Spring Cleaning- Getting ready for Summer-

Lest you think I have been resting on my laurels after the unprecedented ( for me) success of my Maple Syrup endeavours, I hasten to remind you that this is OnlyADoneList so there is inevitably a delay in producing my account.

Spring opening this year was amazingly early and the transition from the bleak and cold winter season to a warm and refreshing spring was extremely rapid. The grass is already lush green and just about ready for the first mow. Really- in April! We’ve had daffodils for over two weeks, the apple trees are about to burst into blossom, the lilac buds are swelling and its almost time to put away the trousers and bring out the shorts. By the end of next week I’ll turn on the outside water systems for the cottage, the barn, pool and greenhouse. Three baskets of geraniums that wintered in the library and bloomed on and off are now outside. The vegetable garden is tilled, the post-winter burn off completed and almost totally re-greened. At this rate I’ll get the pool opened and up and running by mid-may.

From the evidence, or should I say, lack of it, it would appear that the supersonic sound emitters in the farm house attic and cottage attic have been reasonably successful in discouraging the squirrels from taking up residence. They have moved into the work barn, and are doing their best to demolish the bird feeders ! I may experiment with outside versions of the sonic machine, since my efforts with cayenne pepper in dishwashing liquid have been totally useless.

After several years of dreaming, we have had an electric panel installed on the back side of the hydro pole at the trellis bed in the middle of the main lawn. Should be enough to power the needs of the wedding activities for Bren and Marnie slated for the first weekend in July. Maybe one day I’ll bury a line to bring power to the bus !

After years of dawdling and delaying we now have a proper well-head at the Main Barn. The roof is made of siding/ wooden planking, cut off the Main barn when windows were installed.

Thanks to neighbour, Roy Raymond, who provided a large plastic drum we now have a rotating compost bin, awaiting the summer cottage residents and the garden weeds ! Nice to use up long stored scrap materials. Dear brother, Michel, who has seen any earlier version of this picture, remarked that the Greenhouse, potting shed, could use some TLC.

 
 
 

New shed, painted, and winter ramp door in temporary storage.

Hope that you are all enjoying a beautiful spring, and looking forward to seeing you soon at the farm.