May Be, May Be Not

The month of May has had an identity crisis. Some days it has been like May is supposed to be – very pleasant, Goldilocks kinda perfect weather and, other days it has blasted us with either high summer heat or early winter cold. Then, it’s given us bone dry days as well as soggy ones. What gives May?

I have continued with weeding and deadheading. Though I’m getting really tired of the bumper crops of garlic mustard and maple seedlings. They are sneaky and quite literally everywhere. In addition, the forget-me-nots and ajuga that have remained in the meadow all these years are now cropping up all over the garden where they have no business to be. I can’t keep up with them!

Meanwhile, in the animal kingdom, this is a year of armies of chipmunks and squirrels marauding the garden. The former live underground and their extensive burrows can cause a fair amount of destruction to the garden. Despite my fervent hopes of the benefit of a bitterly cold winter, the ticks are out in full force. They’ve appeared early and brought reinforcement. How is a gardener supposed to get on with her work of gardening I ask?

On the upside, the peonies, irises, columbines, foxgloves, geraniums, poppies, baptisia, (native )wisteria and comfrey have started blooming. The roses and late season alliums are nipping at their heals. May flowers galore!

The birds have been busy too. Several have already raised their first clutch of babies. I’m not sure if the hummingbirds have returned as yet. In past years they have typically done so by early to mid-May but I haven’t observed any so far. I started putting out their feeders well in time. Cleaning and replenishing regularly. The reduction in the sugar water could be just from evaporation. I’ll remain on lockout. I sure hope they show up – it’s too painful to think otherwise.

That’s gardening isn’t it, full of trials and tribulations. Just like Life.