With blue in the morning sky, a walk in the woods is called for. Deep in the woods, Indian Plum or Osoberry are in full bloom, dangling their white flowers under budding leaves. These dainty white delights are among the earliest wildflowers to bloom around here. Their Latin name, Oemleria cerasiformis, sounds like a morning chant: Oem le ria era si form is, oem le ria era si form is, oem le ria era si form is. I can picture a line of monks chanting this during their morning meditation in the woods, can you? Or would this chant work better: O em le riaca si formis?

Cerasiformis means cherry shaped. Oemleria cerasiformis is the only species in the entire genus of oemleria. It’s one of a kind.

The main chicken bridge here is one of a kind too. I have reason to believe it may be the most crossed, busiest chicken bridge in the world. All day long the chickens go back and forth to see what is on the other side.

The morning skies did not fail. The stinging nettles (urtica dioica) are up and I gathered this year’s first harvest of nettles. Tossed into a pot of chowder, they add a spring touch to a hearty lunch. Take a bite, savor the taste of spring and chant to commemorate this first of the year nettles: urt ica dio ica, urt ica dio ica.