Peace and Grace Be to this Place

...in my garden.

Stop...and view the flowers

Finally, some nice weather for the plants to catch up with the calendar. 

I found this white violet in the woods two years ago and planted it in my garden area.  It is looking mighty fine.  I also like white lilacs but don't have any of those.

Two years ago we also dug this up illegally - Trillium.  Usually they are masses of white there are so many on the floor of the forest, but we have only this one going.  Time for a trip with a shovel.

Logging

We've been logging to prepare for next winter.  To heat with wood you really need to have two years worth of wood to let the wood season.  We definitely haven't made it to that level of North Woodsmanship yet.  Lest you think this birch tree was a small one, here is one of my steel-toe Red Wings for comparison.

Mother's Day Treat

I carried the kayak from the loft in the garage, dusted it off, and went for a paddle in the warmth of the afternoon.  I can't remember if I ever kayaked when there were no leaves on the trees.  (There are only a few buds right now.)  What a pleasure to be afloat again!

2013-2014 Weather Report

I have been asked about snow this winter.  This report was just published in the weekly Sawyer County Record newspaper.

Snowfall in Sawyer County, Wisconsin 2013-2014:  110.8 inches

Only two other winters measured over 100 inches:  1896-1897 = 101.7 inches  (Yes, 1800's)
                                                                                   1982-1983 = 106.2 inches

So this was the snowiest winter ever.  I could have told you that without reading the paper.  Here are some additional facts that I didn't need to know.

• first snow:  October 20, 2013
• last? snow:  May 6, 2014
• For those of you who are not math inclined - that is over 6 months and two weeks of snow
• Now for the temps ---
• coldest temperature = 30 below zero
• first day below zero day = Nov. 24, 2013
• for last year's winter 2012-2013  =  99 inches of snow.  Seems close enough to 100.
  
  Sure is beautiful when you are retired and don't have to drive in it.  Photo from Feb.

The funny part is that the report was in last week's paper.  Then it snowed again.  So an updated report was published this week.