This is turning out to be the year of the gardens at Bedlam Farm.

Our back porch garden, in its third year, is looking great. We have moved Mr. Blockhead from my study to the porch, where it sits happily. Florence Walrath’s Irises are coming up beautifully, so are the diverse plants and flowers we have been planting and watering and weeding for a couple of years now.

I didn’t realize how many years it takes to cultivate a garden, and we now have three or four gardens planted, two out front, one by the pasture, a new Three Sisters Garden, and the Dahlia garden, which we are planting this weekend. Five, perhaps six gardens now at the farm, giving a different look and feel to the farmhouse, which is, itself freshly painted.

We are looking good for the Spring Open House, scheduled for June 25-26. This one feels good and pure and true to its roots. We are calling it “The Art Of Rural Life,” and there will be much art, poetry readings,  book talk, shearer and farrier demos, cow milking, you can meet the pony and donkeys, see Maria’s studio, watch Red and Fate do their work with the sheep.

In many ways, the Spring Open House is a celebration of creativity, especially of Maria’s. And it is a time to share our fortunate loves and talk about them and meet some of the people who make it all possible.

Two days, Saturday and Sunday, 11 to 4. No dogs please, we will have two portable toilets, Main Street in Cambridge is just down the road. Battenkill Books. Over The Moon Socks And Beads. And of course, the Round House Cafe. Scott Carrino will be coming to the open house to sing some songs.

It’s a great town to walk around. Details here.