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We have entered the shank of blackcap gathering season. Jen never leaves the house without a Ziplock bag, or possible two.

The oak tree in front of the barn has been completely denuded by spongy moth caterpillars. They favor oaks but also seem to enjoy willows. When you go into the woods, it sounds like it is raining — but it is instead these caterpillars munching away. Apparently these outbreaks are cyclical and at some point the caterpillars will be carried away by a virus or fungus. The NY Department of Conservation helpfully informs: “If a tree loses ALL of its leaves and does not grow any new ones in late summer, check it in the spring. If it still does not leaf out next spring, it has died.”

We have planted a series of rather substantial Norway Spruce trees in an effort to screen out the hated solar collector of our neighbor to the west which, owing to its odious nature, has not previously been featured on this web site. Nine trees have been installed so far, and we may keep going.

Jen has been hard at work in the Secret Garden, which is currently awash in peonies. She has been planting some of her vast collection of dahlia tubers, which requires extensive excavation of rocks and roots. We look forward beautiful dahlias later in the summer.

The roses also seem to be doing well.

It would have been more topical on this Memorial Day to post a picture of the poppies blooming outside the mud room door, but here instead are the peonies in the front yard, all coming in at once. Sadly, the Memorial Day parade was canceled due to inclement weather — which turned out to be, at most, a sporadic light drizzle.

Sarah brought some to brunch at the Kaimal/Lawsons, where we might otherwise have watched the parade.

Jen received her customary breakfast in bed for Mother’s Day, despite having no daughter — really a sine qua non, in our case — in view. Sarah returns from Colgate this weekend, and she will be with us all summer.

The Ring-necked Ducks remain on the pond as we make the long transition into spring. There is still a bit of snow on the ground from last week’s squall, making it feel as if we have a long way to go. Other weekend events included an earthquake Friday and Daisy’s eleventh birthday Saturday.

Here are our steadfast avian harbingers the Ring-necked Ducks, on the pond at the start of March to signify the coming spring. They are camera-shy, and I scared them off, but they are back again this morning.

We are once again engaging in our great passion, replacing the roofs on various outbuildings. This will be our fourth, following, in order of appearance, pump house, barn, and cottage.

It must be getting close to Sarah’s birthday …