sunny days

When did this little maple tree get all it's leaves?!!  There's so much happening in the garden these days that I don't notice it all when it's happening.  A couple days ago, I walked by this spot and was struck by how lovely this potted tree looked in the dappled light against the cob wall, so I had to stop and snap a photo.  Such beautiful new red leaves....

Last week Mother Nature gave us a gift of blue skies for three sunny warm days in a row!  Spring.  I finally saw the first dragonflies of the season and butterflies too.  The latest apple trees were just opening up into blossom and they were buzzing with pollinators.  What a lovely sound at this time of year.  

This little guy is making sure we will have apples this year.  Phew!  Thank goodness!

oh. oh.  The spring sun and warmth also encourages the the tent caterpillars to appear on the apple trees.  Gotta get this one cut off soon while they're still small, especially since this is one of our favorite Spartan trees.  These apples are so crispy and delicious right off the tree in October.  Folks have been saying this is the big year for  the caterpillars here on Mayne Island (they have seven year cycles) so I better check my trees carefully.  They can strip a tree of all it's green growth in a flash.

The lilac is blooming now too.  The breezy air so full of the beautiful scent of lilac and the sound of buzzing bees is a divine in-the-moment experience.

Just like how when the forsythia blooms in the early spring, it's telling us to sow our cool season veggies and plant potatoes, when the lilac blooms now in late spring, it's a message that the climate's right to do some other things in the garden...like plant out tomatoes, warm season veggies and tender annual flowers.

The scientific word for watching for seasonal plant, insect and animal life cycle events and being aware of how we're all related and influenced by climate is "phenology".  It has become a big part of my garden work experience.  The natural world indicators are endless.  It seems that if I keep looking for them, I keep finding them.  It's a joy to live and work in a way that allows for such interconnectedness with the cycles of the natural world around me.  Poetic, mystical and practical all at the same time.

mmmmm.....wish you could smell the beautiful fragrance.....better get outside and plant my tomatoes!

I can't go without making some bouquets of lilac in the springtime.  I made a few of these aromatic little bundles for the first Saturday Farmer's Market of the season this weekend and they all walked away to bring spring fragrance to other island homes for the long weekend.  What fun!  I added a little bundle of lemon balm too...it grows like a weed here and is especially nice for flower bouquets in the springtime.

I didn't get to take photos at the market on Saturday....I was preoccupied with chatting and selling lots of plants.  This weekend was especially lively because it was our island's May Day celebration too.  If you're interested, there's a link to some beautiful and colourful photos that capture the spirit of the  day's festivities at MayneNews.