Spring in the Berkshires

I know I've been gabbing a lot about summer coming up, but truthfully I'm getting way ahead of myself. It's still spring! Why jump ahead when there are all kinds of lovely springy things around me to enjoy?

While pondering on this fact, I was browsing the Pleasant Valley Wildlife Sanctuary website and I noticed that they're hosting the sanctuary's 80th Anniversary celebration on June 6th. My first thought was, "Holy Tulips! That sanctuary has been around for 80 years!?" Then I continued reading and realized what a great event it is.

The celebration (which is FREE!) will feature musicians, food, native plants for sale (Scarlet Bee Balm, anyone?), live birds of prey, and guided walks. The 1,314 acre sanctuary also offers picnicing, which makes me start dreaming of fancy cheeses, fresh baked breads, wine, and picnic blankets. Mmmm!

That same weekend Hilltop Orchards is hosting their 7th Annual Apple Blossom Bash. There will be hors d'oeuvres, live music, hiking, wine tastings, and as the name implies, the apple trees will be in full bloom.

Very much like this.

Forgive me for being a silly romantic, but how sweet would it be to have a wedding proposal on a sunny spring day in the middle of an apple orchard in full bloom? It's no wonder so many people get married in June, Mother Nature sets the romance up for them!

If you'd like more information on Pleasant Valley's 80th Anniversary bash, give them a call at (413) 637-0320. And for more information on the Apple Blossom Bash, feel free to call us at the Inn [(413)637-0193] or at Hilltop Orchards at (800)833-6274.

Hope to see you this spring!

With Love,
~Brande N.

April Showers Bring....

Last week we had a beautiful heat wave, and this week has been primarily rainy. What does that mean? Flowers!

Enjoy!



Much Love,
~Brande N.

Critters in the Garden

I'm sorry these photos aren't better quality! I was having so much fun watching the animals that I decided to take the pictures through the glass rather than opening the door and scaring them away. Unfortunately, I eventually did open the door and did scare both the bunny and the squirrel away. The bunny was nibbling on what appeared to be an ornamental plant, though, so I suppose it's not entirely a bad thing that they haven't been back in that part of the garden since.

It's getting to be the perfect time of year to lounge on our grounds, have a picnic, read a book, and watch the adorable and highly animated critters go about their lives. Though I personally would have a hard time reading much of anything if there was a squirrel nearby. Those bushy, hyperactive little things steal my heart every time I see them.

Hope you're all enjoying the good weather as much as I am!

With Love,
~Brande N.

Celebrating Earth Day

Did you know that Earth Day is coming up? Yeah, I didn't either. Unlike Easter, Christmas, or even Columbus Day, Earth Day isn't a holiday that's etched into our culture in such a way that our lives revolve around it. Thus, it's easy to forget. Honestly, I've never even celebrated it. I'm a bad tree hugger.

This year, I decided to change that. I won't be throwing an Earth Day Extravaganza, organizing a protest, or even just turning off the lights; but I will be going outside.

Gasp!

I'll admit it, I spend about 85% of my life indoors. Growing up in Upstate NY, you learn rapidly that "spring" is synonymous with "punkie season" and "summer" is synonymous with "deerfly and mosquito season". (the other seasons are "everything dies" and "it's too cold to move") Now, I'm all for holding ladybugs, watching butterflies, and even feeding ants, but I am not so fond of the bugs that bite, thankyouverymuch. I'll just stay inside and read a book. Or read blogs. Or bake. Or scrub the toilet. Anything but be chased and bothered and bitten by an insect. Yuckola, man.

As I've gotten older though, I've become a bit more tolerant of the parts of nature that, well, aren't exactly ideal in my book. The truth is, everything in nature is ideal. I might see a blood-sucking malaria machine, but the daisy next to me sees a pollinator. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, right?

I don't think I'll ever see a punkie with eyes that deem it beautiful, but I do see it's place in the world, and I've come to appreciate it.

So, to celebrate the spirit of appreciating nature I'll be spending Wednesday outside. All day hopefully. Maybe I'll be reading, maybe having a little picnic, who knows. It's true that the buggies will probably find me*, but it's a risk I'm willing to take. I feel like the most profound thing I can do on the day that we honor the Earth is spend some time enjoying it. Even if I end up all itchy because of it.

With Love,
~Brande N.


*DISCLAIMER: This personal goal was made significantly easier by the fact that the biting insect population in The Berkshires is practically nonexistent compared to that of Upstate. Seriously, if you were to walk outside in my hometown right now, you'd be swarmed in minutes. I have yet to see any biting-bugs this year. (knock on wood!)

WHOA! Not even kidding, I just typed "knock on wood" and a mosquito flew into the computer screen and then flew away. Maybe I should have actually knocked on a piece of wood?

A Spring in My Step!

Alright, I'll admit it. I am SICK of winter. I know, I know. I should be ashamed. I posted awhile back about how I could possibly even come to love snow, but truth be told I don't think I'll ever love it.

It's sort of like spinach. You detest it as a child and then as you grow older it becomes bearable. Maybe not likable, but should it find its way into your sandwich or soup it's not entirely unpleasant. And you eat it because it's good for you. Builds character. That's how I feel about winter. Unpleasant, but bearable and it builds character (just ask anyone from Arizona who has tried to drive in a snowstorm).

Spring on the otherhand... Oh sweet spring! I love the first chirping of the chickadees; the smell of soggy, muddy, rain-soaked earth; the way the sun makes it feel so warm even when it's only 50 degrees; the way the trees look when the buds very first come out; I love spring.

You can imagine my utter elation when I went outside yesterday (a beautiful, warm and sunny day) and found little pokes of green here and there, sticking out of the gray-brown soil.

The joy! I grabbed my camera and went utterly shutter-happy. I had over 30 photos that I wanted to share, but I knew I had to cut down. So here are a few of my absolute favorites:



Want to know the best part? It rained today! Which means that by Tuesday (another sunny day!) the buds will have become flowers, the sprouts will have become leaves, and even more green things will have popped up.

I'm so excited!

With Love,
~Brande N.