10/52: Signs of Spring

Only a week and already all these pictures look so BROWN compared to how green everything is now! Well, down by the pond is still pretty brown... I've got wildflower seeds to spread down there, as well as bluebells, trillium, and wild geranium from an online nursery that I'll be planting in the shadier areas. But right now I still have to wait, because there's a leak in the dam and we're not sure if our neighbor is going to need to tear things up to fix it or not.

Every day the kids go out to play down by the pond, and every day they return with their rears covered with dirt... I didn't understand it until I actually watched them play, sliding down that hill to get to the pipes... Now it all makes sense. I hope we can get green things growing down there SOON, because it'll really help with the mud situation!

The elderberry bushes are leafing out, the forsythia bushes are a brilliant, almost fluorescent yellow now (only just starting to bud in that picture), crocuses are blooming, and all the fall bulbs are poking their heads out and forming buds. I really thought we were going to end up with more winter like we usually do in March, but it seems like we're getting the most spring-y March we've ever had! I can't say I mind, although I *did* want just one more big snow. After all, everybody has the proper gear in the proper sizes! There's always next year, I suppose.

The excavation work down at the pond revealed a LOT of trash that has been dumped in that area over the years by previous owners. The kids have been absolutely delighted to find broken bottles and (sometimes) intact ones. They have been dutifully collecting all the broken glass they find and putting most of it in their "broken glass museum" near their "house" made of sticks and rocks. The loveliest pieces live in their other house, including the "crackly" piece they're showing off in some of the pictures.

I really am excited to see what we can do with that spot now that it's so nicely cleared, although most likely it'll just get overgrown with weeds because we won't be able to maintain it properly... Although it's reasonably level, so maybe we can at least get grass seed down to keep it mowed, and then plant lots of bulbs in the fall? Time will tell.