A busy day in Pakenham

 Nicola and I have driven to Pakenham for a quick visit with Mark and Emma. An abysmal weather forecast was replaced by a lovely sunny drive through emerging spring scenery on Friday. Saturday started with pancakes and fruit (great way to start a day) and then we were off....

First a walk up the road, 5 of us (Mark's friend Mike was also visiting) and 2 dogs

Not much leaf canopy yet and the spring wildflowers were popping.

Wild Columbine is not yet in flower.

Beaver dam and lodge at the first pond

Second pond. The walk entailed a couple of good hills and about 6,000 steps. Good exercise start.

We all piled into one car and drove to Nature's Apprentice organic farm where Emma volunteers during the summer.

He grows and sells mostly salad greens, that's what growing in the poli-tunnels and outside. Later, tomatoes will grow up the ropes.

One of Emma's jobs is washing the salad greens. They go in the black tub full of water and a shop vac. creates bubbles to wash them. They then go into the spinners to get rid of the water and Emma packages them in plastic bags for sale or the farm share.

He also keeps chickens.

Then we visited the woman who will be my roommate on the Thailand trip and admired her country property and barn. Lunch and an urban hike in Almonte rounded out the day trip. A hot tub was very welcome. (Ceramic fox in their garden)

Pottery birdhouse made by Emma.

It is now Sunday and a grey, rainy day so Nic and I are

are hanging out with the dogs in the Solarium while

watching the birds and

Mark and Mike in the shop, working on

a mantle for my fireplace.

 

And now for something completely different:

Rick's most recent photo of the Orion Nebula.