Slow Spring

~ Bitchy After 60

It is cold, windy and rainy today. There are whitecaps on the lake. I visited my mother, sorted and washed loads of laundry and practiced piano, which did not go well. Why? Because I am not focused. I didn’t want to do these things today. I wanted to be outside, but the weather this spring is working against me.

Currently, I am like a little kid in June during the last few weeks of school. I just want to be out playing. By this time last year, I had already been out for weeks and had successfully accomplished some big jobs. This year, not so much. I am lucky if I get out one day a week. On the plus side, all this water is good for the well and the lake. It really is a good to start gardening season off a little wet. But the cold – 6 degrees Celsius that feels like 1 degree is a little much. Water freezes at 0 degrees Celsius! Burrr. Believe me, I have no problem going outside if the mist is warm.

The few days that I have been out, I have mostly been working on deer fencing. Pounding posts into the rocky ground is hit or miss. More miss than you can imagine. Then tying fishing line between the poles in horizontal rows, and topping parts of it with mesh depending on the location. There is also an area in the trees where I will be installing plastic fencing between selective trees instead of poles and mesh.  All I need is two more good days to finish the job, which I started early in April and hoped to be finished by now. And this is only one side of the yard. The side that most of the deer enter from. At present, this appears to be working. I say this with fingers crossed and hoping I am not speaking too soon or jinxing myself. The other side of the yard, if required, will wait until next year. 

I am also happy to say that the euonymus that had been eaten so badly over the winter has bounced back. Gotta love a good tough plant.

I have projects, more enjoyable than fencing that I want to get to. Some of these, like under planting the Satomi dog wood, have been on my list for a few years. I have finally purchased some Japanese forest grass, at a very good price, to do this. This job is first in line after the fencing is complete. 

Others, like groundcover and a hedge across the front of my yard where the lawn refuses to perform and has given way to weeds upon weeds, was a decision I made last year. I am excited about this because I am not really a lawn person and this area will require no mowing once complete. What’s even more exciting is that I found some beautiful Savannah Sunset ninebark deer-resistant shrubs to do this. Again at a very good price. The Cranesbill geranium groundcover will be harvested from areas of my back garden. This plant has covered and stabilized many of the sloping areas back there for years. It is also deer resistant. 

Once these two jobs are complete, it will just be weeding and splitting and moving plants as desired, things I do every year. Plus the veggie garden, which I am hoping my husband will want to get back at now that he has new knees. And then as much paddling as the weather allows. Currently, the racks for the kayaks are out but the kayaks are still in the shed. There have been years when I have been out on the lake this early but this is not one of them.

In the meantime, I watch as spring blossoms slowly appear. The early ones that arrive in the rain and cold still provide nice spots of colour. The hellebores, and pasque flowers are usually the first to bloom. 

As well as the grape hyacinths and bleeding heart and leopard’s bane

The yellow rhododendron has started blooming while the rest of the azaleas and rhododendrons look to be weeks away from even thinking about it. 

The globeflower and cushion spurge have ventured out. 

As well as the sweet woodruff.

The rhubarb grows by leaps and bounds no matter what the weather is. It will be blooming soon. Standing five feet tall, it never fails to impress.

The leaves on trees and many shrubs have yet to fully open and today are shivering with the cold and wind. The later perennials feel the same way. They stay wrapped up in themselves waiting for some sun…

While I constantly check the forecast in search of some warm sunny days to go outside to play.

Thank you for reading

Photos: Jenn Stone

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33 thoughts on “Slow Spring”

  1. We’ve been cold and wet as well. Late spring with lots of rain means my gardening has been put on hold. It was 39 degrees this morning… in May!
    Your blooms are lovely. Way ahead of ours.

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      1. Yes, there are degrees of rain. At the moment, being short of it, I would even be happy with cold rain, particularly as we are taking it easy and watching our new garden with a view to changing it next year. Cold rain, viewed from a warm house has its charms. :-)

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  6. I can relate to this feeling, Jenn. Being outside has a magical way of lifting our spirits. Then, the indoor stuff, also becomes more enjoyable when we have had our fill.

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    1. Yes, we had a fire here years ago and had to be evacuated. It is always in the back of my mind. I usually hope for a day of rain each week all summer long but that is wishful thinking. So I also hope someone with little common sense, doesn’t decide they want to cook hotdogs in the woods.

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  9. Same. My plants are huddling indoors or against a sheltered wall, waiting for the yellow ball in the sky to make an appearance. And the Bunkie building had to stop before we had a chance to put a roof on, which means it has a tarp for its roof. Let’s hope this weather system passes through once and for all ASAP.

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      2. Ah, Nova Scotia. I was wondering. The photos all look beautiful. When you posted this, we in New Hampshire were very chilly, too. The last few days though (early June) we jumped right into 90 F/32 C. Ugh. A happy medium would be nice.

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  10. Every year I say to myself ‘I must get some rhubarb to plant’! Still haven’t unfortunately. That blue hellebore is a gorgeous colour – I only seem to be able to get the red and the white ones here.

    I know what you mean about wanting to be outside when the weather is good. Our spring has (for a change) been so good for the last 3 months or so, my house and garden have gone to hell as I refused to be indoors or at home doing anything as I had no idea when the weather would go back to being it’s usual awful self. It’s broken now though so it looks like I’m going to have to get to work!

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    1. I actually don’t like rhubarb to eat but it is a stunning plant, especially when it blooms.

      Gardening for me is what hill walking is for you. I do it for hours on end and never tire of it. It’s great therapy.

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  11. Beautiful photos. Our weather has been very similar. We even had snow this past week up north. Finally, today, we have some sunshine and some warmer temps. I’m headed outside but have so many things on my to-do-list I’m not sure where to start. We’ve never had a spring start as late as this that I can remember.

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    1. I remember some pretty slow springs in the past but they were a long time ago. My to-do list is also long. Once the big jobs are done, I will putt away at the smaller ones for the rest of the summer. Those that don’t get finished will go on next year’s list.

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  12. Beautiful flowers and plants and trees and brick patio pattern. Well done. Our weather has been uneven more than a normal spring. It’s been sunny and in the 80s but then gets cold and wet dropping into the upper 40s. I want to plant some zinnia seeds but have held off until the ground gets warm for sure.

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  13. Everything looks so green and beautiful! We’re getting some rain, but mostly just heat and humidity. For us, it’s been a hot spring this year. Already in May we’ve been hitting 94-96 with heat index about 10 degrees hotter. Normally, these kinds of temps don’t hit until around the 4th of July! I hope the weather improves for you!

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