Hi, everyone!
The leaves are out on most of the trees now, so we are finally green! Grandma let me sit by the sliding glass door next to the deck, so I could make sure the red fox knew the rules for being in our yard! I think the fox understands Peaceable Kingdoms now.
Just before Mothers Day, Grandma got flowers from Uncle David’s family and Uncle Steven’s family. The flowers from Uncle Steven’s family needed to be arranged, so I helped! First I unpacked the flowers and vase, then I followed the directions to cut the ends off the stems before arranging them in the vase. Look how pretty both bouquets are!
On the Saturday before Mothers Day, Grandpa and I took down the cage around the rhododendron. I helped unlace the rope that kept the netting closed, then I helped roll up the netting. We’re going to use it again next winter! Then Grandpa took down the framework that held up the netting and I helped take that apart, too!
After we took the cage down, Grandma and I went looking for wild flowers in the woods at Sodus. I made friends with a trillium and a jack-in-the-pulpit. Then we watched the orchard workers pruning the apple trees from the top of a tractor. That’s not how Grandma and I did ours, but we didn’t have so many trees to prune! When we went back to Fairport, I visited my apple blossom and crabapple blossom friends.
Guess what? Grandpa decided it’s time to rebuild the deck in Fairport! The bees have been boring into the railing, some of the redwood supports are getting soft, and the stain is peeling off the pressure-treated decking Grandpa used to replace some of the redwood a few years ago. Grandma and I helped Grandpa remove the long railing pieces, then I helped pry up the pressure-treated decking. Grandpa can use that wood to put more supports under the new decking he has ordered. We’re going to have a deck made out of recycled plastic bottles!
Last Wednesday, Grandma took me to the Lilac Festival. Because it’s been cold this spring, most of the lilacs still haven’t reached peak bloom. It was still fun to walk around! I got to see the pansy bed fully planted and I made friends with the mounted police patrol. I told some out of town visitors where to find the food tents. When I found a lilac bush with a broken branch, I stopped to comfort it.
The magnolia trees are in full bloom at Highland Park now and so are the flowering dogwoods. Some of the flowers in the tulip bed are already past, but I made some new friends there. It was really warm on Thursday, so most of the lilacs went into full bloom the day after I was there!
On Saturday, Grandma and Grandpa and I had another adventure planned. My scone-making friend Ann-san invited us to see a newly purchased nature preserve on Lake Ontario. The Genesee Land Trust raised the money to buy parts of the Cornwall Farm near Pultneyville. It was raining when we got there, but the rain stopped so we could walk around. The preserve has orchards and woods and a long cliff along lake Ontario. It’s really pretty! First, we looked at the map, then we walked through the orchards to the lake.
After that, we walked in the woods. There were some interesting trees! Some had fallen down and I had to climb over one on the path!
We walked back along the lakeshore, listening to the birds singing. The blossoms on the peach trees are just starting to open. The sun came out while we were walking back to the road but there was a rainstorm over the lake. Ann-san made brownies to eat at the end of our walk. They were yummy!
Right after we got back in the car to drive back to Fairport, it started raining hard! We were lucky to take our walk in between the rainstorms! Today, we had graupel! That’s sort of like small hail, and it bounces when it lands! We might have frost tonight!
Love, Lion-san
You were a great helper both at the Bay and in Fairport. At least you had some rest time at the Lilac Festival. You did a really nice job on Grandma’s flowers. I’m glad you walked with Ann-san and she had brownies.