Around the Garden

Finally, the yard is cleaned up, and it feels so good to look around and know it is done. We always have the best intentions in the fall of doing a good clean up so there is less to do in the spring, but it just never works out that way.

I took a little peek under the straw this week, the strawberries have new leaves and the garlic is up! Exciting things let me tell you. The herb bed is in good shape and everything that should be back is. The nettles are doing very well, and our raspberry canes have buds. I wasn't sure they would survive this winter, but they did. The chicken run and coop also got a little clean up this week, and our little hens were quite happy about that.

It rained all day yesterday, and rain is in the forecast all week and weekend, which means that large pile of dirt we had delivered will most likely stay right where it is. Once the sun shines again all the beds will get a little top up with that lovely mix of compost and the new raised bed will be filled. And then the planting will begin!

How are things around your garden?

Morning, Noon and Night

Morning, noon and night...three little peeks into my day yesterday.

Morning, 9:15am

Noon, 2:30pm

Night, 7:15pm

***If you would like to play along leave your link in the comments section so I can stop by and visit.***

Our Weekend

This weekend was full of good things. There was a trip to the market where fresh organic greens came home with me, the first ones of the season. There was a little walk around the Riverview Zoo, and then lunch with my little man at this lovely little spot. The afternoon was spent at home playing, raking, cooking up a new to us recipe, and just enjoying our home.

The fresh, crisp air greeted me on my run Sunday morning, which was a little chilly, but so refreshing. The run was followed up with pancakes and maple syrup and then there was body butter making, more raking, and a little man running around the yard enjoying the sunshine. We hit the trails for a little hike after lunch, finding the first coltsfoot and bloodroot flowers of the season and the little man found a few trees to climb and balance on. Refreshed from time in nature we headed to a friends house for a little play time and a delicious dinner. Returning home we all went to bed early, feeling full from a weekend of goodness.

How was your weekend?

Joining Amanda

17/52

"A photo of my little man, once a week, every week, in 2014"

Reece, a rainy day walk, just you and me. Not much was said as we made our way along the path, it was as if we both knew we each needed a little quiet time. 

Joining Jodi for the 52 Project

{This Moment}

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see. Inspired by Soulemama.

Foraging for Food

When I look forward twenty years, one of the things I hope to have passed on to Reece is a deep connection and love, with and for nature. Our time together exploring in the woods is so very special to me, and while I pass on my love of nature, I am continually surprised at the things he brings to my attention, and in turn, teaches me while we are out there.

Every Wednesday in our home is nature adventure day. Sometimes we head into the woods with friends; hiking, climbing trees, looking at fairy houses, feeding birds and exploring together. Other times it is just Reece and I, finding our way through the tall trees, often hand in hand, deepening our connection not only to nature, but to each other. These days are so soul filling for me, and although Reece doesn't explain it that way, I can tell by the smile on his face and the look in his eyes, that it is the same for him.

Yesterday we headed to the trail by my parents place, a trail I spent many hours exploring as a child. On Sunday, after Easter dinner my parents, my brother and his family and Justin, Reece and I enjoyed a lovely walk on the same trail, and while walking and chatting I spied some wild ramps. With that spy I knew exactly where Reece and I were headed on our nature walk this week.

While the ramps are not totally ready for harvesting, we did harvest just enough for dinner last night, and I brought home a few trout lily leaves to enjoy in a salad today. We also spotted some fiddle heads just starting to peek through the ground. It is an exciting time in the woods right now, so much is coming to life and yesterday my little man and I witnessed it first hand. We carefully walked so we didn't trample any plants, we gingerly removed leaves from the wild ramps and trout lilies and we offered our gratitude, both to the plants and the earth, for the wonderful food it provided for us.

I am reminded, on days like yesterday, that I often receive so much more from nature than I give, more than I can possibly repay. So my hope is that I might instill in my little man, both love and gratitude for this beautiful planet we call home, and that one day he might share this same love and gratitude with someone in his life.

Joining Country Kids

Around the Garden

Front raised beds

View of the back from the front porch...much cleaner than last week :)

Bee balm

Yarrow

View of the yard from the little cottage in our backyard

The back raised beds...still to be cleaned up

The wild tiger lilies that grow in a corner of our property are making an appearance

This time of year is full of good weather days and some not so good weather days, so we take what we get, and when we can, get ourselves in the garden. We were blessed with some lovely weather again this weekend and knowing the best day of the long weekend was going to be Monday, left it open to get outside.

While Reece rode around on his bike, played in the sandbox and searched for toads, I was busy raking and cleaning the gardens. I managed to get a lot done, and now only have a little bit left to tackle. The back raised beds still have to be cleaned up, soil turned over and compost added, we have to prep the new raised bed being added this year and then there is a ton of raking to do around the chicken run, but after that, the clean up will be done and we can get on to some more exciting things...like planting.

It feels so good to be back in the garden on a regular basis again, a little lift for my spirit after a long, cold and very snowy winter.

How are things around your garden?

Morning, Noon and Night

Morning, noon and night...three little peeks into my day yesterday.

Morning, 7am

Noon, 1pm

Night, 5:30pm

***If you would like to play along leave your link in the comments section so I can stop by and visit.***

Happy Earth Day!

Yarn Wrapped Branches

A fun craft for little hands, well...big hands too, from the Magic Onions. It required a little patience and perseverance, and included a good dose of laughter while wrapping. Our front porch looks lovely with the punch of spring colour.

16/52

"A photo of my little man, once a week, every week, in 2014"

A lovely Easter Day that included a little stop at our favourite little farm/zoo. Reece, you had so much fun running around, visiting and feeding the animals and playing with the little chicks. We purchased a season membership again this year, and you can't wait to go back.

Joining Jodi for the 52 Project

Easter Crafting

Easter basket goodies for Reece

Easter basket goodies for the little one that joins us two days a week to homeschool

The two baskets wrapped and all ready to give

There has been a little bit of secret making around here in preparation for Easter this weekend. We are not big on the commercial side of holidays so we tend to keep things simple. This year we are going to send Reece on a little adventure to find his Easter basket. We will start with a clue under his plate at breakfast and then lead him around the yard for the next few clues, ending up at this Easter basket. Along the way there will be a few homemade chocolates and some small gifts...bubbles, sidewalk chalk and some walking blocks that Justin made.

I crafted a few things for his Easter basket...a needle felted bunny, some fabric flower magnets, and a little Easter gnome for the nature table. I also added some stickers and a few pencils. His little friend who joins us to homeschool two days a week was given a little basket when she left yesterday. In it a little bunting, an Easter gnome, a fabric flower magnet, some pencils and stickers. I sewed up the baskets using this wonderful tutorial.

I have to admit I had fun creating these little baskets, I sure hope they like them.

Gratitude

 ~ for challenges which help be grow and become stronger

~ for choosing to live life slowly, and with intention

~ for the beauty of Mother Nature

~ for the promise this time of year holds

~ for the little things that make me smile

~ for the little bits of magic I choose to see every day

~ for being accepted for who I am

~ for friends, near and far, who are always there, ready to listen, offer advice and share this amazing journey with me

What are you grateful for today?

Around the Garden

Front raised beds, view from the fence

Front raised beds, view from the front porch

Back raised beds

Shhhh... the garlic is still sleeping

View of the back from the front porch

View of the front and back yard from the little cottage in the backyard

Garlic chives

Comfrey

Motherwort

Stinging nettles

Wild ramps

View of our home from the driveway

We were finally blessed with spring this past weekend, and we raced outside to the garden to start cleaning and preparing for the growing season ahead. We managed to get the whole front area raked and cleaned, we turned over the soil in the beds and peeked in to see how the strawberries were doing. I worked to contain the potato bed from last year, which will become another raised bed soon, but the chickens kept running over and making a mess. I finally gave up and let them at it.

Snow was actually still covering the back beds on Saturday, so Justin chipped away at it and finally uncovered them. By Monday afternoon when I took these photos all the snow had finally melted away, only to come again on Tuesday. I am not sharing photos of the snow from yesterday, I am pretending it didn't happen.

On Monday evening I took a little walk around the garden, did a little peeking under the leaves and found many lovely surprises. My herb garden is full of life and growing strong, there are little shoots popping up from the soil in the flower beds...soon to be daffodils, snowdrops, crocuses, and tulips, and out in the forested area of our property I found the wild ramps peeking up from the earth.

Things are happening around the garden, and finally being able to get out there and do a little work, get my hands dirty and breathe in the fresh spring air was wonderful. The next few weeks will be busy. We still have to rake and clean up the back raised beds and the flower beds, the new raised bed needs to be prepared, all the beds need some compost, seeds will be planted, and the new potato bed needs to be sorted out. Not to mention there are thoughts floating around about a new treehouse for a certain little man. Yes, lots of things happening around these parts, and I am looking forward to sharing all of it with you over the next few months.

How are things around your garden?