My Garden Chronicle from Winter to Spring 2018

MY GARDEN CHRONICLE FROM WINTER TO SPRING 2018

Spring sprung late this year.   The winter was long, harsh and we were inundated by so much snow it reached my mid-thigh reminding me of the cold and snowy winters during the late 60’s.  I guess it is true, the weather is cyclical and we were certainly deep in the cold and wet cycle.   Channel pathways had to be dug so the feral cats wouldn’t have to dig their own tunnels through the snow drifts.

 

                      

The garden usually shows signs of awakening early in March, however, as late as spring was, once the sun warmed the earth nature took the fast track to catch up. Since the beginning of April, there have been amazing spurts of growth and splashes of colour appearing daily.

  

    

Throughout the year, I celebrate the progression of the garden with little festivals.  In the spring it is  Nanking Cherry and Lilac Blossom Festivals and in the fall it is Apple and Pumpkin Harvest Festivals.   Most years the blossom festivals begin in March with the Scillia and Crocus blossoms and finish early in May with the Apple blossoms, but this year the spring festivals happened all in the same week. Or so it seemed.

                                

   

The Scillia, Crocus, Tulip, Nanking Cherry, Lilac, Apple Crab, Crab Apple, Pear and the Cherry trees broke out into delicate blossoms all at the same time.  It was a stupendous show of petals and a fragrant feast of fruity scents wafting on the breezes, a pageant showing off nature’s gifts of growth and fertility.

   

    

 

       

    

Planting began early May and the garden was starting to show signs shortly after the May long weekend.   The Anemones are now in bloom; their pure white faces following the sun as it travels the sky daily.  Little Cherries and Apples are visible on the trees boding an abundant harvest.

     

From today until I put the garden to bed I look forward to Peonies, Pumpkin, Potatoes, Herbs, Carrots, Beans, Apples,  Pears, Roses, Poppies, Honeysuckle, Dill and Sunflowers.

     

As the garden treasures blossom from buds to flowers to fruit to harvest I will continue to be amazed at the magic of how the garden springs to life, grows and develops throughout the year from winter sleep to the cornucopia of the fall.

Stay tuned the garden chronicles will continue.

Cheryle June 11, 2018

 

 

 

Advertisement

Spring Arrives……Finally!

Wow!  It has been a hard slog of a winter here in the north. Well, upper middle north anyway.  This week spring showed up and the snow is melting.  The runoff from the roof exceeds the capacity of the water barrels and cascades over the sides to water the garden below.

The tulips are so happy to be alive they are practically jumping out of the ground.

The bees are buzzing about. Satisfying their spring hunger by nibbling the decaying pears.

The Cedar Waxwings couldn’t wait for the spring snows to end before they finished off the last of the mountain ash berries.

Hares haven’t yet turned but some brown is creeping into their white fur.  A sure sign spring is near.  This picture was taken a month ago, I am positive this little hare is almost all brown by now.

The buds are beginning to swell.  The lilacs will soon blossom.  Their familiar fragrance will float on gentle breezes in through newly opened windows.

It won’t be long before the sunflower husks discarded by the birds and squirrels will be raked up to be put into the compost for next years soil.

Today was our first official “yarden” walk.  The moss is growing green and the walkway will warm under the sun.

Plans are forming for tomatoes, herbs and squash.  Maybe this year I will try my hand at potatoes.  The earth is moist a blessing of the snow.

Cheryle  April 2018

 

PBC – June 2017 – Use a Different Lens

PHOTOBLOGGERS CHALLENGE – JUNE 2017 – USE A DIFFERENT LENS

Many years ago, I purchased my first SLR camera – A Chinon. I loved it!  I was in heaven snapping pictures in my living room, on the street, in the park, or off my balcony, where ever I was.  I barely learned how to use the ASA, F-stop and Aperture functions before developing the film became too expensive.  The undeveloped rolls languished in my fridge for 20 years or so.  A sad state of affairs.

One day, when I was feeling particularly unhappy, I swept into the camera store and walked out with a Nikon D60,  three lenses, a couple of filters, a charger, an extra battery, a cleaning kit, and a camera bag. I was in heaven.  The one and only time I treated myself to such an extravagant shopping spree.  I smile every time I think of it.

This month’s A lil Hoohaa – Photo Bloggers Challenge is to use a different lens. This technical challenge was the impetus I needed to finally start to figure out how to use my NIKON D60 in a mode other than “Auto” or what I call “Running Man”.  The Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm 1:1.8D lens I opted to use for this project has never been used previously.  It has lain in the camera bag sad and unwanted.  Not unwanted because it was considered inferior, unused because I was intimidated.  After all, it is a manual lens. In my mind, I could only use it if I knew what I was doing.  And I don’t.  So it sat inside its black bag, waiting for me to know what to do.

I enjoyed this challenge, more than any of the others I have participated in.  I learned a few things, I remembered a few things, and I;m anticipating future fun.  The photos look more 3 dimensional, the colours appear to be richer, the textures more touchable, and  f/11 is still my favourite f-stop.  I look forward to using this lens on a regular basis.

Anenome – 1/2000 sec f/14.50 mm ISO 3200

Columbine – 1/60 sec. f/20.50 mm ISO 200

Textures – Columbine blossoms, Spruce Tree & Peony leaves – 1/80 sec. f/11.50 mm ISO 1600

Rose Bee – 1/400 sec f/5.50 mm ISO 200

 

Velvet Rose Petals – 1/30 sec. f/22.50 mm ISO 800

Cheryle – June 2017

Please stop by A ‘lil Hoohaa to see the rest of the entries for the

A ‘lil Hoohaa Photo Bloggers Challenge June 2017

 

 

 

 

Day 11 – Blogging U – Photography 101 – Pop of Colour

 

 Flowers covered in snow

Fakers planted

Appease

Winters grey light

Cheryle  March 16, 2015