May Means Go: Prepping for the Season Ahead

It’s been just over a month since our last post. After returning home after a delightful sunny stay in Hilton Head for most of April, we’ve had our hands full—between the odd weather and a long list of yard projects, we have been emersed in chores.

The biggest focus has been the trees. The pear tree, unfortunately, had to be cut back due to fire blight. It’s frustrating, but not surprising—it’s been struggling for a while. Our oldest lilac, which was likely over a hundred years old, also needed to come down. It had a good run, but age caught up with it.

The cherry tree, which I planted back in 1997 in memory of my mom, had grown too large over the years. A snowstorm a couple of years ago took down half of it, and I’ve kept an eye on what remained. Thankfully, a sprout came up from the base not long after and has now become a strong, nicely shaped tree. I’ve decided to keep it trimmed and contained so it doesn’t outgrow its space again.

On a brighter note, the crab apple was full of blooms this year—one of the few cheerful sights during a stretch of cold, wet weather. And I’m happy to report that every tree I planted last year survived the winter. Small victories like that keep the momentum going.

The herb garden needs some attention. The parsley didn’t make it through, so I’ll be replanting that. And for all the warnings about mint taking over, mine is still behaving itself—two years in and it’s barely spread.

While the weather kept us inside more than usual, I made the most of it in the kitchen. I’ve been playing around with sourdough again and tried out a few same-day recipes. The cinnamon raisin bread and sourdough stromboli both turned out great—definitely worth making again. I’ve also been baking bread and bagels to share with friends, which is always a satisfying way to spend a rainy day.

With spring underway, the Garden Club is back in full swing. As publicity chair, I’ve been out snapping photos of members working in the town gardens. Everyone’s been busy getting things cleaned up and planted—it’s great to see the energy return after winter. I have thoroughly enjoyed being part of the Garden Club and meeting all of these lovely ladies.

We also got our vacation rental cottage ready for the season. That means deck staining, mulching, deep cleaning, and all the other prep work that comes with opening things back up after winter. Our first guests arrived for Memorial Day weekend, and we were happy to hear they had a great stay. They left us a five-star (10/10) review, which we really appreciate—it’s always rewarding when the effort behind the scenes is noticed.

And then there’s the rain. There’s been a lot of it—enough that the lake level is extremely high, which means no boating for us at the moment. We will be stuck in Back Bay until the water drops, and for now, that’s just how it is. Whiskey is turning his attention to the old wooden boat. There’s always something that needs to be done on a wooden boat, and this stretch of bad boating weather is the perfect time to tackle a few of those lingering projects.

In order for the boat to fit under the bridge the water level needs to be down below the right side of the bridge footing. It's going to take some time for the water level to go down. ☹️

No travel to report this time but staying close to home hasn’t meant staying still. More updates soon—we will be sharing new adventures soon. First of which, will be a trip to Sandy Pines Campground in Kennebunkport where will be joined with friends who also have a motorhome.

Thanks for reading!

P.S. Stay tuned with our YouTube Channel where we have playlists for "In the Kitchen", "In the Garden", "RV Tips", and "Episodes".

(1) Wine & Whiskey Travelers - YouTube

How to move dirt and other heavy stuff in the Garden.