May Day
May 1. Happy May Day!
We don’t do much about May Day here in the U.S. but when I first moved to Montana, I happened to be in a local book shop on May Day morning when the husband of Heidi brought her a cup of coffee, gave her a May Day kiss and went happily away to deliver May Day baskets. Heidi, who is also the potter that made my “word” dishes, related that her husband, Leif, LOVED May Day and that he made gorgeous baskets of goodies to give to friends and family. I hope he still does.
My Grandpa Jim declared that May Day was the day to shuck your shoes and go barefoot for the summer.
May 1 is also the traditional day to plant sweet peas.
May Day here in Montana, this year, dawned gray and a little foggy but it is to clear and hit 51F this afternoon. Anything above 50 is shorts weather but I might wait just a bit as it is currently only 34F.
The last 2 days of April did a great job of acting like Winter. Monday, Bear and I headed out in the Jeep for a walk at the subdivision up the highway. It was so windy that I was a bit concerned about walking in the woods as Bear and I do not have helmets. As we got near the highway, it was obvious that a snow squall was approaching. The clouds moving along the mountain range were dark and heavy, obscuring the mountains completely. We turned around, got a quick walk in the most open area of the woods and made it inside before a blizzard-like squall hit with even stronger wind, blowing snow and temperatures that plummeted 10 degrees in short order.
Yesterday, we tried again. It was gray, but calm.
As we drove into the subdivision, it started graupeling. I parked. It usually doesn’t graupel for long.
Typically, when it graupels, like when it hails, it is a quick squall.
We waited.
I had a good book on my phone Kindle app.
Ten minutes and the graupel changed to snow.
We had a snowy walk on the last day of April.
And then we returned to Winter.
Today, though, today is May 1.
I’ll kick off my shoes and put on my shorts.
This afternoon.
I hope.
A change in the weather
The forecast from NOAA late this morning indicates we are in for a bit of everything.
The verbage for this afternoon, evening and tomorrow states that in addition to the sunshine giving way to clouds, two cold fronts will whoosh through…emphasis on the whooshing as high winds are forecast.
On the way back from town this morning, I could see the change happening: Blue sky and sunshine to the east was starting to give way to dark clouds.
The clouds were smoothing out with the promised wind.
Spots of sunshine dotted the peaks of the peaks that border the southern end of the Flathead Valley. A bit of lake occasionally reflected bright from some sun.
Now, early evening, it is dark and windy. It is hours until sunset but the black clouds and gusty wind signal a change in the weather.
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Earlier this week, I took some quick video of Bear walking in the woods to show Dr. Clark when we go for our 8 week xray this coming Friday. It is a short, no frills video with a snippet of Bob at the end. It is very jumpy. I took it with my phone, walking behind Bear…in the woods. Still, it shows Bear walking comfortably and normally at a good pace over uneven ground. It is hard to believe that here we are – end of week 7 and starting week 8. Hurrah! And Bob’s ear has not puffed up so hopefully we are done with the Yoda ear part. I expect it will take some time to fully eradicate the yeast infection, though.
BearAndBobWalking0424 from Liz Summers on Vimeo.
Farmer’s Market
This weekend was to be the first Farmer’s Market. ( Bear and I go to Market)
Fortunately, I checked the online version of our local daily newspaper and saw that there were issues with the market this year… Rats! It will be resolved soon, I am sure.
Meanwhile…last Fall as my own CSA came to an end, “my farmer”, Julian, told us all that there would not be a CSA this year. At that time the farm intended to sell through several local Farmer’s markets. I was not unhappy as I had already decided that the CSA was a bit much for just me and that I would try buying via the local markets this year.
Last week, an email from Julian said that the farm had decided to sell to those of us CSA members who’d like…on a weekly basis…first choice of the week’s harvest, i.e. not a subscription, but here’s what we have and for how much and do you want any? All extra, they will sell at market.
I said “Hurrah!!! ” – This is perfect for me as I can buy and pick up down the road just what I want …and if I am able to hit the road as I’d like, I will not have spent money for food I’m not at home to receive.
I still plan to frequent the local Farmer’s markets as it is fun and fun to see what all is grown and/or made locally.
Yesterday, on what have should have been Kalispell Farmer’s Market’s first day…it was in the 50’s and felt very warm after a week of Winter-like temperatures.
But today…another whoosh of Winter…
Above is the property of Swallow Crest Farm…my farm…my farmer…on my road home…some green fields, the garden, the greenhouses and snow squalls over the mountains.
Betwixt and Between
April, here, is a mixed bag weather-wise.
One day warm-hot and the next it snows.
These last days, though, have been warm-hot with temperatures in the 60’s, blue sky and warm winds.
We are enjoying outside as much as possible.
I hope the herbies are thinking about growing.
A few sprouts of day lilies shot up – it seems like overnight!
Wild Thing is raring to go. So am I. We await Bear’s recovery which is going well.
Meanwhile, we enjoy this time that looks and feels like early Summer.
Summer today…late Winter next week… Betwixt and Between.