Spring is coming (apparently)

While we may have celebrated the spring equinox and are enjoying the extra hours of daylight (well actually that just means more work time!), I wouldn't be totally confident to herald that spring has arrived. Like most things in the maritimes, what's the rush? We got overly excited at the sight of grass again and then our hopes were dashed by another couple of snow falls. The daffs I fear are digging their way to Australia.
Progress on the greenhouse is steady and Jamie is beavering away as fast as his frozen fingers will allow. Until its completion we will continue sharing the house with thousands of seedlings who are battling for daylight and warmth. Eddie has found something serious to growl at under our deck (and it growls back- yikes!) and unfortunately another of our cockerels has turned against me.

Green house phase 1 - surveying

Green house phase 2 - digging

Green house phase 3 - working out the angles!

Green house phase 4 - oh that's what it's going to look like

Cold day at the beach/iceberg

Tapping Maples

As the snow finally melts, Jamie is fulfilling a lifelong ambition to make his own maple syrup. We've only tapped a few trees, that seems to be the easy bit...then there's the boiling, and boiling and boiling.
However despite all the faff, I've got to admit the end result is very tastey!

We're also finding it a great novelty to be able to see grass again, albeit brown and squashed. However since no more snow on the ground means we might need to start doing some farming, there is a slight panic in the air.

Starting Seeds

Looks like I forgot to update the blog last week...oops, must have been too busy making the most of the snow since we've had a few lovely days of sunshine which always makes me feel like I am on a ski holiday. Last week we had a delivery of potting mix which means 2 pallets worth of soil is now distributed between various rooms in the house since we can only open the door to one of the barns.

So Jamie has started the never ending process of sowing, and since we haven't got a green house up yet (due to the snow) then our largest bedroom in the house and the living room have been overtaken by germinating trays. Jamie has transformed one of our spare beds into a heat bed.

Soil blocks with seeds planted

Peas for sprouting

Sprouting peas