SPRING AT PATINA MEADOW

On a frosty Tuesday morning, we welcomed our second spring at Patina Meadow. 

This year, we are finding ourselves more tuned into the subtle shifts that are happening seemingly every moment during the infancy of this season.

Photos by Leila Giannetti

Our animals are no strangers to the ever-changing nature of the landscape. They do not fight its constant shifts, allowing their daily routines to change as their surroundings do.

Our cows are spending their days meandering amongst the trees and creeks.

For the most part, they keep their heads down, paying keen attention to the next blade of grass within tongues-reach. Once they’ve had their fill, their bellies meet the earth as they lay down to digest. 

Our herd of smaller animals, made up of our goats, sheep, & pigs, spend their time leisurely bounding from their barn to their pasture. 

Each of our animals knows how to strike the balance between exploration and rest – trusting in their instincts and the generous abundance of nature – a mindset I am eager to glean from them as I watch. 

On the human side of the fence, the pace is more hurried as construction continues and we continue to try and get comfortable living in a constant state of slight chaos.

Thankfully, the gardens serve as a grounding reprieve amongst the unfinished buildings. With a hopeful heart, we planted tulips in the garden in front of the cabin during the dreary days of winter, and now we are reaping the reward as hundreds of stunning blooms dot the front yard.

In the Bloomerie, the arrival of warmth has spurred the growth of our overwintered crops and allowed the daffodil bulbs to break from their hibernation. 

The greenhouses in the Bloomerie are beginning to teem with life as well, as seedlings await the arrival of our last frost so their roots can take their final resting place in the warming soil outside. 

In the forests of Patina Meadow, the expanse of grey branches is beginning to be broken up by blooming red buds and unraveling green leaves like beacons of light seen from a stormy sea. 

Beneath the branches, sparse green growth and delicate flowers are bursting forth from the depths of the soil into the light of day, serving as harbingers of more verdancy and vibrancy that is yet to arrive. 

The creeks are filled, water making its way over pebbles and around bends, leaving life and flourishing in its wake. 

Although every day always brings something different, no matter the season, the impermanent nature of life is more apparent during these first days of spring. The return of leaves to bare branches, the grass growing at a gallop, the blossoming of flowers we could only have dreamt of days prior, they all showcase a truth that we are quick to forget — the only constant is change.

Sometimes that fact is comforting and other times, it can feel quite the opposite. And in those moments, all we can do is remember the lesson that spring longs to teach us. The grass will grow, the flowers will bloom, and the sun will shine to illuminate the beauty of it all. 

Love,

Brooke + Leila