My Lucky Day!

Yesterday, our local outdoor farmer’s market opened for the season.  Oh happy day!  In addition to all the regular vendors, there were a few new ones and of course I had to check them out. 

One of the new stalls was filled to the brim with quality antiques and quilts.  It’s a good thing that I arrived shortly after set up because I’m sure my newest treasure would have made it home with some other appreciative customer rather than me.

An antique J & P Coats spool cabinet!

I’m not sure if this is where I’ll keep it but until I can find a better place, here is where it’ll stay.

I thought that one more crate would do it for some of my neatly folded stash but I definitely need another one to complete the stack.

Speaking of stash, there hasn’t been too much happening here lately on the sewing front.  Taking care of baby chicks, planting flowers and preparing the veggie garden has taken up most of my and Mr. Painted Quilt’s time.

Today, “Les Girls” are five days old…already!  They’ve almost doubled in size since we brought them into our mud room and placed them under a heat lamp.  It was just too cold for them at this age out in the coop in the barn, but who knew?  We’re transplanted city folk and thanks to the advice and guidance of friends and neighbors,  we’re learning the ropes very quickly.

We’re also in the process of enlarging our ‘kitchen’ garden to make room for some tomatoes, hot peppers, lettuce and onions.  Just to be on the safe side, we’ll be planting those next weekend.  We still get some cool breezes at night being so close to the ocean. 

The Annapolis Valley of Nova Scotia is renowned for it’s fruit and veggies so for the two of us, having a large garden is really not worth the time and effort that is required to maintain it.  In season, there is an abundance of reasonably priced organically grown produce, especially at our farmer’s market where you can find me bright and early every Saturday morning.

The rest of our rhubarb crop will be picked today and I can’t decide whether to make some rhubarb crisp or muffins…or maybe both!  What is left over will be frozen to be used as needed.

All the hybrid roses that I planted last summer survived the winter and are flourishing.  We are also hoping for a bumper crop of apples from the three trees off to the right.

Isn’t this rhododendron smashing?  Unfortunately the photo does not do it justice because the flowers are actually a deep crimson.

The tulips will soon lose their petals and go dormant, just in time for the sweet woodruff in this particular spot to take their place.

This is only the second season for our flower beds and everything seems to be healthy and happy and growing like crazy. 

Both bleeding hearts are enormous and in full bloom right now.  Isn’t the white one lovely?  I think it’s my favorite of the two.

The many greens of spring.  You’d almost think we were in Ireland!