Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day to all in the Blogosphere.

And . . .

. . . Happy trillium day (at least its the first time I saw trilliums in bloom this year)!

(sorry for the low resolution - taken with my phone's camera when I was out cycling today)

I suppose I could also call it Happy Marsh Marigold Day as I saw them also!

Still Shakin' the Bushes Boss . . .

If you've seen the movie 'Cool Hand Luke', you've seen the scenes where the prisoners are walking down those dusty country roads cutting weeds.  I had my version this past weekend.  The Japanese Knotweed has been growing like crazy with all the rain.  It was over 4 feet tall in places.  I got out my trusty scythe and knocked it back by the creek.

Knotweed - Before and After

We couldn't see the creek before, now we can enjoy it again.

. . .

Update - I've been blogging a lot about all the wild trilliums.  My lone trillium made it through the winter and it is twice the size it was last year.  It did not flower this year, though it can take up to 7 years before it flowers.  In time it will build a colony.  We'll see what happens over the years (you can see I have a little cage around it to protect it from accidental trimming, etc.).

Enjoy.

Trilliums and Earthballs

I went for a long bike ride yesterday.  In my younger days, I would just ride as hard as I can to train for racing.  As I have gotten older and stopped racing, I find myself looking off to the woods and the streams.

Yesterday I came across tons of trilliums ("... billiums of trilliums ...") growing in the shady roadsides under the trees.  Trilliums are some of my favorites.  I jumped off my bike and took a few photos.

Just down the road I saw a strange sight.  I got off my bike to investigate.  Looks like I came across some earthball mushrooms (genus Scleroderma).  They are poisonous, unlike the larger puffball mushrooms which I blogged about before.

Always  take the time to look around.  You ever know what you will find.


Happy Mother's Day!

From the Lake to the Mountains

Yesterday was a perfect day.  The winds were calm, it was sunny, the temperatures where in the low 70s degF. Spring is in full bloom.  The grass is green and growing like crazy.  The trees are leafing out, and the wildflowers are starting to bloom.

I started the day with a bike ride down by the lake.  I was planning on riding to Rt 125 and crossing the little causeway by the lake.  However, the recent flooding had the road closed.

As I headed home I looked at the construction of the Crown Point Bridge.  It is one of the few bridges that cross Lake Champlain.  This bridge was demolished recently and is to open later this year (we hope).

When I got home, the wife an I went for a short hike into the Green Mountains.  We drove south and turned east onto Rt 125.  Rt 125 comes up from the lake, through dairy farms, and into the Green Mountains.  We stopped at the Robert Frost Trail (which I visited a few times in the winter).

We made sure to look down and take in the wildflowers.  We saw Nodding Trilliums (which I have never seen before), . . .

. . . tons of Trout Lillies, . . .

. . . wild Phlox, . . .

. . . and Fiddleheads.

We then drove over the Green Mountains, and descended the mountains for a few miles.  We came to one of our favorite areas, Texas Falls Recreation Area of the Green Mountain National Forest.  There are trails by the falls, as well as a beautiful picnic area.

 Rt 125 is one of the great drives through Vermont.  Enjoy.

Discoveries

Three years ago I bought a few trillium bulbs and planted them in the shade garden.  Nothing seemed to happen with them, and over the years I forgot about them.  Last night, we were walking around our property, showing my sister the gardens.  While looking at the shade garden, I noticed I had a trillium!  I hope it comes back over the years and spreads.  What a find.

I have seen a shed snake skin and glimpses of garter snakes by the tomato garden and in front of the barn near a rock border.  Today, I was able to get a few photos.  We then discovered a second snake just a few feet from the first one.  There is a small hole in the ground near the foundation of the barn.  I've seen a snake slithering into this hole.

I also discovered a large moth by the garage.  It is about 3 inched long.   Does anyone know what kind it is?

A Fine Afternoon

I was caught up and work  Since it was a nice day, I left work early.

The Better Half with the 2-Man Saw

Last night my wife and I went to a preview at the local auction house.  I was interested in a 2-man saw and a bamboo flyrod.  Today, the wife went to the local auction house and got a bunch of large crocks (12 gal, 6 gal, 5 gal, 3 gal and 2 gal) and the saw.  She put in absentee bids for a few other items and the flyrod.  We'll find out on Monday if we got anything else.  I was excited to get the saw (and only $25).  The handles are tight, the blade is straight, and the teeth are well set.  It needs some cleaning up and sharpening.  I hope to get to it this weekend.

I took a bike ride when I got home.  I came across a neat barn with a cupola on it.  It was a little rundown, but it was still quite interesting.  We always fancied a cupola on our barn.

I found a large bunch of trilliums along a wooded hillside.  They are some of my favorite wildflowers.

I came home and worked in the yard.  I have kept up with the mowing, but I needed to trim the edges.  I got out the string trimmer and broke bad on the edges.  I then mowed the yard.

I noticed that the bleeding hearts are blooming, as are the lilacs.  New growth is leafing out on the larches.

Even the knotweed is reaching for the sky.  I took a picture 1 week ago.  The knotweed has gone from 6 inches to over 18 inches in 1 week.  I'll be getting the scythe out in a few weeks to knock it back.

Young Knotweed

1 Week Later . . .

We grilled steak and served it with fries and a salad for dinner.  Quite a nice afternoon indeed!

We're off to a big used book sale in Ithaca tomorrow.  Wish us luck.

Trilliums

I saw my first trillium today.  I had went for a ride and saw it sitting by itself in the sun by the side of the road. I always liked trilliums.  They seem to appear unexpectedly.  I need to grow some in the yard.  They are quite ephemeral, but beautiful.