By Gordon Robertson with input from Sandra Garland

Our first Jane’s Walk/Open House was a great success. We were prepared for about 40 people but were pleasantly surprised with about 100. Fortunately, seven volunteers showed up to give walks around the grounds. Thanks to Sandra Garland, Lucy Patterson, Lynn Ovenden, Ted Farnworth, and Marilyn Ward, for donating their time and knowledge. A special thanks to Lynn for making tea and purchasing cookies for refreshments after the walks.

Each walk lasted about an hour or more with excellent weather as a bonus. We managed four groups to keep the numbers down in each group, plus a few extras on a later round of the garden.

We saw Red-winged Blackbirds, a pair of Turkey Vultures, two Balimore Orioles, Bloodroots , Coltsfood, Red and Great White Trilliums, lots of andrenid bees, Virginia Bluebells (in bud), a magnolia, willow catkins on the ground with bees still collecting pollen from them, one bumble bee, at least two Mourning Cloaks (butterfllies), heard American Toads trilling, one Green Frog sighted, Downy Woodpeckers, Chickadees of course, Song Sparrows, a Northern Flicker, a Raccoon (quite bold!), and an Eastern Garter Snake. Not many blooms yet, not even dandelions!  There was even a surprise sighting of one of our three Snapping Turtles by the bridge.

Truly we have a wildlife garden.