Forgotten daffodils

I was driving home through the woods and seeing forgotten daffodils, and jonquils, blooming there, near what remains of some steps, I stopped and walked along what might have been a sidewalk, certainly something made of cement between a row of Norway Spruce, to find a cellar, and there a bottle that once held root beer extract, almost as if it had been left there for me. There had been a town there years ago, I was told it had a barbershop and a candy shop, two stables and a hotel, a railroad station and a general store, boarding house, churches and saloon. All that remains are the daffodil, rhubarb, forsythia and apple trees. It is possible to find, horseradish, iris and many other plants growing wild and a few foundation stones. In some spots, there will be apple trees in a clump, still producing usable apples, some of these mark the sights of old logging camps, where the cook just tossed out the peels and cores and apple trees grew, or so the story goes.

Bubbling over with curiosity I keep walking imagining what it must have been like to live here in the time when this little town was still a town. Walking between rows of pine trees which opened onto a wild tangle of roses, ivy, and shrubs, but most amazingly, asparagus, which I know grows wild, but I don't think this is...and of course rhubarb, for pies and jam, and just stewed one of the first things to come from the garden.Tart and tasty with a generous amount of sugar what a treat it must have been. I stopped awhile to rebuild the scene in my mind. To stop and think of the continuity of life.......how long the house had been gone, I can't say but standing there I felt the pride and satisfaction the gardener must have taken in his/her work so many years ago.
The forgotten daffodils, and jonquils, blooming there, near some steps.
In a few weeks time the woods will again hide this place.

Easter picnic

I love this little card, it is how I like to celebrate easter, simply,sweetly,and outdoors.
Welcome Spring, welcome Easter.

April Moon

Woodsmoke will be crossing the moon. Clear and cold and a perfect night for a bonfire and moondance a blue moondance that is. Another name for tonight's moon is the Pink Moon, because the atmosphere can give the April moon and pinkish glow. this years weather has been harsh and we are treated to only glimpses of recent full moons.
But I will be watching for the it to rise about the horizon, and play hide and seek with the trees until it at last crests the treeline and reflects down on me, as I stand there is awe, feeling very small, but lucky to take my place in the continuum of time



Colonial American - Planter’s Moon
Chinese - Peony Moon
Cherokee - Flower Moon
Choctaw - Wildcat Moon
Dakotah Sioux - Moon When Geese Return in Scattered Formation
Celtic - Growing Moon
English Medeval - Seed Moon
Neo Pagan - Awakening Moon

and so it begins,again

Even though there are still the occasional snowflakes in the air, it is spring, and today's wind and snow will give way to warming sun.
Among the pleasures of spring, are leeks, some people call them ramps, either you love them or you hate them. I love them.
Garlic breath has nothing on leek breath, there are those people who choose to make restrictions about their employees eating the odoriferous bulb. Unfair, I say, but that is another entry.

As the woods begins to green up it is time to go into the woods in search of the much sought after leeks, first with my father and grandfather, and now with my own family, as I hope someday my son will take his family. In years long past we searched for watercress,though this is no longer a good idea with the widespread contamination of once clean streams.

Traveling down dirt roads to look for the emerging prize, the first sprouts being the most pungent, and of course for the" braggin rights" to have found the first tempting morsels. c
Constantly scanning the hillside our shovels over our shoulders, we embraced the warmth and songs of retuning birds. Once we found a spot we set to work digging them out of the leaf litter, filling our bags or baskets. The entire plant is edible, the leaves can be used in omelets ,meatloaf , and are much less pungent than the bulb, though both parts are tamed by cooking.

Leek season lasts for several weeks, until the plant reaches maturity
and sends up and pretty blue flower. and so it begins,again.