Spring at Daisy Chain Gifts

A Peek Behind the Scenes at Maple Cottage

There is something about the first hints of spring that lifts the whole mood at Maple Cottage. After the long stretch of winter, the smallest changes suddenly feel exciting again.

Over the past week or so we’ve started to notice the tiniest leaf buds appearing on the trees in the yard. They’re still very small — more of a promise than anything else — but they’re enough to remind us that warmer days are on the way. The clocks have moved forward, the evenings feel lighter, and everything just seems to have a little more energy again.

The first blossoms are finally appearing

The chickens are certainly happy about it.

Once the ground thawed, the girls wasted no time getting back to serious digging.

For the first time in months the ground isn’t frozen solid, which means they can finally scratch and forage properly again. Watching them rediscover the joy of digging around in the dirt has been very entertaining. They have very strong opinions about worms, leaves, and anything else that might be hiding in the grass.

We’re also keeping a close eye on the younger members of the flock. The “teenagers” are getting closer to the age where they might start laying, so every trip out to the coop now comes with a little bit of anticipation. No eggs yet, but we’re watching carefully.

Morning supervision at Maple Cottage. Maddie prefers to observe the chicken activities from a safe distance.

Inside the cottage, things are just as lively.

Horizon, our latest family member from the cat distribution system and stately senior kitty, has been gradually finding her way into the daily bustle of the household after being so shut down on arrival. She has rediscovered her voice and is now quite happy to offer her opinions on a wide variety of subjects, usually at impressive volume. We’re also starting to see the occasional shared cuddle time appearing in the living room, which is always a lovely sight.

Toby, meanwhile, has achieved a major milestone: he has successfully learned how to use the cat door to go out onto the porch. Unfortunately, the second half of the system — coming back in — still seems to be somewhat mysterious to him. For now, he is very pleased with his new ability to exit dramatically, while someone else is usually required to assist with the return journey.

Behind the scenes in the craft room, spring preparations are also underway. We’re getting ready for our next outing at the Spring Craft Fair at the Culpeper County Fieldhouse on April 19, which is always a lovely local event to attend and exciting for us because it's our first time exhibiting there. It’s the perfect excuse to start thinking about spring scents, fresh batches, and restocking some of our favourites.

There have also been some intriguingly large deliveries at Maple Cottage recently… including the arrival of a rather impressive packing pod in the driveway. It’s a sign that some big changes are on the horizon here, although we’re keeping the details under wraps for the moment. For now, it’s enough to say that exciting things are coming.

Spring always feels like a fresh start — longer days, lighter evenings, and that sense that everything is waking up again. Here at Daisy Chain Gifts we’re looking forward to the new season, new ideas, and sharing plenty more Maple Cottage moments along the way.

As always, thank you for following along with our little corner of handmade life.

Spring is waking up at Maple Cottage