May storms and Meadow birds

The 8th of May. We're enjoying the birds and the rainy days that deliver some pretty spectacular skies!

Feathered friends of spring

Simply ... a Sunday morning in May spent with camera's in hand enjoying some of the beautiful birds on the meadow. American Goldfinch, Evening Grosbeak, Canada Geese, Rufous Hummingbird, Cassin's Finch, Yellow Headed Blackbird.

Spring tonic

This time of year our little dog Kali searches everywhere for the appearance of her Quack grass (aka couch grass, dog grass, twitch grass . . .) By any name it's a favourite herbal medicine of dogs and cats. Kali grazes on the fresh green shoots in spring and summer and fall. She loves carrots and yams too! Smart wee pup. I watch and wait for the little crop of dandelions under our kitchen window. They are always our first spring flowers.

The often vilified Dandelion is as nutritious as broccoli or spinach. It's attractive to birds and deer, and makes excellent food for sheep, horses and poultry.

Dandelions are well known to have medicinal value as a diuretic; fats and cholesterol cutter, gas pain reliever, treatment for kidney stones, cancer and diabetes fighter, blood cleanser, weight reducer, vision sharpener, skin and acne treatment,blood pressure controller and the list goes on ...

All parts of the dandelion are useful. The leaves can be cooked as table vegetables; the blossoms transformed into wines and jelly; and the roots can be dried, roasted, ground and made into coffee. Kali likes her Quack grass fresh. We fight the stuff like everyone else in our garden while appreciating that, should the need or desire arise, the roots of this invasive weed can be dried and ground to flour for making bread or boiled to make a syrup. The roasted root of Quack grass (like dandelion) makes a coffee substitute. The young leaves and shoots can be eaten raw in spring salads and juice from the shoots apparently makes a fine spring tonic. Bright flowers and good eats! Just their appearance on the meadow is tonic enough for one winter weary dog and her humans.

The first weekend in April

Some views from our weekend wanderings with the little dog leading the way. Photos of the meadow and the creek as our world emerges from under it's winter white. The vibrant willows sporting their spring colours of gold and red. This is such an exciting time of year! We had a visit from a Shrike on Sunday and our first bluebirds returned. The soil in the greenhouse is very nearly thawed ... oh happy planting days ahead.

An April Fool's Flicker at the Feeder

It's snowing here today. It snowed yesterday and the day before too ! It does keep the birds coming though, and we’re happy to oblige. We had an April Fool’s Flicker at the feeder yesterday =) A Red Shafted Northern Flicker. We got a few snapshots of him and watched as our resident flock of blackbirds tried to intimidate him. Yon Flicker was back again this morning enjoying the suet on the end of the feeder.

A Western Meadowlark Morning

Sunshine and a rare gift this morning; a Western Meadowlark arrives to herald the first Sunday of Spring on the meadow. He finds bare grass outside our living room windows to graze and peck for insects and seeds. David has his camera at the ready! Western meadowlarks are a member of the blackbird family which perhaps explains the moment when one of our (now) forty-odd Red Winged blackbirds dropped down on the ground next to the visiting Meadowlark ~ just for the briefest moment ~ as if to say; "Welcome, Cousin! "

Time now for David and I head out of doors and enjoy the rest of this warm spring day.

As a post script to the day ~ the meadowlark stayed all day.

Think, every morning when the sun peeps through The dim, leaf-latticed windows of the grove, How jubilant the happy birds renew Their old, melodious madrigals of love! And when you think of this, remember too 'T is always morning somewhere, and above The awakening continent; from shore to shore, Somewhere the birds are singing evermore. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow Tales of a Wayside Inn

Coyote on the meadow

Some pics of a recent visitor ~ a healthy looking coyote who wandered onto the meadow the other day, made his way along the creek and then up the ridge and off into the trees...

The last 7 km of our 55 km road to town

Some pics of our road ~ the 7 kilometers that David plows. On our journeys homeward we always let out a big sigh of relief as we turn off down our 7k. It's a beautiful road AND we're almost home . . .