Ezra's 4th Birthday Party at Our Acre of Nature

We celebrated Ezra's 4th birthday at our Acre of Nature yesterday. It was our first big gathering there with lots of friends and family. We surprised Ezra with a BIG birthday gift: a trampoline!!! And boy was it a hit. I thought that the kids would all be super excited about the big slide/tree house but the only time they played on that was when I enforced limits on the number of people allowed on the trampoline. We also had a swing set set up, a slip n slide, 2 pools, water toys, a pinata, a candy land birthday cake, pizza and other snacks and fun.

It was a wonderful and fun first day of Ezra being 4 years old!

Waiting for the Pop

30 pounds of un-sprayed local strawberries - $63

Various canning jars - free, re-used

Lids - winter clearance .99

Raw, local honey and apple pectic - a few bucks

My 3 year old listening for and counting the pops after canning strawberry preserve jam...

Priceless!

Acre of Nature Nature Journal - May

The weather continues to warm, buds on plants are beginning to open, revealing some of the mystery on our Acre of Nature. As we clear blackberries, brush and fallen branches, the vision of living here is becoming more and more clear. Armando has had a worker, Chris, come over to help with the some of the harder work. Loads of debris have been hauled off the property, and wood has been sawed into small pieces and stacked in a pile to later be used in our wood stove. 

With the warmer weather, various new plants are sprouting up, many are unknown to me, but one in particular is becoming a huge problem - thistles. TONS of thistles are coming up everywhere. After doing extensive research and talking to friends and local people who have knowledge and experience with thistles, I'm overwhelmed to learn that it will take years to get it under control. I need to pull them out individually, haul them off the property, over and over again. They will come back. I do have a plan, but it will take time. For now, I'm focusing on digging up as much as I can to put a small dent in them so the kids and I can walk around without hurting ourselves. 

I have found a single stunning poppy that will be opening soon, comfry is blooming and beautiful. The big comfry under the apple tree is probably 3 feet tall! I found Oregon Grape under the apple tree as well, then peonies and sedum under another tree. I am still in awe of the kiwi vine and in suspense about how it will bloom and if there is a male and female or not. I found blueberry bushes under the kiwi vine and what I think are plum trees along the east fence line. 

As the weather warms, the ground is getting drier and the wetlands are moving in. Where is was once muddy and soggy, I can begin to walk on. I have no idea how dry it will get, but sadly, I suspect with the drought and extreme dry weather we have had and will continue to have, it will probably dry more this year than in the past. 

One afternoon I found a snake skin. We also discovered in interesting pattern of holes in the laurel trees on the north side of the property. I asked a local garden group and they said it is likely a woodpecker of some sort.