March, April and May showers bring me flowers (and dessert)

My favourite thing about being a homeowner is having a yard.... ok, having laundry, a dishwasher and a 6 burner stove is great too.... but none compare to the yard.  


When we first saw the place in March, the yard was brown and dead - not so impressive. By the time the house became 'ours' there were ferns popping out everywhere and oodles of plants to identify. This is heaven for a girl that spend an entire summer wandering around the city of Hamilton with a waterbottle and her GPS unit, identifying and recording the health and status city trees while getting chased off front lawns by unruly dogs and/or Italian grandmothers. 


However, I wholeheartedly admit that the state of my front yard is a little embarrassing. A huge black umbrella of a Crimson King Norway Maple (hence the lack of grass anywhere in the front), a half dead cherry tree, 2 random rhubarb shrubs right smack in the middle of our entranceway (more on that later), and one very unknown tree/shrub.  The only redeeming quality of the front yard is the lovely White Pine right against the porch. The Smoke Bush is ok too. 


I have big plans for you, front yard. And it will involve a chain saw. But I thought it would probably not be the best thing to move in and serenade my neighbours with the ring of a chainsaw the very first day.... gives the wrong impression... That day is coming though.


In the meantime, I made a pie out of the rhubarb (might as well eat it away). A first on 2 fronts: 
1) the first pie I ever made; 
2) the first time I harvested something 'from the land' (from 'my' land). 


I feel a bit like a farmer. It feels good.