New Hampshire Nature Notes
by Eric Orff

How quickly things are changing the last few weeks. I thought that our cold wet spring had pretty much put spring on hold. I predicted that leaf out would be a week to ten days late. Not so. Usually nearly all the leaves burst out by the tenth. Looking outside this morning most tress are leafed out except the oaks here. So not all that late. In fact my fiddlehead ferns (ostrich ferns) came out the first week of May right on schedule. I did mange to pick enough around the edges of my lawn to give some away and have a few meals for myself. I planted a half dozen off on the corner of my lawn decades ago and they have spread nicely.

The local dairy farmer was planting his cow corn this week. Maybe five day later than some years. And with the help of my wife and daughter we managed to get a good start on this years garden. I have a pretty big garden at my mom's house a mile down the road. Our family has had a family garden for as long as I can remember. I took over the garden at my parents house when my father passed over two decades ago. My mom has helped much of the time. Though at 94 now she has slowed down some. She did start a bunch of tomatoes that were big enough for some to be put into the garden yesterday.

With my wife's and daughter's help we had lots of things planted within a couple of hours yesterday. Black flies buzzed about and they lathered up with lotion but not me. We planted three rows of corn, two of potatoes, one of dill and one of cucumber seeds. Plus my daughter had picked up some squash, cucumber and more tomato plants that were all set in and watered.

While rototilling I spotted a small snake slithering along. I quickly caught a very small smooth green grass snake and moved it out of harms way. This is the third grass snake I have spotted at my mom's. Its pretty rare for me to see one so always a treat for me. And this was the smallest one I had ever seen. Pretty cool for me.

All the fruit trees are in blossom and my lilacs are just starting in full bloom. There is so much to see, hear and smell this time of year. I just can't get enough of it and try to soak it all in as too soon it will all be gone for the year. Yes we are sliding towards summer by the minute. Make sure to get outside and catch spring while you can.