Snow...and birds

[DThille]

So, She Who Must Be Obeyed and I were out yesterday...I had to pick up an order that had come in to a local store in the country and I invited her for some fresh air. On the entire drive we lost track of the pairs of Canada geese we saw and we saw at least 30 whitetail deer in three groupings. Also of note is that we saw a swan...on getting back, I looked things up and I'm quite certain it was a Tundra Swan on its migration north.

We had more snow out there than the last time I was out. Of course, from now through the end of the weekend, we are predicted to get up to 50 mm (2") of rain, which will really knock that down. The ground is still frozen, so not much will be absorbed.

I'm really starting to itch to get moving. I've got a fair bit of work to do before planting, so I want to be able to get on the land. The snow needs to melt, then things need to dry somewhat before I can get a tractor out there...sigh.

I did re-pot some tomato and pepper seedlings yesterday. I need to do some more so I can rearrange trays and get the next batch of seeds (primarily brassicas) started.

 

[Mandy Onderwater]

It looks beautiful! I miss seeing deer - they're not around where I live sadly.

The snow has gone down significantly from when I last saw pictures of it! So that's great! I hear a lot of places are slowly starting to warm up now, so hopefully your area will gradually warm up as well.
I wouldn't mind seeing pictures of how your seedlings are going! Are you growing them indoors seeing as it's still so cold outside? Or in a shed..

 

[DThille]

A lot of rain / snow again this weekend…sigh. At least it should be gone again soon…in time for more rain predicted later in the week. 🙄

 

[Mandy Onderwater]

Oh no! Such an absolute bummer. Is this unusual for your area? It sounds like it is. Hopefully it's gone soon...

 

[DThille]

Average temperatures are about 13 C for a high and 0 for a low, so it is cooler than typical, although it isn’t overly extreme to have snow in late April or May.

 

[Mandy Onderwater]

Average temperatures are about 13 C for a high and 0 for a low, so it is cooler than typical, although it isn’t overly extreme to have snow in late April or May.

That's so different from here! Especially since we're in Autumn/Fall now where I live - headed to winter. And even then the temperatures don't go below 5. In saying that some cold-climate plants don't do well here and I sadly can't grow them. My dad used to have our own apple and pear trees, and rhubarb grew amazing. They lived for many, many years through snow and summer until we sadly had to get rid of them as they were in the way with how the neighbourhood expanded.

 

[DThille]

That's so different from here! Especially since we're in Autumn/Fall now where I live - headed to winter. And even then the temperatures don't go below 5. In saying that some cold-climate plants don't do well here and I sadly can't grow them. My dad used to have our own apple and pear trees, and rhubarb grew amazing. They lived for many, many years through snow and summer until we sadly had to get rid of them as they were in the way with how the neighbourhood expanded.

We have apples, pears, and rhubarb (among others) in the country, so you can garden vicariously through us, although you won’t be able to taste them unless you come for a visit toward your late winter….

 

[Mandy Onderwater]

Ohh that sounds lovely. My father always used to make some kind of rhubarb 'soup' that we would eat with custard (or on it's own). I don't know what he put in it but I think it was just water and sugar, then boiled. It was delicious and sweet. I miss it sometimes.

 

[DThille]

We call that stewed rhubarb…sometimes we will add berries to sweeten it naturally. It’s really nice over ice cream. We will also use rhubarb mixed with other things in jams. A rhubarb crisp is an indicator summer has arrived.

 

[Mandy Onderwater]

We call that stewed rhubarb…sometimes we will add berries to sweeten it naturally. It’s really nice over ice cream. We will also use rhubarb mixed with other things in jams. A rhubarb crisp is an indicator summer has arrived.

Oh that sound so good! I really would love me some right now. I doubt it'll grow well in my climate though.

 

[DThille]

No snow! Yay! Just birds in essence.

When I arrived there was this pair of mallard ducks on the dugout, which still has some ice and has filled.

I was a bit surprised to see just one goose, but later saw one on what I believe may be a nest near the dugout, so they're presumably taking turns feeding and incubating.

Someone in the blackbird family...probably a brewer's blackbird, but not certain.

As often happens, I heard the killdeer before seeing one.

I've submitted this guy to a bird ID group on Facebook...I'm not sure if it is a song sparrow or savannah sparrow.

American robin.

I did see mourning doves and dark-eyed juncos today, but didn't get good photos.

 

[Mandy Onderwater]

So pretty! 😍