SPRING
Paintbrush
I love the Indian Paintbrush that comes at the end of Spring. We have a little at The Vicarage, but my neighbor has it in everywhere!
Spring Festival 2024: Finale: Ready For Summer
We may have another month until summer officially begins. The rains may have returned the temperatures here back to the 50’s, but the gardens know the Spring is almost past and the summer is upon us.
The lupine is fully in bloom.
The Korean lilac has fully blossomed.
The tomatoes and the summer squash are in. The garden beds are ready to begin producing.
The daisies are about to open.
Even the hostas are giving attention to the coming of the warmth. Yesterday I caught the fragrance of the black locust trees mixed in with the scent of basil and mint. That is a sure sign of the passing of Spring into summer.
I found two large patches of wild oregano growing where I was weed whacking another sign of what is to come. As we close out this FESTIVAL OF SPRING CHALLENGE HOSTED BY DAWN, what does it look like in your part of the world when Spring passes into summer? SHARE A PICTURE!
Festival of Spring 2024 Week # 10
I AM WRITING THIS POST IN RESPONSE TO DAWN’S FESTIVAL OF SPRING CHALLENGE.
Spring is about new things coming into the world. Today our new furniture arrives for the living room. My grandson, Sevy approved especially when he realized the seats went up with the push of a button.
We have been working on the gardens for weeks now, and they are really starting to come together. Today I pruned back this hydrangea so we could see the hostess.
I pulled up some of these daffodils so that we could plan them in a new space in the fall. Soon the lilies will be in bloom and this garden will be filled with color.
I just added this lupine to bring a bit more Spring color to the garden
This was the last year I was giving this Korean lilac before I pulled it up once and for all. It is flowering beautifully this year.
The irises will probably be out for Memorial Day
Joe and Kristine started filling the raised beds with soil for our vegetables. I put in the squash and the basil today.
WHAT DOES YOUR MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND LOOK LIKE?
Garden Labors
We are about three weeks from planting the vegetable gardens. I was just having a discussion with one of my subscribers in Virginia about how here in Massachusetts we can’t put in our annual gardens until Memorial Day or after. That is not to say there is nothing to do. I have been moving day lilies around the yard for the last week to make room for new growth.
Today my son and daughter-in-law and I moved the garden boxes into their new locations. Three of these boxes are really old. I am kind of shocked they withstood the move.
One of the three boxes did not. But that is OK. I might be able to salvage the ends for some thing or other.
My daughter in law made our first cut flower vase of the season this morning as well.
This is one of the little niceties I am hoping to add to the Vicarage this year. I want to use what is on the property to beautify our lives. Other than that what is the point of garden labors?
This afternoon I am going to tackle the Japanese knotweed patch at the side of the house and gather the old stalks for burning. Maybe tonight we will have a fire.
Festival of Spring 2024 Week 7
HERE WE ARE WEEK NUMBER 7 ALREADY OF THIS TWELVE WEEK CHALLENGE FROM DAWN.
After you are done reading here, you can check out Dawn’s post and the posts of her other contributors by clicking the capitalized link above.
The nights here are still really chilly, but the days are getting warmer (up into the sixties anyway). I know Spring has arrived when the dandelions begin to bloom.
The Mayflowers are a sure sign too.
and the forsythia.
There is a. certain light that comes in the evenings at this time of year. It is refreshing. It makes me want to garden and clean things. That is bow spring makes me feel. HOW DOES SPRING MAKE YOU FEEL?
Festival of Spring 2024 Week # 4
I am joining Dawn in her FESTIVAL OF SPRING CHALLENGE.
My world has not been bright and shiny with Spring just yet. The week started out with another snowstorm. Spring is poking its way through regardless.
The nice thing about snow in April is that it doesn’t stay around long. By Thursday myself sister and I were out and about walking the local trails to catch views of Spring. It was well into the fifties and sixties by midweek and I was going about without a coat.
We had a Spring eclipse. Here it just looked like twilight for a few minutes.
Then the rain came.
And the flowers started to bloom.
That’s my que to get outside and start the Spring cleaning which I have a feeling is going to carry over well into summer.
SPRING FESTIVAL WEEK #2: AN ICY SPRING
THIS POST IS WRITTEN IN RESPONSE TO DAWN’S SPRING FESTIVAL CHALLENGE. CHECK IT OUT!
Once again New England has not disappointed. Spring has given me some beautiful photos….just not of flowers.
Holy Week started out with an ice storm that put many of our congregants in the dark. While the Vicarage never lost power, the towns directly North of us were without power for almost forty-eight hours.
It was a chilly start to the week, but not without its beauty.
…and the ice made a beautiful backdrop for our Palm Sunday parade.
The Spring rains have come now. The ice has melted away, possibly for the last time. The temperature is now in the forties. Maybe this next week we will see some actual budding in the trees. I know the birds are anxious for Spring. I can hear it in their songs.
Spring Festival 2024 Week 1
THIS POST IS WRITTEN IN RESPONSE TO DAWN’S SPRING FESTIVAL CHALLENGE.
Well it is early Spring in New England. The temperature today is 30. With the wind it feels like 15.
The Vicarage is soooo ready for some warmth and some color.
Still there is hope.
Soon the world will be green again.
In the meantime it’s time to clean up from the winter
SHARE YOUR WORLD: FROM MARCH 3-9 2024
This week for my weekly community challenge I am participating in SHARE YOUR WORLD.
This week all of our weekly questions are regarding Spring. Here is what our hostess asked this week:
1. What to you is the first sign of Spring?
The bird calls change. The males start to sing their songs to the ladies.
2. Do you have a favourite flower at this time of year?
I love tulips in the Spring.
3. Does your country exercise the hour change?
Ugghh! Yes! It is this weekend! It makes church an hour earlier for me. Less sleep than usual. I will not be crabby! I will not be crabby! I will not be crabby!
4. Do you spring clean your home throughout, change furniture around or keep to a normal routine?
I don’t change inside furniture around much, but part of the Spring routine is uncovering the lawn furniture and getting it put back in place for the summer.
Gratitude: I am thankful for another week with my mother and my family gathered around her. Here is a picture of Mom and my daughter Melanie taken while Melanie was here taking a turn watching over Mom.
Notes From the Vicarage 