remind myself that this happens every year, regardless of where I'm located. Some say that March is the cruelest month, but April gets my vote. Even now, I'm contemplating pruning the fruit trees and starting the yard cleanup; but I know that we have more cold weather ahead. And of course, in our rushing of the seasons, we've de-acclimated enough that the cool will feel cold. No matter. I've survived it for 68 years, I'll survive another.

I'll close with a video taken from our picnic spot. Happy Rebirth, Happy Spring, Happy Happy Everything. At this very moment, at least. . .

 

 

Spring, Rebirth, Second chances, and working in series. . .

Chickadee #1

Yeah. That's a big title, isn't it? I've been thinking a lot about entries to this journal, but done precious little about it, so it's time for catch-up. An ex-husbands wife once criticized out daughter for loving Easter so much (complete with floral dress and great shoes) when we weren't Christians. When she told me this, I responded that like most holidays, Easter has roots before Christianity. That it's about rebirth (with all of nature coming back to life), about second chances (from which I have benefited personally), about the Phoenix rising from the ashes. Great things to celebrate. My agnostic self still loves it the best of all Christian holidays. All holidays, really, with Thanksgiving a close second.

This is all a way to justify my new fascination with bird houses. I've decided to start working in series, and this is the first of the birdhouses. It's made specifically for chickadees (you can find information on their requirements online), and I plan to make at least 4 of them, maybe six.

This idea was preceded by wanting to make a series of bud vases. I love them because they are a relatively small investment that can support many variations. And they make great hostess gifts full of flowers from the garden. Better than jam for some folks. I found out, rather too late, that some folks don't eat jam, even when you've planted the plants, harvested the fruit and made the jam yourself. I find it amazing, but there you have it. People, in all of their variations.

The bud vase series

So here they are. I'd like to say "from the ridiculous to the sublime" but I think that might be stretching it. Maybe from the very white to the much browner-and-speckley?

I do like the variation.

Technobot 1

The brown speckley's are made with a sculptural clay that's very gritty with grog and sand. I didn't like working with it initially. It's really rough. But I really love how the underglaze colors are muted, and the rest is just a clear glaze. Given how much I hate glazing, this is a wonderful solution.

Technobot 2

I'm calling them Techno-botanical.

The porcelain vase is very pristine (some might say prissy), and predictable from me. Hand built (as all are), but then applique'd with the botanical forms that I so love. Colors are predictable too, though maybe I should try some with unnatural colors just for fun. I do love the white-white of the porcelain. . .even more unglazed, though that presents some problems with dirt showing.

Porcelain 1

Australian memories

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Well. The Blogger software is driving me nuts, so I think I'll save the Easter hike entry for a later date. Small sigh. Happy Rebirth, Happy Spring!