Is it Spring or Instant Summer?

It's been really, really hot today and I'm feeling the effects. It's nice to have sunshine, but the sun has been intense. I have 83F in the shade - and that wasn't the high. I had 87 at one point and that was in the shade. It was much, much hotter in the sun. And humid, although it's down from what it was early in the day. My computer is telling me we had record high temperatures today. I shouldn't complain, but I don't do well in the heat.

This is the time of year that everything is gearing up and becoming active. I have had to go to Cabot Village a couple times in the past few days and it's amazing how things change from day to day. At Burtt's Orchards, they are busy tilling one of the fields - it was roughed up when I went down by on morning and the next morning it was smooth and ready for planting.

The trees along Cabot Plains Road are just about fully leafed out. There is a slight difference between the maples on the Plain and those in the Village - the Village trees and gardens seem to be a few days ahead of  those on the Plain. One thing I was amazed at is that one house on the is completely gone. I hadn't realized it until John and Liz Randall brought it to my attention last week. It is the house  next to the school house. My cousin and her husband, Polly and Druss Coffin built it sometime in the 60s or 70s, and I thought was in pretty good shape, but appaarently not. Druss and Polly sold it years ago and it has had several owners since then. There is a very mature hedge that obscures that lot from the road, but yesterday I stopped on my way home and took a picture. 

This morning I looked out my office window and realized that a scrub tree I've nurtured for several years (left) is loaded with buds for the very first time!. It looks like it's an apple tree, but I never knew exactly what it was. It came up by itself - probably from some composted material I'd used in my vegetable garden when it was in that spot. There is a second similar tree about 10 feet from it that  that came up the same way, but it doesn't have any sign of buds. The leaves are a bit different - it might be a peach tree. I'm sure there were many peach pits buried in that compost!

I'm totally amazed that both seem to be doing well. My regular old apple trees are all doing great this year. I should be overwhelmed with apples. I don't spray, therefore the fruit is never very large and tends to have imperfections, but they make great applesauce. The bears, deer, partridges and turkeys love them, too! The one pictured on the right is near my house; I have another at the far end of my lawn, and several ornamental crab apple trees that are budded.

My pond is beginning to "naturalize." I have a variety of water weeds coming up - probably some I'd rather not have, but I'll have to wait and see what develops. I don't see signs of any of the many, many wildflower seeds I've sown along the edge of the pond year after year, however. I was hoping to get some started, but so far, nothing. I may transplant some forget-me-nots and mint plants - I have lots of both in another section of my back yard. Not today, though. My goodness, it's hot and muggy out there! I'm completely wilted when it's like this.

Here's the schedule for activities this summer at the Old North Church in North Danville. It is a charming old church, and if you haven't been to any of the activities there, you should try to do that. It has been left mostly unchanged since the 1800s. No plumbing or electricity, so go prepared with a flashlight and extra layers of clothing if you are attending an evening event.

And don't forget the party at the Joe's Pond pavilion this Friday evening with live music for your listening and dancing pleasure! BYOB, food available.

The Spring Meeting of the Joe's Pond Association is on Saturday at 10 a.m. at the pavilion. Just a reminder that if you haven't paid your dues, you can do it at the meeting. This is usually a well-attended meeting, and has often been held in cold, drizzly or even snowy weather, but not so this year. I believe the weather is going to be great and it will we fun seeing everyone back from their winter activities. We can always tell who the year-rounders are - we're very pale compared to our friends who winter in the sunny south. See you there!