The End is Near....Hopefully

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The first day of spring, March 20 was blustery and snowy. The following day, Friday, was sunny and in the forties but that's about to change for the next several days. More cold air is expected to drop over the Great Lakes region along with some snow.
However, some of the long range forecasts are predicting a warming trend in early April. Some days in early April are expected to reach into the sixties (hopefully, the end is near for winter 2013-2014, a Polar Vortex Nightmare

 Since no gardening can be done outside, well, except for pruning work, attention has been on a few houseplants and some seedlings for the vegetable garden. The Aloe plant pictured above is a useful plant for many reasons.
It is also called the medicine plant and the burn plant. The gooey gel inside the leaves relieves many problems such as minor burns, skin irritations (like poison ivy). The medicinal qualities of the Aloe has been known by man ever since time began.
More recently, it has been discovered that the Aloe plant also helps to purify the air inside the home. For more information and details, From an Ancient Past. A New Beginning.

The First Harvest - Although it has been impossible to do much yard or garden work outside, despite what the calendar claims, there's been some pretty busy folks out in the woods. The sap began to flow the second week in March and the maple producers in the region were a busy bunch gathering buckets and boiling.
The sap began just a week or less before the Open House Taste and Tour Weekend, March 15 and 16 at many local Sugar Houses. during the Taste and Tour weekend, Sponsored by the Northwestern Maple Producers Association, everyone is welcome to visit a Sugar House, watch a variety of demonstrations, sample maple products.. Each Sugar House had different activities for people of all ages such as free wagon rides through the woods.
According to many of the producers, the crowds were large this year throughout the weekend and there were many people asking for information about backyard sugaring.
All the Sugar Houses will be selling maple products throughout the year, for more information on the Sugar Houses, contact information and what they are selling, Maple Products.
Hurry Hill Farm Museum will have the museum open every Sunday from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m..until the end of May. It's a fascinating place and if your considering making your own backyard maple syrup this year, this is a great place to start your adventure. For more information, Hurry Hill.

Leeks - Mayapples and Trout Lily - Coming soon to your nearest woodland.soon after winter departs.
Healthy leeks, pictured above, will soon rise once the temperatures rise in April, followed quickly by the pre-historic Mayapples and the colorful Trout Lily. Both can be used in landscaping very effectively. There will be plenty of other wildflowers blooming as well including one with a horrible and undeserved reputation, the dandelion.
The dandelion has a colorful history and many uses besides being a very important plant for the bees. For more information and details on this useful plant, Dandelion.

Ice fishing, despite the still winter like weather is rapidly drawing to a close. It's been a great season for those who like to get out n the ice and fish. Read the fishing report by Darl Black, click on fishing report at FISH

For more information on what is happening in Northwestern Pennsylvania, GOCtawford