It's the most wonderful time.....

Well it's that time of year again. Pot planting! Maybe I should say "container" planting, sounds a bit more.......legal. We went to the nursery last week and got the baby plants or "plugs" but the weather turned really nasty and I didn't want to go outside to fill the pots till yesterday. I love doing this job and I did not want to spoil it by freezing my butt off.
I usually do a solid bubblegum pink theme which
looks really good against the chocolate brown
siding but this year I felt like changing it up.
So it is a white and lavender combo. We shall
see. So much fun waiting for the results.

So once again our front room has been turned into a temporary green house. Gotta love a big south facing window! I will add more pictures as these babies start to fill in.

Jam Session

Well one of our busiest Februarys ever has led to a quiet March so far. I think everyone has had enough of winter, even the fun parts. So I turned to restocking the jam cupboard this week. I really do love making jam and preserves. It is incredibly satisfying. Last week it was chutney this week it was peach jam and peach and orange conserve. The later is a very old family recipe from one of my close friends and it smells incredible as it simmers away. It is a no pectin recipe so it needs to reduce in order to set.  I think tomorrow may be Warwick's mom's Ripe Tomato Chutney.

Peach and Orange Conserve reducing

Peach Jam

  

Peach and Orange final product

A Breath of Spring

Well folks this has been a long time in the making but finally we have a terrific package put together for the coming spring.  It was a process that started in November with a "packaging" workshop put on by the province promoting experience based tourism. It has taken many, many hours but it has been a terrific opportunity to meet with so many wonderful people in the valley. It was one of those "easier said than done" things, but done it is and "A Breath of Spring" is it's name. The details are laid out in a link on our website and I really hope you take the time to have a look.  It is a women only weekend and features a guided forest walk, plein air art class, container planting class, spa treatment and lots of spring themed food. Click here for details.

Sledding Heaven

Sorry for the lack of posts but I had technical difficulties to solve and I kept procrastinating.

Done now and I am so glad. I have a friend visiting from the UK and actually got out on the trails myself this week. The valley put on quite a show. Absolutely gorgeous. Trails were in terrific shape and could not believe how quiet they were.

This is Thelma all geared up next to the Madawaska River.  Great fun was had by all.

Brisket Week

Last week was brisket week. Two were smoked and two were slow cooked. Kind of a meatapalooza!
The inn smelled of spices for days.  Both get rubbed and left for two days in the fridge before they are cooked.

Rubbed and rested for two days.

It's very heavy!

Into the fire...well the smoker anyway.

We wrap after about 6 hours of smoke.

The smell is amazing!  Gotta nibble. These babies will chill
overnight then be sliced and piled onto buns with onions
and our special sauce. To die for.

Iris

About four years ago I lifted all my iris as grass had gotten into them and the were not blooming well. Didn't seem to help. This spring I threatened them with extinction if they didn't bloom. Guess that worked!

June 13th Containers

Well it has been a rough spring for the baskets and containers. Very cold and not much sun. Still they are progressing and it is fun to see the progress even if it is slow.
The wash tubs which I covered on the frosty nights
this spring are further along than the baskets
which I brought into the house and left
at the window.  Hard to think that with
a bit of luck and sun, that soon the basket will be
hard to see for petunias!

Gardens and lawns are happy with the rain
especially after last years drought.