Cardinals in the Vatican but, more important than a
Conclave, cardinals in my tree. A
different kind of herald to Spring. Not
a robin in sight. The scarlet plumed
visitors silence the doves as they hold court every morning high in
the tree tops.
Friday morning landscape shone brilliantly. Everything covered in ice crystals and it was a pity to have to wait ‘til noon to enjoy the day. By twelve o’clock, it had all melted with the 6C temps. The Widget Maker brought in a plate of homemade cookies which were rather good. The only problem with oatmeal cookies is the mouth feel afterwards. It’s like you haven’t brushed your teeth for a week. Broke free from the cubical and headed into Farm Country.
This is what has happened to much of the land.
Busy roads so took Cemetery for some peace and quiet. A couple of fine buildings but if you look to the right of this barn you will see the march of the Housing Survey. Countless tracts of prime farm land now plumbed and wired for the cookie cutter survey.
A couple approached in their car and wondered if I was OK as I’d been getting in and out of the car. Explained what I was up to and we commiserated over the housing development. They had moved to the area forty years ago and were expecting to live out a peaceful existence in the middle of nowhere. And now look what’s happened. Fortunately for this parcel of land there is a gas line running through it that prevents any further development. But what is to become of the North farm?
Roadside trees dying off everywhere and it looks like the City has pruned many to mere stumps.
Missed the detour on the way back and took a drive through no man’s land. Buoyed sufficiently by the fresh air, mild weather and sunshine to continue on for another four hours. When you have to wait ‘til April for mild weather, you tend to get very excited at the prospect of a nice day in early March. We have had to fire up the A/C in April but I think that happened only once.
The afternoon did not go as planned. I selfishly wanted to get on with my own job but a relaxing Friday afternoon it was not. Beers offered up for the men so I waited for cocktail hour. The very refreshing Gimlet-lime cordial and gin. How was Women’s Day in your neighbourhood? Nary a mention here; what a shocker!
Awoke to the alarm Saturday AM. Sat bolt upright in bed and mined the brain for some sense of what day it was. The horror of it being a work day was too much to bear. The cogs did their work and the grey cells concluded that it was in fact Saturday.
Cracked open a fresh pot of Greaves peach jam. Don’t know about you but the first spoonfuls of a freshly opened, room temperature jam are wonderful. Afterwards, it becomes like cheese that you have to get out of the fridge long before you use it.
Glorious weekend weather. Bulbs at 2.5” and counting. Sedum seems to have to survived the late season transplant. The rabbit is back as evidenced by the vast piles of droppings. Two years ago it consumed half the seedlings. The neighbours rigged elaborate trip lines but this is a cunning family of rabbits. They are not fooled by a carrot dangling from a thread.
Did a spot of gardening. Must work towards having Sundays free for whatever. I do not want to come in to contact with the washer and dryer. Braced myself for the clocks springing forward. Why do we have to endure this? I have yet to hear a rational argument on this. Just get used to daylight on the rush hour and then we are plunged right back to darkness again. Paper offered up suggestions for countering the shift: fresh air and exercise, early to sleep and so on. I took a late supper and followed it with a coffee which kept me up ‘til 4AM. Needless to say I was not a picture of health come Sunday breakfast.
We managed 10C and after a turn in the garden headed out to the Spring Tide show at Gage Park.
The greenhouse staff did a fine job of combining the tropicals with tulips, daffodils and so on.
Melt water threatened to flood the park. Some of the older trees are under protection.
A one-man-unamplified-band performed in the band shell.
Almost bought an ice cream it was that nice. Here’s hoping the fine weather lasts. I was remembering about three years ago when all the snow from the February storm had disappeared, even the black crusts by the side of the road. Then wallop! A freak late March storm. The horror!
Oh sorry, did I spoil your mood?
Friday morning landscape shone brilliantly. Everything covered in ice crystals and it was a pity to have to wait ‘til noon to enjoy the day. By twelve o’clock, it had all melted with the 6C temps. The Widget Maker brought in a plate of homemade cookies which were rather good. The only problem with oatmeal cookies is the mouth feel afterwards. It’s like you haven’t brushed your teeth for a week. Broke free from the cubical and headed into Farm Country.
This is what has happened to much of the land.
Busy roads so took Cemetery for some peace and quiet. A couple of fine buildings but if you look to the right of this barn you will see the march of the Housing Survey. Countless tracts of prime farm land now plumbed and wired for the cookie cutter survey.
A couple approached in their car and wondered if I was OK as I’d been getting in and out of the car. Explained what I was up to and we commiserated over the housing development. They had moved to the area forty years ago and were expecting to live out a peaceful existence in the middle of nowhere. And now look what’s happened. Fortunately for this parcel of land there is a gas line running through it that prevents any further development. But what is to become of the North farm?
Roadside trees dying off everywhere and it looks like the City has pruned many to mere stumps.
Missed the detour on the way back and took a drive through no man’s land. Buoyed sufficiently by the fresh air, mild weather and sunshine to continue on for another four hours. When you have to wait ‘til April for mild weather, you tend to get very excited at the prospect of a nice day in early March. We have had to fire up the A/C in April but I think that happened only once.
The afternoon did not go as planned. I selfishly wanted to get on with my own job but a relaxing Friday afternoon it was not. Beers offered up for the men so I waited for cocktail hour. The very refreshing Gimlet-lime cordial and gin. How was Women’s Day in your neighbourhood? Nary a mention here; what a shocker!
Awoke to the alarm Saturday AM. Sat bolt upright in bed and mined the brain for some sense of what day it was. The horror of it being a work day was too much to bear. The cogs did their work and the grey cells concluded that it was in fact Saturday.
Cracked open a fresh pot of Greaves peach jam. Don’t know about you but the first spoonfuls of a freshly opened, room temperature jam are wonderful. Afterwards, it becomes like cheese that you have to get out of the fridge long before you use it.
Glorious weekend weather. Bulbs at 2.5” and counting. Sedum seems to have to survived the late season transplant. The rabbit is back as evidenced by the vast piles of droppings. Two years ago it consumed half the seedlings. The neighbours rigged elaborate trip lines but this is a cunning family of rabbits. They are not fooled by a carrot dangling from a thread.
Did a spot of gardening. Must work towards having Sundays free for whatever. I do not want to come in to contact with the washer and dryer. Braced myself for the clocks springing forward. Why do we have to endure this? I have yet to hear a rational argument on this. Just get used to daylight on the rush hour and then we are plunged right back to darkness again. Paper offered up suggestions for countering the shift: fresh air and exercise, early to sleep and so on. I took a late supper and followed it with a coffee which kept me up ‘til 4AM. Needless to say I was not a picture of health come Sunday breakfast.
We managed 10C and after a turn in the garden headed out to the Spring Tide show at Gage Park.
The greenhouse staff did a fine job of combining the tropicals with tulips, daffodils and so on.
Melt water threatened to flood the park. Some of the older trees are under protection.
A one-man-unamplified-band performed in the band shell.
Almost bought an ice cream it was that nice. Here’s hoping the fine weather lasts. I was remembering about three years ago when all the snow from the February storm had disappeared, even the black crusts by the side of the road. Then wallop! A freak late March storm. The horror!
Oh sorry, did I spoil your mood?
