Spring, Spring, Spring is here! Is there a sweeter time of year? I don’t think so. Brief, green, frothy, and glorious, Spring compresses her beauty in one short month in Maine. And that month is May. (When I went to college in Indiana, I was astonished by how long Spring lasted. I found the extended Spring to be a little too intoxicating, making it hard to study.)
First, I want to show you how those sweet little ferns have grown in just one week. I took this picture on April 22.
And this one on April 29.
They grow so fast. Sniff, sniff.
My yard continues to be a constant delight. Clif and I moved the big table to the patio. There’s no umbrella yet—it’s actually been rather cool, which I like. But we have chairs clustered around the table, and all we need is a nice warm day so that we can raise our glasses to Spring.
The seed in the backyard feeder is disappearing at a furious rate. Setting up housekeeping is hard work for the birds, and we are happy to provide sustenance. In the picture below, a hairy woodpecker (I think, but birding friends, do correct me if I’m wrong) comes to eat. I really like the angle of the woodpecker’s body.
Male goldfinches look especially fine among the red flowers of the maple tree. Can you spot Goldy? Should be pretty easy, even though the picture was taken from afar.
This will be a week of gardening when the weather allows—lots of rain in the forecast, which is good, but it does interfere with the yardwork. Just as the ferns grow at an astonishing clip, so do the plants in my garden. Most of the gardening must be done by the beginning of June.
The countdown begins.
But it’s not all work and no play.
Surprise, surprise, we did manage to slide in a movie—the creepy Hochum, featuring Adam Scott. (If horror is not your thing, this is definitely one to skip, but for readers who like horror, add Hokum to your watch list.)
After the movie, we went to Cushnoc Brewing Co. in Augusta for pizza and flatbread.
Both were mighty tasty.
Our friends Dawna and Jim separately decided to go out for pizza, too, and we were delighted to see them. Our server was more than willing to pull over a table so that they could join us, and we had a jolly Sunday evening of talk and pizza.
You might even say it was a finest kind of evening.
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Listening
It’s May the Fourth, so what else? Has it really been forty-nine years? Yes, it has.
Notes From the Hinterland 
Your patio is very inviting. It’s a fine place in which to do just about anything!
Our happy place. Our second living room.
Spring is so important when you have what I would call a proper winter.
I always do a double take with US date orders…4th May for me!
You bet! A real celebration.
It is odd to see dates written in a different way. I have the same feeling when I see the order reversed from the way we do it here. I guess it’s because it’s been ingrained in us since we were small children.
Happy Spring! Hallelujah.
There’s no greater movie theme than the original Star Wars by John Williams.
Happy spring is right! The Star Wars movie theme is utterly amazing. Even after all these years, it is so stirring.
Lovely to see Spring unfold in your garden Laurie and so many sweet birds visiting too 💚🐦 xxx
So lovely to live at the edge of the woods.
I hope that you get the right weather for your burst of gardening.
Beautiful spring is making me so happy. Your pictures, too!
It’s hard for me to imagine such a short spring. No wonder people in your part of the world cherish it so! I especially enjoyed seeing the follow up photo of the ferns. Their quick growth brought to mind the line from Dylan Thomas: “The force that through the green fuse drives the flower drives my green age…”
I wish our springs were longer, May is my absolute favorite month with all those bright green leaves unfolding everywhere. 💚
Thanks for sharing the John Williams! Next year (along with your big anniversary year), we’ll be celebrating 50 years of Star Wars… isn’t that amazing? I was such a big fan and we had to wait YEARS between films. I still pull out my DVDs to play at least once a year. 🙂
Right? Slow down, I always call as Spring rushes by. But of course she doesn’t.
Yes! Fifty years of marriage and fifty years of Star Wars. I am a big fan, too! May the Force be with us always.
If you only have a month of spring I suppose you have to grow quickly!
May the Fourth be with you! Even if I am a day late. I watched Star Wars and ABBA the Movie in 1978. Star Wars at the normal time, then a walk to the other cinema in town to watch a late-night showing of ABBA. This was before multi-screen cinemas. Memories . . .
Absolutely! From Star Wars to ABBA is quite a trip.
I am a man of wide-ranging tastes. Or no taste at all. 🙂
Yes, that’s what I call range!
I was 19ish – Sci Fi and blonde Swedish women were both of interest. Now I would watch the sci-fi and go home for hot chocolate (the beverage rather than the musicians). 🙂
I know just what you mean!
🙂
Hokum: I’m not a huge horror fan but I like Adam Scott a lot. It looks kind of like The Shining meets Poltergeist. I will probably catch it at some point. So glad you’re having a good spring. We are too! Rain and mild weather!!
Glad to read about rain and mild weather where you live. Adam Scott is perfect for Hokum, and while it is creepy, it is not particularly gory. A plus for me as I don’t like gory movies.
Ferns don’t hang around when the conditions are right! Your pizza and flat bread meetup sounds perfect; Im a great fan of loitering around the dinner table so your patio set up looks perfect, too!
Many thanks! The ferns continue to grow. And, yes, the patio set-up is perfect.
You truly have made me smile with your spring description and photos . . . we are muchly heading into our winter in my part of Australia but since that means16-18C days and mornings kinda close to freezing for an hour or two whilst one is still in bed . . . perchance there is not so much valid excitement around . . . 🙂 !
Glad to make you smile! There will be more pictures of spring in future posts. Fun to think of how it is winter for you and spring for us.
Enjoy spring. It’s such a pleasure to watch to watch how lovely the fern and other wild plants grow.
We got to enjoy Napoli pizza in Riga.
I took another picture today of the fern. More growth!
Lovely!
Your outdoor area looks lovely. I like how uncluttered it is, it has to be very peaceful. May is definitely a month of gardening here as well. If one work a little harder setting things up in the garden now, June will be a blast. The harvest is usually most intense mid-July to end of August, perhaps beginning of September in my neck of the woods.
Actually, as the season progresses, more things will make their way to the patio. 😉 I will be sure to post pictures.
I look forward to Cheers on the patio
Same here – work a little outside and then wait for the rain to move through. My ferns are coming up too. the pizza looks delicious!
Yup, same here! But despite the rain and my creaky knees, I am making progress. The pizza at Cushnoc is very good.
It really is the best time of year, although it’s been quite cold here!
It’s been chilly in Maine, too. Perfect weather for this northern woman. 😉
Love this time of year – there’s something astonishing to see virtually every day!
And in Maine, there is no time for the plants to dawdle. Everything grows at astonishing rate.
Spring is so rejuvenating, after the cold, dark days of winter. And pizza lifts the spirits too. Enjoy!
I am always amazed and delighted to view greenlife growing out of the ground because our immediate plants are potted. Your fernlets have grown so much! as I’m sure the rest of your garden is doing. Ah! The many outdoor chats & meals you will enjoy …
I love that sentence: “Brief, green, frothy, and glorious.” It’s been a joy over the years reading about gardens in different parts of the country and the world. I’ve learned so much.
I’m happy to see you’re prepared for time outdoors. We recently uncovered our garden glider and set up the umbrellas and I realized how much I missed sitting there. I sat down on the glider and my son’s 70 pound dog quickly joined me. He barely fit but no matter.
I will never tire of the Star Wars theme, but I’ll pass on the horror pics. It’s nice to see you enjoying life, Laurie.
Spring is brief but oh so welcome in Maine. Made me smile to think about that big dog on the glider with you. If horror isn’t your thing, then it would be best to skip Hokum. This week’s movie will be quite a bit lighter. 😉
Juneau likes to insert himself as close as possible, but seeing him jump up on a movable, narrow swing was a first. He’s so darn loveable.
Too funny! Sounds like such a good buddy.
He is.
Those are lovely fiddleheads, Laurie! And I remember the original Star Wars and theme.
Spring has been early and compressed here. We are now in the time if the irises, with daylilies not far behind.
Thanks, Lavinia! Irises and daylilies? How far ahead of us you are.
I love the idea of Spring being “frothy” and “intoxicating.” That is so true. And the charming fern fiddleheads remind me of hearts. Thank you for taking us into your garden. Enjoy it all!
So frothy that at times I wonder if I’m going to drive off the road. Fortunately, I don’t.
I love seeing you slowly move yourselves outside 🙂 We desperately need a new patio and your set up is giving me the itch again!
I recently downloaded the Merlin app to my phone and am enjoying learning who all our bird neighbors are! We don’t put out feeders but they like to stay close, none-the-less!
I’m glad you’re enjoying your quick Spring up in Maine! The ferns are gorgeous!
Yes, in Maine it is a gradual process. While green things are growing at an astonishing rate, the weather remains cool, and we are not quite ready to sit on the patio, our happy place in the summer.
What a lovely yard! And yes, spring certainly is time for outdoor chores!
Thanks, Julie! So much to do, but spring chores are happy chores.
Enjoy your patio!
Many thanks!