Vermont Spring

3-28-06 VERMONT: March in Vermont can be very snowy. This year we have almost no snow left and less mud than usual because of the dry winter. The color of early spring is brown, brown snow, brown mud, brown grass, and brown leaves. Sugaring is in progress, and our trees are being tapped by the neighbors. We await brown maple syrup.

Val, Steve, Maggie, Lucy and I went skiing at Loon Mt. Resort yesterday. Maggie and Lucy and Steve took lessons while Val and I explored the top of the mountain. Everyone had a good time and looks forward to more skiing, even Steve, whose fun was a bit tempered by a fall and a broken arm followed by an evening in the ER at DHMC.

Travel Time

3-24-06 SHORT HILLS: It remains dry, windy and cold. Yesterday I helped Val and Steve finish a deck shed or almost finish it and got dinner at Pete’s and dessert at B&J’s in return. Who knew B&J was in Brooklyn. Today was class in Newark, and tomorrow we go to Vermont.

3-20-06 SHORT HILLS: New blooms: andromeda and vinca minor. We have no daffodils yet, only some buds. I understand daffodils are out in West Orange. The weather is the same-cold, windy and mostly sunny. We have had no rain for about 10 days, probably an omen for the rest of the summer. Another dry summer will kill a lot of our shrubs. We have had mostly dry summers for the last several years.
I hauled the leaves that were still around from the fall to the dump-three subaru loads. Time to attempt once again to grow some grass, difficult with four big dogs.
Sorry if this is boring, but it is about gardening. I know, I'll add a picture.

Creeping Forward

3-16-06 SHORT HILLS: Sunny but brisk today. More forsythia and crocus are open and the andromeda has ventured out. I cut out a bunch of dead bamboos. Its almost time for the big clean up and spring pruning and feeding.

FORSYTHIA

3-14-06 SHORT HILLS: Today we had a weather sampler, warm rain this morning then sun followed by windy and cold. In spite of what became an uncomfortable day to be outside, the forsythia, undaunted, popped open about six buds.