Gardening in the woods

As we walk the new road every day we can see that the woods will slowly come back to the edges where we pushed it back. Already we are happy to see that there are ferns and some other plants pushing their way back up through the soil.  I’ve been doing some reading on native wildflower species and have ordered some seeds that we can plant this fall. Hopefully next year then, we will see some colour from such plants as sweet cicely, meadowsweet, cinquefoil, wild bergamot, and my favourite black-eyed susans – just to name a few! I have also read that it's fine to go gather up some seeds from native plants growing wild in the area, as long as you only take a few to allow the plants to keep spreading their own seed. So I am driving around with an eye on the roadsides. I need to learn a lot more about identifying plants though.

 

These I know! Milkweed and asters. I will gather some of the aster seeds and scatter them for sure as I love them. The milkweed seems to spread well enough on it's own. I always had milkweed in my garden at home, as a benefit for the monarch butterflies, and someone would always tell me I had weeds in my garden. Well no more I guess, the milkweed plants are everywhere here, and now I can enjoy them just as much as the monarchs do. I have a whole new woodland garden now!

I couldn’t resist planting a few non-native daffodil bulbs as well at the entrance to our road.  Being the national Welsh flower, we absolutely have to have some here of course. Reading the instructions to plant at least 6 inches deep, soon had me muttering that CLEARLY these were not native to this area.  We are on a limestone base here, and my trowel would barely go an inch into the soil before striking roots and rock. All the while I was also trying to avoid the poison ivy that thrives here. We shall see if anything comes up in the spring.

 

These look like small rocks but they aren't. The ones at the back were about the limit of what I could carry. I put them there so that Rob won't get the idea to drive his tractor in here and smooth things out!  The daffodils will come up around the rocks and should look pretty.  The package says that the deer won't eat them, but I'm not convinced. If they do, they do, I'll just have to learn what works and what doesn't.

Walking along the edge of the road this week too, it is pretty clear that fall is really here.  We like to walk deep into the woods in the fall, as the poison ivy isn't quite as likely to get you then. I'm happy to say it is now turning red, and easy to spot. 

I like the idea of "gardening" here. It means doing very little, with little maintenance.  Just walk along and enjoy the natural beauty of the woods and what it provides.  We will however try to get a veggie garden going next year, and that one will require a bit more work!

My camera is still not back from repair. Which is too bad, as Rob and I were standing at the river’s edge this weekend, and Rob looked up and quietly said “look, an eagle”.  It is only the second time we have ever seen one in Ontario! The next day, I stood at the edge, thinking I wouldn’t be likely to see one again, when an osprey flew by. Rob has seen osprey here before, but I hadn’t so that was a treat. Still no photo though. I can’t wait to get my camera back.

I have noticed that the numbers of birds are dwindling, as they slowly leave the area to head south. I haven't seen any hummingbirds at the feeder the last few days. No sign of the phoebe, or robins. The blue jays and woodpeckers are busy though. Walking along the road the air was suddenly full of woodchips, and I spotted a small woodpecker working pretty hard at the hole in the tree. Not a great shot, but you can kind of see the chips are flying!

 

I get comments on this blog that we are really busy. I suppose we are but I think it’s all relative. Working 24/7 at our business was busy. Here, we try to take time every day to give Jet a good play time, and we walk a lot. I go out with my old camera at least once a day for a good long walk, and spend time every day down by the river. I love to inch my way out on the rocks at the side of the river and look downstream. The mergansers hang out here a lot, and while I was standing here, the osprey flew overhead again.  There are two kingfishers that swoop up and down along here.  I watch the turkey vultures, the crows, and the ravens.  There are a least 4 herons that fish here too.

 

 

And every night we try to just sit and relax and listen to music. Last night it dipped below zero so we curled up on the couch and had the woodstove going, and I have it on now too. It’s not all hard work !!

Next week is the Madawaska studio tour so we are going to visit Tim Storey’s studio. We have a teapot from him that was Rob’s birthday gift from me 2 years ago, so we are really looking forward to meeting Tim. There is also a place that specializes in off-the-grid and solar options that are having an open house so we shall go there as well, as it is on the way.

Isn't this a great teapot?

Well, I had a totally different post in mind, all about our plans, and how the building aspect was going, but this went in a different direction. I think it was prompted by one of our flags that hangs in the trees at the side of the road.

It's little blurry - the flags are almost always moving. But it says, Life is not a race but a journey to be savored each step of the way. Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery and today is a gift.

It was supposed to rain today, but the sun shone brilliantly. We popped out for what may be the last trip to the french fry van this season. Had a nice walk in the crisp air. Enjoyed a sweet apple from a local apple farm.  Now I am snug in front of the wood stove, and Rob is up working on the shed putting in a door.  Time to plan some dinner, maybe go a walk.  A great gift of a day.