Monday, April 19, 2010

Spring Sightings at Leyden Glen Farm

Things are starting to green up here in our part of the world. I love the fact that it is warmer out and we don't have to be as bundled up in layers to combat the cold. The mud is mostly gone and the house is easier to keep clean, although it only stays clean for about an hour considering all the four footed traffic that goes in and out the door.

I'm looking forward to the orchard blooming - hoping that it will and that I will be around the day it does, not off teaching somewhere. I love to walk amongst those boughs full of blossoms.

Our orchard is one of those like many around here that was abandoned in the 1980's. It became too hard for farmers to make money raising apples and other fruits as imports increased. Our trees have reverted to blooming and bearing fruit every other year. We don't do anything to them except harvest the fruit in the fall. I'm hoping that we have a good crop this year as it is the year that they should bloom and bear fruit.

Some of the branches are covered in a pretty grey/green lichen that I'm sure I could use for dyeing wool if I wanted. I love looking at lichen - every little patch is like its own little world.

The daffodils are doing their thing.


The bulbs I planted a few years ago are multiplying nicely. It's nice that there is a flowering plant that the sheep and deer really don't bother with.


The flowering quince is such a pretty shade of pink. Must bring some blooms in for the kitchen table.


Here's one of the lambs that has just arrived at the pasture in front of our house. It is a lovely sight to have a field full of sheep grazing outside your windows, I must admit.


Good week everyone.

8 comments:

stringplay said...

I always love seeing all your fabulous photos. Enjoyed the NNK podcast interview, too.

Lyn said...

Lovely photos, I love the Spring, it's my favourite season.
Love
Lyn
xxx

Unknown said...

Oh, the quince IS lovely!
-Deborah

Stefanie said...

Pretty flowers. What is lichen (a type of flower?) and how would you use it in the dyeing process?

technikat said...

Those lambs don't look much like lambs anymore. It's amazing how quickly they grow! Being a city girl, I'd just say that's a sheep.

Ellie said...

Lichen is a great indicator of air quality - the more lichen and the more "raised" your lichen , the better the air quality. Looks like you have some wonderfully clean air up there!

Ellie said...

I actually learned something new about lichen:

What are Lichens?
Lichens (Latin, lichen, from the Greek word meaning "tree moss") are unusual organisms because they consist of fungal threads and microscopic green alga living together and functioning as a single organism.

from:
http://www.cartage.org.lb/en/themes/sciences/botanicalsciences/majordivisions/KingdomFungi/Lichens/Lichens.htm

Wow - who knew?

Carrie said...

Beautiful Spring! Our color is still a ways off up here in Alaska!

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