Fiddlehead time is finally here!

You know it's spring when the fiddleheads poke their heads out of the ground, ready to be snapped off, fried in butter and lemon, salt and pepper.

Nom nom nom. Spring is here!

Sugaring off time

Yesterday we headed down the road a piece to Sand Road Sugar Camp to see them making maple syrup.

 One of my favourite things of all time is when they boil up the syrup to make taffy and pour it on the snow so that it can be rolled up on a wooden stick.

 It tastes like warm maple-flavoured caramel!

 Meanwhile, indoors we sampled the all-you-can eat breakfast including pancakes, eggs, ham, beans and all the maple syrup you can pour. The bacon was called "oreilles de crisse," apparently "green bacon" which is very thick and very crisp and unlike anything I've ever tasted.

 There were horse wagon rides through the sugar bush...

...instead we walked one of the many trails that runs through the property. About 8C, warmish, and all the snow is melting fast so it seemed like our last chance to be out in it. A perfect day.

Lilacs, butterflies and lupins, oh my!

 This lovely Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterfly was flitting around my lilacs yesterday.

 Upon closer inspection, it must've had a dust-up with another critter. One of its swallowtails is missing.

 Also buzzing around the lilacs was a hummingbird moth, also called a hawk moth. They do actually look like teeny tiny hummingbirds.

And like clockwork, the lupins start to bloom. This is one of many in my lupin patch that are getting ready to shine.

It's beginning to look a lot like...

 We have had a few warm days in the double digits (Celsius) but we're back to very cold nights and just sorta coolish days. 

The poor day lilies are trying their darnedest to get outta the ground.

Is it maple time yet?

 On a warm day last weekend we decided to put 4 taps in two maple trees to get some sap.

After the second day, I got 5 cups of maple sap. Instead of going through the rigmarole of boiling it up, I decided to put it in bottles and drink it. Maple water is the new health drink after all.

And after that? Everything froze solid. Today is the first day of spring and it's -9. Onward and upward!

Spring Tea Time

 The weather was sunny and cool and the creek at the back of the property was running making a lovely sound.

Perfect time to take a break from pulling in wood and doing woodsy chores. And best of all? No bugs!

The sun dappled off the creek. Lovely time of year when the land is leaving winter behind and welcoming spring.

Spring is sproinging

 It seems to be taking forever but as the snow is receding, the crocuses are popping out of the lawn.

I especially love when the pussy willows start to appear. It's still pretty cool here in these parts, and it even snowed a few days back, but Ol' Man Winter is on his way out...

Maple Time

It's that time of year when you can sample hot maple taffy that's swirled on the snow and ready to eat on a stick! So happy spring has finally arrived and the sap is flowing!

Coltsfoot

These delicate flowers seem to be absolutely everywhere. Coltsfoot (Tussilago farfara) are usually the first plant in spring to bloom...a few weeks before the dandelion, but are often mistaken for them.

Dandelion time

I just love dandelions. I know many people see them as weeds but they remind me of being a little kid and bringing my mother a big bouquet of them. She always carefully placed them in a glass of water and put them on the table. Real harbingers of spring.

Spring has finally sprung

...and my lawn is scattered with crocuses.

The End of the Snow...Finally

Last weekend was probably the last time we'll be able to play in the snow. And drag out wood on the toboggan.

 It's also the best time to spot the baby spruce I planted last spring.

 Planted when we suffered a major drought and high heat, I feared not many of the two dozen seedlings I planted would actually make it through the year.

But they did! Most were buried all winter in our tons of snow and only in the last week or so did they appear.

As soon as the snow is gone, and I expect by this weekend for it to be history, they'll be harder to spot. Lucky I marked them all with bright orange tape!

Portable Catnip

I have so much catnip running wild in the garden that I gave Richard a nice hunk but couldn't find anything to put it in. So, I found the outer shell of a squash that was sitting in my compost pile all winter. It was the perfect vessel to transport the catnip. And totally organic!

It's Finally Here

Yes, spring finally arrived this weekend in the Great White North. My first piece of asparagus popped up.

The fiddleheads in the swampy area in the back of my house were ready to be picked (and eaten)!

 My gorgeous primula was in fine form and happily blooming.

This flowering tree was not mine, but seen on a drive by and Richard snapped this pic.

 Richard got busy and turned over parts of the veggie garden...

...followed by a beer and the NY Times crossword puzzle being worked out on the swing. The leaves aren't really out yet but the air was warm, the sun was hot and the days are starting to last forever. I love this season!

Trees and Earth Day

Earth Day. We decided it was the perfect weekend to plant trees. On a recommendation, we drove to Chesterville and find a guy who had trees.

 And boy did he have trees...

 ...Trees that were still waiting to be born. Baby trees?

 Trees waiting to be transplanted.

 He liked trees so much, he built his house out of trees!

We went home and planted two dozen trees that afternoon in the pouring rain. Happy Earth Day! Bonus points. A little calico cat who had a quick visit and disappeared off into the barn to go mousing.

Of Pansies and Poutine

The first flowers I plant are pansies. These are called "Flamenco" because the petals are ruffled and supposedly dance in the wind. These are icicle pansies and can withstand cool/cold temperatures.

Ahh, poutine in the great outdoors. Nothing says spring more than enjoying a poutine in a take-out container, sitting at a picnic table outside. Bring. It. On.

Fickle Spring

 We had a mini-hailstorm yesterday. It only lasted about 5 minutes.

The poor little winter aconite looked a little chilly in their white bed. Thankfully, everything melted about 10 minutes later.

Discoveries Under the Snow

Every year my tiny clump of winter aconite gets a little larger. At this time of year, it's about one of the only things in bloom and in high demand from pollinators.

This clump of last year's high bush cranberries was discovered once the snow receded. Looks like it was collected in one big jumble, waiting for a snack attack. Most years the fruit stays hanging in the bushes. This year, it was gathered but I guess it wasn't found too palatable.