Open Space & Recreation Plan Survey

The meeting tonight is being shown live on Channel 5, and I'm learning all kinds of interesting things -- and some things I'm glad to know about.  (I'm really looking forward to some of the mentioned projects finishing up, so there are more trail markers and maps and such to designate open space.)
I did find a link to the Open Space & Recreation Plan Survey that I mentioned before.  You can find copies at the Senior Center, Town Hall, or the Library, and you can also print it out and mail it in.
The link to the survey is found here, or you can click here to open the PDF directly.

Open Space Meeting -- Tonight!

Perhaps you have seen the Open Space & Recreation Plan survey handed out at town meeting this month.  If you haven't, I highly recommend finding one (I know there are some available at the library) and filling it out.
And then, just maybe, you would like to attend the Community Forum on the Hadley Open Space and Recreation Plan that happens TONIGHT from 7-9 at the Hadley Senior Center.  Look at this page for information.
If you care about how the open space in Hadley is utilized, consider attending.
Happy Thursday!

Squirrels and Bears and Raccons -- oh my!

How amazed were we the other day when a raccoon showed up in our lilac bush, seeking out the birdfeeder hanging there?  We had seen far too many squirrels and their gymnastic manner of procuring food from the feeders; we had seen a bear tear our feeders from their perches and devour everything inside; and occasionally, we even actually see birds enjoying a meal.  But until the other day, we had not yet seen a raccoon go after the birdseed.

It happened something like this: Mr. Madley saw a quick shadow go around the side of the garage but did not get a glimpse of what the creature was, and within moments I was watching a raccoon out the kitchen window, climbing through our lilac, breaking branches as she sniffed around.  Finally, she found what she was looking for -- the feeder -- and she went at it.  Not as light as the squirrels, and with longer fingers and paws, her position in the lilac was a bit precarious as she approached the branches with the feeder.  But she managed to reach her target and proceeded top open the feeder, reach inside, pour out seed, and eat some before she knocked the contraption to the ground.  (Seeing it on the ground like that makes me think that this is not the first time she has visited -- I have picked that feeder up at least 2-3 times previously.)

We thought seriously about scaring her away, as we sometimes do the squirrels, and next time we probably will, but I had never seen a raccoon in action so close before and was mesmerized.  Besides, who can refuse a nursing mother delicious free food the day before Mother's Day?

All these critters coming to my house for meals.  Maybe I should open a restaurant....

PS -- Just saw the lady again, walking down the street, right up our driveway, across our walk to the front step, and then around the side of the house to the back.  A brave, hungry mama.

Dahling -- You Look Radishing

Let it begin -- let the garden excitement really begin.  The sugar snap peas are clinging to their supports, the shelling peas are popping, the spinach is almost ready to eat, the beets and carrots and brussels sprouts are poking their heads up above the ground, the lettuce is looking leafy, the garlic is growing by the day, and the radishes... well, the radishes are sparkling.

I had never planted radishes before, but a whole packet of sparkler radish seeds came as a gift with my order from Comstock Ferre this year, so I decided to plant some -- about a 3-foot row.  And they sprouted.  And they grew.  And soon they were the only leafy bits in the garden (not counting the garlic, but it's not exactly what I would call leafy).  I was so happy.  I planted them March 30, and today, May 10, I pulled up my first one.

It's beautiful.  Radish-red on top, creamy white underneath.  It is definitely more root veggie than I got in my garden all season last year.  And tonight it will be eaten -- greens and all.  The greens will go in the salad.  The radish, well if the radish even makes it to the salad, we'll be lucky.  I anticipate gobbling it up straight.

Happy gardening!

*The delightful title of this post comes with compliments from Mr Madley.