rhubarb

Just dropping y’all a quick note today. I’ll be doing my month-end writing roll-up (the next chapter) tomorrow.

Usually, the pin cherry trees are in bloom for the Victoria Day long weekend (weekend before last), followed within a week by the lilacs. The tree blooming is, for me, the true sign of spring here in Northern Ontario.

This year, due to our long, cold, and snowy winter, the ground frost has been slow to leave (hence our flood issues). So everything was delayed , just a bit.

The pin cherries came in to bloom just this past week. This picture, on such a bright and sunny day, does not do them justice, but here they are …

And just below are the hostas, bleeding hearts, ferns, and scads of forget-me-nots.

Finally, by the house, the monster rhubarb is growing like mad. We’ve already had to cut off three “flowers.”

Everything’s dusty, as you may be able to see, because of the road construction in the area. Can’t be helped.

This week has been wonderful weather.

Everybody up here is hoping for it to continue.

TTFN! Off to a bridal shower. ‘Tis that time of year 😉

So … spring has finally arrived in northern Ontario, but the black flies and mosquitoes have me hiding inside. I also find that I’m not as motivated by outdoor tasks as I once was.

One thing I’d usually start doing is set up my outdoor writing spot, A.K.A. the patio, but this year, Phil and I have made the decision to rid ourselves of some potentially dangerous, though lovely, trees.

We have a stand of 6 birches that have in recent years been dropping what Phil describes as “widow-makers.” If someone gets hit by one of those, it’s game over. Plus, they’re older than I am and if one of them should rot and fall (which happens with old birches) they could damage either our house, or my mom’s.

These are the birches and poplar

They’re about 30 feet high. The poplar (actually a large-toothed aspen) is coming down incidentally, because of its proximity to the birches and to my mom’s house. Last year, we had to trim it back, rather it had to be trimmed back by the roofers because it overhung Mom’s roof and would have damaged the new shingles otherwise.

The poplar’s rather pretty in spring, with its new silvery leaves and catkins hanging down.

The work will be done on May 29th, while I’m away, but I’ll come home to a new view and that weekend, Phil and I will set up the patio.

Another sign of spring that always happens around the Victoria Day Long Weekend is the blooming of the pin cherry trees. The blooms don’t last long, but they are glorious while they last.

They herald the coming of the lilacs (in about a week).

I have a massive bunch of rhubarb. I need to take some in for the girls at work. If they can help me get through some of it this year, it will be a good thing. We always have so much more than we can use.