The Pollening

The orchids I bought 2 months ago are holding up well. I guess I'll keep them. 

I started the week off with a shift at the Discovery Center which is getting quite busy with the warming days. I've noticed  the sorts of visitors that visit the center fall into three groups. 

1) Parents/grandparents with small children are most common . The kids love the scavenger hunts and the live turtles tanks.

2) Group homes for challenged individuals. They seem to enjoy the displays too.

3) Adult hikers looking for maps, trail advice, and bathrooms. It's fun to discuss which trails will best suit their needs, and I'm learning the trails first hand.

I'm glad when it's busy because it makes the time go by so quickly. I usually end my shift with a trail walk and I chose the Blueberry Hills section this day. 

At the high point, I could see the storm clouds in the north.
They stayed up there and I had a pleasant and sunny hike.


It was nice to see the vegetation greening up.

I covered all the trails here for a 4 mile hike. The only interesting
wildlife I spotted was a (flying!) turkey and a hawk. 

The texture of these leaves was lush.


The cheerful buds on a tree. 

It took me a few days of enjoying the plant explosion, along with the itching eyes, sore throat, and sneezing fits, to remember that I have seasonal allergies. This has been the most intense case I've experienced in many years. I usually get by with occasional eye drops or an Allegra or two.  This week I've been on a steady dosing of both to combat the symptoms.

A walk on the roads nearer home led me to notice a dilapidated house I have passed by for over 20 years. I'm fairly sure no one has ever set foot in the front yard. It is so overgrown with brambles and trees that once everything leafs out, the house is barely visible. I can often spot geese wandering in the back and the car in the driveway often moves. I've never spotted a person which is very mysterious.

The two largest dead trees were brought down this year by the winds we have had. 
In keeping with their style, they just pulled them off the road and let them join the rest
 of the decaying vegetation. I'm just a tiny bit curious about the people who live here.

On my patio are the four new Earth Boxes all ready for planting. I've started with tomato, pepper,
basil, and snow peas. I've set up my table and chairs there too for another outdoor space to enjoy.

I organized a bike ride this week over in Massachusetts from Adams to Pittsfield for a 28 mile round trip. Patty, Charlene, Ernie, and Mary joined me on a beautiful day. We enjoyed a picnic lunch at the Visitor's center afterwards punctuated by Ernie's delicious coconut chocolate chunk cookies.

On the ride!

Adams is full of history with the old mills, and a historical train along the trail.

A bale of turtles sunning themselves.

On the ride home I noticed the ski slopes at Jiminy Peak still have large snow patches.

Last night I went out to dinner with Dale and Dan, and Janice and George to Norte Azule Cantina. Janice gave me a half dozen eggs laid by her first flock of chickens; I can't wait to try them. 

Janice's backyard eggs. She even stamped a few - I want to be a cookie!


I just sent in my deposit on a ski trip to Norway for next March. The price was reasonable and last month was a hard one for me so I figured a trip would be a good idea next year. Coincidentally, I just got the last disbursement from my Mom's estate - yay!
Today will be a very rainy Saturday so the inside of the house will get some much needed attention.

Comments

  1. MargaretApril 28, 2025 at 12:41 AM

    I'd love to visit Norway! Your docent experience sounds enriching; it must be great to see all the positives that people take away from the Discovery Center. Are you sure anyone lives in that house?? My orchid is thriving too; I've never had one before so I'm not sure it'll last. :)

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