The garden is fully awake now, all budding and greening up, and we've had several visitors to the pond. The heron is so touchy I've only seen it in full flight from a distance, but a pair of mallards are much more tolerant (except when the dogs go to greet them). My greenhouse project came together, with Bob's help: we made a former pheasant pen into a harbour for tender plants, using only a large roll of plastic and a nifty stapling tool. We repurposed odd bits from the pens we demolished inside the shed to make adjustable vents. It's already a handy spot for several dozen cuttings from an old privet recently hacked down by one of Mum's neighbours, plus all the seedlings I started a few weeks ago in the house.

I've stolen several hours on sunny days this week to get out and dig in the dirt, but it was no sacrifice to spend a whole day at the second annual HICKTech, a great tech conference in Owen Sound. It was a great combination of good speakers, interesting subjects, and superb food. We're doing our best to support the sponsoring businesses, stocking up from Neustadt Brewery and the 100 Mile Market. Excellent craft beer and four-year-old cheddar -- doesn't get any better than that.