Again the blackbirds sings; the streams Wake, laughing, from their winter dreams, And tremble in the April showers The tassels of the maple flowers. ~John Greenleaf Whittier

April's Charms by William Henry Davies

When April scatters charms of primrose gold 

Among the copper leaves in thickets old, 

And singing skylarks from the meadows rise, 

To twinkle like black stars in sunny skies;

When I can hear the small woodpecker ring 

Time on a tree for all the birds that sing; 

And hear the pleasant cuckoo, loud and long -- 

The simple bird that thinks two notes a song;

When I can hear the woodland brook, that could 

Not drown a babe, with all his threatening mood; 

Upon these banks the violets make their home, 

And let a few small strawberry blossoms come:

When I go forth on such a pleasant day, 

One breath outdoors takes all my cares away; 

It goes like heavy smoke, when flames take hold 

Of wood that's green and fill a grate with gold.

An April Day by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

When the warm sun, that brings

Seed-time and harvest, has returned again,

'T is sweet to visit the still wood, where springs

The first flower of the plain.

I love the season well,

When forest glades are teeming with bright forms,

Nor dark and many-folded clouds foretell

The coming-on of storms.

From the earth's loosened mould

The sapling draws its sustenance, and thrives;

Though stricken to the heart with winter's cold,

The drooping tree revives.

The softly-warbled song

Comes from the pleasant woods, and colored wings

Glance quick in the bright sun, that moves along

The forest openings.

When the bright sunset fills

The silver woods with light, the green slope throws

Its shadows in the hollows of the hills,

And wide the upland glows.

And when the eve is born,

In the blue lake the sky, o'er-reaching far,

Is hollowed out and the moon dips her horn,

And twinkles many a star.

Inverted in the tide

Stand the gray rocks, and trembling shadows throw,

And the fair trees look over, side by side,

And see themselves below.

Sweet April! many a thought

Is wedded unto thee, as hearts are wed;

Nor shall they fail, till, to its autumn brought,

Life's golden fruit is shed.

The lyric sound of laughter Fills all the April hills The joy-song of the crocus, The mirth of daffodils. ~Clinton Scollard

I love the season well When forest glades are teeming with bright forms, Nor dark and many-folded clouds foretell The coming of storms. ~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Recipe for Spicy Chipotle Kale Chips

My name is Laura, and I am a Kale Chip addict. I am not a fan, however, of the cost of seasoned Kale Chips st the co-ops I shop at. A one-serving container of similar chips costs $3.99, and I've even seen them at $7.99! Kale grows amazingly well in my garden, but it's winter/early spring here, so I purchased this organic kale at $2.99 a bunch. You may want to cut this recipe in half, or even quarter it. Also note that the curly kale varieties work best in this recipe. Dinosaur Kale is too flat and tends to stick to the dehydrator shelves.

First thing you do is wash the kale and separate the leafy green parts from the thick center rib. (You can compost the ribs, freeze them for later use in soup stock or feed them to the geese and chickens!)

Tear the kale greens into bite-sized pieces and shake as much water from them as possible

Remember, I can eat Kale Chips any time of night or day... this is 4 bunches of washed and torn kale leaves.

In a high-speed blender or food processor, combine

1/2 cup water

1 large Sweet Red Pepper, roughly chopped

1 large Onion, roughly chopped

2 cups raw Cashews

3/4 cup raw Pumpkin Seeds &/or Sunflower Seeds

1/4 cup Lemon Juice

4 to 6 cloves Garlic, smashed

2 teaspoons Sea Salt (optional)

1/4 cup Tahini OR Vegetable Oil (I use Spicy Sesame Oil)

1-2 tablespoons Smoked Chipotle powder

1-2 teaspoons Cayenne Pepper

3/4 cup Nutritional Yeast flakes (NOT baking yeast!)

3 tablespoons shelled Hemp Seeds

2 tablespoons ground Flaxseed

Pulse the ingredients (except Kale) and run to a smooth paste

Grab a few handfuls of your prepared Kale (in this case, 4 bunches store-bought) and place them in a workable bowl. Plop 3 or 4 spoonfuls of seasoning paste onto the kale leaves. 

 Very gently toss the kale with the paste to coat to your liking. Some folks prefer a thicker covering of the seasoning paste than I do... it's up to you!

Here is a close-up of the covered leaves as I like them... not too thick, not too thin

Carefully lay the coated kale in a single layer on your dehydrator shelves. You want to be sure that the leaves are layered fairly individually so the dry completely.

As you can see, I have skipped every other dehydrator shelf at first. The kale is thick and tall, so I put it in on alternate shelves for about one hour to let it shrink down a bit. I have an Excaliber dehydrator with 9 shelves... this recipe gives me a half-gallon and a quart and a half of Kale Chips.

Then I go back and put the rest of the kale on the other shelves and continue dehydrating for another 4 to 5 hours longer. It is helpful to rotate the position of the shelves throughout the dehydrating time.

Here are the finished kale Chips. Make certain that they are crisp and completely dry. Then store in glass jars (NOT plastic!) and munch away!

Tis March...

I wonder if the sap is stirring yet,

If wintry birds are dreaming of a mate,
If frozen snowdrops feel as yet the sun
And crocus fires are kindling one by one:
Sing robin, sing:
I still am sore in doubt concerning Spring.
~Christina Rossetti 

 A small portion of a flock of red-winged blackbirds that descended out of a thick fog today

 vacant stone foundation... most likely a barn stood here long ago

enjoying the fresh air... but not cold feet

'tis march...

March! March! March! They are coming 

In troops to the tune of the wind. 
Redheaded woodpeckers drumming, Gold - crested thrushes behind; Sparrows in brown jackets, hopping Past every gateway and door; Finches, with crimson caps, stopping Just where they stopped before. March! March! March! They are slipping Into their places at last. . . Literature white lily buds, dripping Under the showers that fall fast; Buttercups, violets, roses; Snowdrop and bluebell and pink, Throng upon throng of sweet posies Bending the dewdrops to drink. March! March! March! They will hurry Forth at the wild bugle sound, Blossoms and birds in a flurry, Fluttering all over the ground. Shake out your flags, birch and willow! Shake out your red tassels, larch! Grass blades, up from your earth - pillow. Hear who is calling you. . . March.~Lucy Larcom

Whether the weather in March


~Rain in March fortells rain in June
~March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb
~Many mists in March beckon many frosts in May
~March winds and April showers will surely bring us May flowers
~A dry March and a wet May fill barns and lofts with corn and hay
~Should it rain on Easter Sunday, expect rain for the following seven Sundays

Garden musings...

I've been trying to get my garden compiled on paper, or at least in my head! Although I've saved seeds, I still have some varieties of flowers and vegetables. I also want to concentrate on drying and blending a wonderful and lovely-to-look at tea this year! I usually dry scads of various mints and combine them all together for winter use, as well as Wild Raspberry and Blackberry leaves, Lemon Balm, Bee Balm, Nettles and Dandelion. But I'd like to create a blend that's a little more elaborate for gift-giving too. I've been wracking my brain and revisiting herb books I haven't touched in a long time, and I created this chart above as a quick visual reference to help me along the way. (I need all the help I can get sometimes!)
I know it's not a complete compilation, but it's a starting point to remember to harvest and dry the many herbs and flowers that I do grow, and concoct a pleasing and tasty blend. I am not partial to strong-tasting herbal blends or spices in my tea, so I will go lightly on the more pungent flavors.
Have you any particular favorites when it comes to growing and blending your tea herbs? Is there a particular herb I've left out of a category that you simply must include in your blend?

As I was browsing the web this past week, I stumbled upon this link from Garden Betty on making your own seed tape. (i'm sorry, you'll have to copy and paste; it won't link) I'm curious to know if this is feasible, as I have never tried seed  tape before. Perhaps I'll at least give it a try... it just may cut down on the transplanting or thinning.

http://www.gardenbetty.com/2012/03/make-your-own-seed-tape

I am keeping cabin fever at bay fairly well and trying to be patient with winter. We got the sugar maples tapped yesterday, and I'm waiting on the sap flow to commence in the next few weeks. We had a few inches of snow last night, and may get another storm this weekend. The chickens, ducks, guineas and geese are probably suffering from cabin fever more than I am, as it has been bitter cold with the winds we've had, so I've kept them in the coop more than in other years. Word has it that there is either a mountain lion or a bobcat out back. It's tracks have been spotted throughout the woods, so it is best that the poultry are in anyhow.

I am hoping all is well in your corner of the world. I leave you with these few lines...

Reverie

A warm and cheery fire roars merrily
And shadows dance about the darkened room. 
Beside the hearth a gardener sits and dreams
Of sunny days, of flowers in full bloom. 
Some hollyhocks should tower near the fence,
Bright red. ones that the bees can't help but find.
The trellis at the gate again must wear 
Blue morning glories, or the rosy kind. 
To lend a bit of distance to the scene,
Close to the rear I'll plant in shades of blue
The tall and stately larkspur, double ones­
Of course I'll put in scabiosa, too.
I couldn't do without a pansy bed­
Snapdragons make such beautiful bouquets­
Frilled zinnias and yellow marigolds 
Add just the proper touch to autumn days. 
The flowers grow and bloom with loveliness 
Until a sound destroys the fantasy­
A burning ember falls and I must leave 
My garden and my charming reverie. 
-HELEN BATH SWANSON

For the birds

It is ironic that wintertime languishes and tempts me with hours to be filled, so unlike the other three seasons when the only other things you do with your free time are eat and sleep...

Poultry do not require much time in winter... a drink of warm water laced with apple cider vinegar and molasses and all the trimmings from soups and salads, mounds of warm hay and some cracked corn, and an airing out when the weather is feasible and a snug home is about all they ask this time of year. They don't venture far in cold weather; thus there is no chasing down a flock of errant guinea fowl at 9 pm to make sure they're all safely in the barn for the evening. Predators are less apt to be a bother now, as they too are snugged away except at dinnertime, and the snow gives evidence if they come close.

I certainly do appreciate the calmer pace... I've managed to read a book or two, which is unheard of during the growing season, and I just adore my time spent frivolously tending to Pinterest (ahemmmm..) I can find time now to create a bit more, and that is a luxury in and of itself. I hope you can make time too! I've posted a few bird-related images you may be able to use... they are copyright free from my always-growing collection. These particular ones were compiled by Nancy Rosin in the Memories of a Lifetime series. Enjoy!

Winter, a lingering season, is a time to gather golden moments,
embark upon a sentimental journey, and enjoy every idle hour.

John Boswell

Surely as cometh the Winter, I know
There are Spring violets under the snow.
-  R. H. Newell

February is merely as long as is needed to pass the time until March.

-  Dr. J. R. Stockton

When the snow is still blowing against the window-pane in
January and February and the wild winds are howling without,
what pleasure it is to plan for summer that is to be.

Celia Thaxter

He knows no winter, he who loves the soil,
For, stormy days, when he is free from toil,
He plans his summer crops, selects his seeds
From bright-paged catalogues for garden needs.
When looking out upon frost-silvered fields,
He visualizes autumn's golden yields;
He sees in snow and sleet and icy rain
Precious moisture for his early grain;
He hears spring-heralds in the storm's  turmoil­
He knows no winter, he who loves the soil.
-  Sudie Stuart Hager 

There is a privacy about winter which no other season gives you … Only in winter…can you have longer, quiet stretches when you can savor belonging to yourself.
-  Ruth Stout

Out of the bosom of the Air, 
Out of the cloud-folds of her garments shaken, 
Over the woodlands brown and bare, 
Over the harvest-fields forsaken, 
Silent, and soft, and slow 
Descends the snow.
-  Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

WINTER EVENING

The crib stock fothered, horses suppered up,

And cows in sheds all littered down in straw,

The threshers gone, the owls are left to whoop,

The ducks go waddling with distended craw

Through little hole made in the hen-roost door,

And geese with idle gabble never o`er

Bait careless hog until he tumbles down,

Insult provoking spite to noise the more;

While fowl high-perched blink with contemptuous frown

On all the noise and bother heard below;

Over the stable-ridge in crowds,the crow,

With jackdaws intermixed, known by their noise,

To the warm woods behind the village go;

And whistling home for bed go weary boys.

                                John Clare (1793 - 1864)

Home is the place that goes where you go,

yet it welcomes you upon your return. Like

 a dog overjoyed at the door. We've missed 

you is what you hear, no matter how long

 you've been gone.

                                 ~ Michael J. Rosen, Home

A recipe for you... click to enlarge

The wintry hedge was black;

         The green grass was not seen;

                The birds did rest

                On the bare thorn’s breast,

Whose roots, beside the pathway track,

Had bound their folds o’er many a crack

                Which the frost had made between.

                                      ~Percy Bysshe Shelley

Be it ever so humble, there's no place like home

The Old Barn...

by Marlin Pine

In memory I see the barn
Faded red and weatherworn

Inside the hayloft, ladder stands
Its rungs worn down from countless hands.

From cracks between the sagging walls,
The sun slants to the dusty stalls.

I hear the barn door's rusty rasp,
The summer breeze, the broken clasp.

Sweet fragrance of the newmown hay
Still lingers with me yet today.

The nail I drove next to the door,
Where hung my old rope hackamore.

O, stay the youthful memory...
The barn returns the boy in me.

So when I sleep, I dream I play
Inside the barn, upon the hay.