Trillium Season

Trillium Season, originally uploaded by susanvg.

I think one special aspect of spring is the ephemeral nature of the flowers. Scylla, so prolific just a week ago have almost all died off. Daffodils have bloomed and tulips in the sunnier spots have opened. But it is the forest flowers I love - the flowers that belong here, that have not been brought from other places. The trilliums blanket the forest floor, blooming while the sunshine still reaches them, before the leaves open and shade the ground.



Dogtooth violets with their downward drooping faces add their sunny colour.  Summer flowers last, though blossoms die off, more grow to take their places. Spring flowers have a short season - take time to find them for they are not here long.

Preparing the Fields

Preparing the Fields, originally uploaded by susanvg.

As I sit writing this a pungent aroma is wafting in through the windows. The farmers are preparing the fields for planting.

Lawn Ornaments

Lawn Ornaments, originally uploaded by susanvg.

I spend some time in a small town in eastern Ontario. Lawn ornaments can be found in profusion. These are just a sampling of some I passed on a walk today. It reminds me of my daughter when she was about 8. She loved the tacky items found in dollar stores. And if one china animal was good. Ten were definitely better. One year she proudly presented me with a pair of swans, a pair of cats, a pair of sheep, a pair of deer and three rabbits (I guess they had already begun their prolific breeding). She developed more discerning taste...

Dandelion

Dandelion, originally uploaded by susanvg.

It's interesting how we view certain plants. This dandelion is in my garden (not for much longer). Here we view them as weeds, but Italians like to harvest the young leaves and eat them in a salad. You can find dandelion greens for sale in some grocery stores. I was at a restaurant where they were not only offering fiddleheads (lightly sautéd they are a bit crunchy and taste fresh and springy - it's hard to describe taste), but also ramps. I looked up ramps - wild garlic. There was a site from Tennessee which described ways to eliminate them. They were viewed as weeds (though another site talked about a ramp festival there). Here they were sold as a delicacy. In Quebec they can only be harvested in small quantities for personal use, but may not be picked in provincial parks.

The Ferns Unroll

The Ferns Unroll, originally uploaded by susanvg.

Growth happens so quickly this time of year. Little bumps unfurl until they are leafy ferns.



In forests, people pick the early fern shoots known as fiddleheads (usually the ostrich fern). They are quite tasty. They have to be cleaned well and then cooked thoroughly. As only the tightly furled shoots are edible, harvest season is short.

Here's a link to Fiddlehead recipes as well as information about picking them (I let mine grow and buy fresh fiddleheads at the grocery store).

Daffodil

Daffodil, originally uploaded by susanvg.

The daffodil's sunny face looked down, turning away from the grey day.
 It's hard to feel gloomy with the bright spring flowers opening. My garden is coming to life.

What is your Pleasure

What is your Pleasure, originally uploaded by susanvg.

What better thing to do on a warm May afternoon than walk to the ice cream store! Then comes the difficulty of what to choose. I now have an affinity card for the Crémerie Evelyne. Now only eight more visits (4 if I always go with my spouse) and we'll get a free ice cream!

When my kids were 10 and 12, I took them to France. We were in the town of Cabourg in July and the temperatures were in the mid 30s C (mid 90s F). On the main street the cafés would move their freezers out on the sidewalk. They were filled with the most amazing sorbets. In the heat we were consuming them daily - and I have to admit there was one day when one in the afternoon and another in the evening was needed to cool us down. The cafés also had cards which were stamped with each order. With three of us it was easy to fill it up.