May 1, 2014

Spring in the woods

Leeks! I feel like I am getting repetitive. "Oh! Bethaney is going to post pictures of them going to pick leeks in the woods. That is a bit out of the blue. Didn't she post pictures of the same thing last year. And the year before that? I wonder if she will do it next year too.... "  Well, barring unforeseen circumstances, you will probably see pictures of leeks next spring too. It is just the thing to do in spring. The leeks are one of the first things to poke out of the brown, dead leaf covered ground and for that reason alone, they are worth loving. And too, they taste good. The downside is the fact that they are so hard to pick. But since we only do it once a year, it is a bit of an outdoor novelty just when we are wanting to be outside, poking in the dirt. 

The first few pictures are of us taking a Sunday afternoon walk. I dedicate this to Owen, who was thrilled to bits that I was stopping to take pictures every few steps. 



Little yellow duck, Hoyt




Elsie getting a little big sister guidance while Mommy stands around uselessly taking pictures. 


Walking and talking


Striding Elsie


Spring sky


Investigating the wonder of grass


Talking while Ashley has her baby carrier straps adjusted


Little ferny things


Strawberry plants


Trillium-about-to-be


Dutchmen's breeches


Dutchmens breeches leaves with raindrops


Elsie and Orianna


Apparently birch trees do this--send up a thousand tiny shoots out of the stump to make a new tree for the roots. Clever.


Gilbert loves Owen and Ashley



For some reason, the caption that pops into mind for this one is something along the line of "entering the brave new world." 


Beaver holes


Owen showing the girls the beaver dams


Fording a stream


Gilbert had boots that pinched his toes, since he had gone out an hour earlier, splashing in puddles, and soaked his boots through and through. So he had to made do with his old boots.


Puddle


Huddle


Here we are! Getting ready to pick leeks.


Orianna girl


My kids

'

Tucking in pants so they don't get muddy while splashing through puddles


Tree buds


A spring storm moving in


I have no idea what these are. But they are monochromatic. Flower and leaves the same color. 


There! Leek digging. 



Forest floor


This is called a spring beauty. A teensy flower with pink stripes. Very sweet.


Leeks


Leek collars


Elsie navigating


Feeling moss


Hepatica.
I don't know that I have ever seen one of these before. I had to google it to find out what it was.


A new wildflower fascinates me, so I took a lot of pictures.




Livie being all photgraphy.


Meanwhile, back to the people working.


Leeks nibbled by a deer or some other animal.


Red jacket helpers


Dirty fingers and leeks.


Ashley's full basket


Heading home


Turning around to see what is keeping Mummy


Owen had to stop the kids and teach them a farming lesson--the grass grows better and faster around cow pies.


Into the sunset


Twin tractors (pratically anyway)


Rough housing


Puddle stompers

1 comment:

Evan and Clover and Co. said...

I missed the annual leek trip! Waaaaah! Very lovely pictures, especially Elsie striding and "entering the brave new world". Luffly.