Winter Takes One More Slap At Amity
May 16 and 17, 2007

It is definitely Maine weather, 80 degrees one week and snows the next. Just when you thought it might be safe to finally shed the long johns, a look out the window quickly changed that opinion as huge snowflakes drifted by the windows on Wednesday. Waking up to a winter wonderland Thursday morning was not exactly what we all had in mind after temperatures in the low 80’s a week or so before. The poor little Hummingbirds that arrived last week do not seem too thrilled either. They greedily lined up at the feeders I have out on Wednesday, but I was dismayed to

only note one at a feeder abut 11:00 Thursday morning. We can only hope they will be able to resist this cold snap. One Robin I took a picture of looked quite miserable sitting on his branch, both covered with snow.

Hearing the trilling melodies of the Hermit Thrushes early in the mornings and late into the evenings had given me hope we could get in the gardens soon. My daughter always gets anxious to get a jump on the short growing season for watermelon, gourds, and squash, so we started some seeds last month. The Hubbard Squash with their 4-5 inch leaves are doing their best to push one another off the windowsills; the house seems to be taking on a jungle look with all the new vines and leaves stretching out towards the windows.  I have already picked flower buds off the gourds and the watermelon plants are seem about to cascade over the edge of the stand sitting in the west facing windows. I noticed that the first full moon of June is the first; my grandfather always told me that you could set the seedlings out after that. I just hope the vines have not taken completely over in the next couple of weeks, I saw one of the cats disappear behind some the other day. Huh, wonder where that cat is?