⬆︎ Baby apples
Drought is terrifying at any time of year. But drought in the spring, I think, is the worst. After a so-so start with the spring rains, a weekend front left behind 5.54 inches, and yesterday the sun came out. Now we can have some serious spring.
One of the things that is easy to see when you live in an undeveloped area with lots of wildlife is how drought means hunger for the wild things. During last year’s dry spring, for example, the deer wiped out the day lilies. They did it because they were hungry. The vole population is greater when there’s good rain. The moles flourish. Somebody — probably a raccoon but possibly a skunk — is making little divots all over the yard, orchard, and garden, taking advantage of the soft soil to dig for grubs.
Because there are many young trees at the abbey — including the orchard — good rain in the spring is important, because it’s in the spring that young trees do most of their growing. The surrounding woods also got a deep, deep watering, which will maximum the growth of the wild trees during the merry month of May. If good weather continues, the squirrels will have lots to eat this winter.
Ken’s garden is flourishing. Last night’s supper included mustard greens and roasted turnips. Cilantro pesto is on the menu for tonight. The onions are flourishing. The cabbages are forming heads. The basil and tomatoes are starting to jump.
The long-range forecast looks good. If the voles are happy, I’m happy.
⬆︎ The first fence roses
⬆︎ Spiderwort
⬆︎ Baby peaches, of which we have a great, great many
⬆︎ It seems that some red clover seed hitched its way in in a bag of grass seed. It’s a beautiful plant, so next year we should plant much more of it.
⬆︎ Wildflowers at the edge of the woods, the name of which I do not know
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