Ahh - for me Ramson Leaf and Wall Pennywort, wrapped in a newly unfurled Beech leaf as a nibble on a stroll through the woods - heaven!
sounds like a holiday and a half
lovely to do stuff together as a family. leaves good memories for all. especially for the kids. they'll carry those good memories for all their lives ❤
The return to lighter evenings sitting by my local badger sett watching them. The bluebells and the increase in bird song make the woods magical in the spring.
Two days ago, was a national Stark day, it was a day when I put up this nest pole and a frame for that very special homestead bird. When they return from Africa is when spring comes... First job of the season, ground still frozen solid.
Good stuff millius, that must have been hard work, did you use a machine for the hole or by hand?
I'm endeavouring to get more pictures so with spring arriving there's going to be lots of vibrant images to capture and that's exciting! Now, wether I actually post up any of them is another matter
I'm endeavouring to get more pictures so with spring arriving there's going to be lots of vibrant images to capture and that's exciting! Now, wether I actually post up any of them is another matter
That was done by machinery, the same that set's these up by the roads, they are replacing existing electric lines with underground cables, so there is plenty of concrete posts available. Quite an interesting resource for a few years before they will be gone... Yes, is there enough time to capture and share images when the busy times come???........... Let's try I always give myself this promise, but failing is what follows.
I always give myself this promise, but failing is what follows.
Ahh - for me Ramson Leaf and Wall Pennywort, wrapped in a newly unfurled Beech leaf as a nibble on a stroll through the woods - heaven!
Well now I've got to try that just to see what it tastes like. I've been trying to transplant pennywort into my garden for a few years now but I think the conditions are wrong for it here.
We're taking bets here on whether the snow will have melted by April now. There still some stubborn patches hanging on in places. Spring just doesn't seem ready to arrive yet. Some of my daffoldills have managed to get an inch or so high and gave up and flowered at ground level. It's a marked difference to this time last year.
Longer warmer days and nights means more time messing about the woods making things, learning things. This time of the year so much of the time is dedicated to just surviving and lugging warm kit.
We will soon be moaning about the bugs mind
I recieved a hammock bug net as a gift. This year I am looking forward to seeing the little bloodsuckers whining ouside the net while I say "neener neener" inside. The bug net will take the space now occupied by the underquilt.
Above 25F: Put away the big pack with all the warm kit and bring out the daypack.
Above freezing: Archery without fingers in pain from cold.
Longer days: Drive to a campsite after work and have enough daylight to chop wood.
Ice off: Back in the kayak fishing.
I gave up on the garden years ago. Now it's a place to try out new machetes.
Stork day? <humor>Stark day is when Winter Is Coming, not going.</humor>
Two days ago, was a national Stark day, it was a day when I put up this nest pole and a frame for that very special homestead bird. When they return from Africa is when spring comes... First job of the season, ground still frozen solid.
I think spring finally arrived here today. I saw/heard the first chiffchaff up in the woods which is spring enough for me. I've flipped the mattress on my bed in celebration.
Spring is fake news. A bunch of BS. Last night's rain turned to snow. White as a sheet this morning. Again.
Friend of mine has eggs hatching. She's just bouncing off the walls happy.
It is a fact that the valley bottoms are warming up. The sun is higher for longer. Sit in the truck and read a book.
There's a really big cornice in the saddle between 2 peaks out my kitchen window. Judging by the apparent width
of a snowmobile track, the chunks coming off are bigger than my whole house. Crescent Spur Heliski was digging 300cm snow pits.
Google those people if you want to see my world from the top.
Friend of mine has eggs hatching. She's just bouncing off the walls happy.
It is a fact that the valley bottoms are warming up. The sun is higher for longer. Sit in the truck and read a book.
There's a really big cornice in the saddle between 2 peaks out my kitchen window. Judging by the apparent width
of a snowmobile track, the chunks coming off are bigger than my whole house. Crescent Spur Heliski was digging 300cm snow pits.
Google those people if you want to see my world from the top.
Warm heathlands, green woods, birdsong, angry adders and work. Bliss. But most of all, sitting out in the warm evening until after dark and watching bats and the wildlife in the middle of my human free local woods. With a cup of mead or two by my side
So we should ask you about spring sometime next August? Gotcha.
"If summer comes on a weekend this year we can have a picnic."
Thanks, Ascobis.
That about sums it up. Long and cold and really snowy and a medical issue that made this the worst winter of my life. Bar none. The very worst.
Got so bad that my gardener was looking for extra work so I sent him off to do all my grocery shopping.
+/- some rain showers, we should see a week of 10C/50F which sits well with me. Might get the yard and gardens cleaned up.
The big spruce trees crap cones and twigs all winter.
Running a 2-burner gasser as my smoker BBQ, got that dug out of the snow drifts, next is to check the tanks for gas.
Time to buzz up a heap of apple wood for smoke.
I bought a Breville smoke gun for the kitchen. Don't. It smokes OK but very pale, pale flavors.
That about sums it up. Long and cold and really snowy and a medical issue that made this the worst winter of my life. Bar none. The very worst.
Got so bad that my gardener was looking for extra work so I sent him off to do all my grocery shopping.
+/- some rain showers, we should see a week of 10C/50F which sits well with me. Might get the yard and gardens cleaned up.
The big spruce trees crap cones and twigs all winter.
Running a 2-burner gasser as my smoker BBQ, got that dug out of the snow drifts, next is to check the tanks for gas.
Time to buzz up a heap of apple wood for smoke.
I bought a Breville smoke gun for the kitchen. Don't. It smokes OK but very pale, pale flavors.
10C? That's spring in the UK. Heck 18C counts as summer. As for weather , well rain is perhaps more a summer thing than sun.
Nope spring is here and it'll get good end of May / early June then its downhill over summer into winter. For the last 15 years summer has been a month or so earlier and ends earlier too.
As a kid September was decent, now even August sees weeks of rain. We'll probably head to the continent to get our summer.
Mind you I like weather. On whatever form it takes. At least we don't really get really heavy snowfalls or tornados. Well it's actually rare to see them. My parents and gran did a few years ago, ripped along the road outside the house. Plus two or three waterspouts touched down in morecambe Bay the same day.
Nope spring is here and it'll get good end of May / early June then its downhill over summer into winter. For the last 15 years summer has been a month or so earlier and ends earlier too.
As a kid September was decent, now even August sees weeks of rain. We'll probably head to the continent to get our summer.
Mind you I like weather. On whatever form it takes. At least we don't really get really heavy snowfalls or tornados. Well it's actually rare to see them. My parents and gran did a few years ago, ripped along the road outside the house. Plus two or three waterspouts touched down in morecambe Bay the same day.
Spring = excitement over first camp of the year.
First camp of the year = sudden realisation we went too early as we're knocking snow off our tent.
Spring restart number 1 = planned weekend camp after one good day during the week resulting in a wet but mild camp and grins on the faces of family.
Spring restart number 2 = first good weather camp. It's probably getting on towards may by now and we're using it to test kit for the summer tour.
It's this sort of activity that I like spring for. The first family forays to organized campsites. The planning of first wildcamp with our young son in the lakeland fells (yet to happen). The planning and ideas coming out of us for the things we want to do in our time (away from work / school) for the good weather months. It's an exciting time off year as it's all to come.
First camp of the year = sudden realisation we went too early as we're knocking snow off our tent.
Spring restart number 1 = planned weekend camp after one good day during the week resulting in a wet but mild camp and grins on the faces of family.
Spring restart number 2 = first good weather camp. It's probably getting on towards may by now and we're using it to test kit for the summer tour.
It's this sort of activity that I like spring for. The first family forays to organized campsites. The planning of first wildcamp with our young son in the lakeland fells (yet to happen). The planning and ideas coming out of us for the things we want to do in our time (away from work / school) for the good weather months. It's an exciting time off year as it's all to come.
Late, but it is finally the very first detectable day of my spring (April 11) = the ground is thawing.
The railroad is 2 blocks from my house. The loaded freight trains are once again shaking my computer monitor screen
and the ground thaws and (clay) gets quite rubbery.
The railroad is 2 blocks from my house. The loaded freight trains are once again shaking my computer monitor screen
and the ground thaws and (clay) gets quite rubbery.
