Snapshots

I finally got around to taking some pictures outside yesterday.  It's too bad I didn't get to it the day before yesterday when it was gorgeous outside.  Instead, I dashed out between showers.

This is one of my very favorite times of the year (I have many).  The grass is green and lush.  There are pops of color (finally!) here and there thanks to the daffodils, tulips and hyacinths.  And, while the weeds are rearing their little heads, they haven't taken over completely yet, so I can enjoy my flowers without bemoaning the little weed-weasels that have the audacity to spring up right beside them.

On Monday, it was glorious here.  Windy, warm and lovely.  We opened windows wide, ate supper outside and walked our yard loop with Miriam over and over and over- first up to wave to the chickens, then down beside the raspberries, down the little hill, between the barns, up the driveway, stop and smell the flowers, then back up to wave to the chickens and start all over again.

There are two things I'm not so fond of currently.  One, is the fit Miriam has whenever we have to bring her back into the house again.  And two, the ants.  Yesterday, they showed their minuscule little faces in the house for the first time this year.  Ants + an old house + three crumb-dropping children + a mama who can't stand the buggers = a whole lot of angst on the mama's part from spring to fall, unfortunately.

Back to the loveliness (I'll do my best to contain the angst from here on out)...

The prettiest little purple flowers and wild lettuce (which Jamey has been eating) has taken over our sunflower bed.  What to do with this plot has been narrowed down to red raspberry bushes or sunflowers (for sale) again.

(Lettuce and spinach and in the cold frames, just above shows carrot bed on the left and broccoli on the right.)

The main garden (this is the right side of it), still looks pretty dismal, but if you look closely, life is coming up.  Jamey has planted garlic, onion, garden peas, snow peas, lettuce, spinach, beets, chard, carrots, white potatoes and broccoli.  The strawberry plants look healthy and promising.

 Red raspberries

 All four of our peach trees are in bloom.

 The sour cherry tree is in bud.

 The pear tree is loaded with blossoms.  You can see the back of our house and smoke house behind.

 What looks like rain damage is actually chicken damage.  They just love to take their dust baths right in front of the asparagus bed.  We think they're as excited about it coming up as we are.  And, while they don't try to eat the asparagus, they do love to scratch around it, so we have to protect our precious spears.

 Maybe most exciting is that almost all of our young apple trees are holding a few blooms each for the first time.  Being patient for fruit is hard, but one day, it will all be worth it.

We also planted a 2-3 year old nectarine tree this past week, but I forgot to get a picture of it.  It just looks like a stick in the ground at this point.

 Our chickens really don't like being told where they must roam.  Every spring, it's like dealing with a whole flock of stubborn toddlers.  We clip their wings and have to devise all manner of trickery to get them to stay put.  Above you can see that not only is a gate required, but we've had to top it with barb wire AND wire the gate to the fence because those little buggers try to squeeze past.  Don't feel bad for them. They still have the whole orchard to free range in.  But, like toddlers, they want to go where they're not supposed to.

 The first spring we lived here, I thought the grape hyacinth leaves were weeds and it wasn't until I pulled out a few handfuls did I notice the little bulbs attached and thought better of it.  The little fragrant flowers spread like crazy and that's just fine with me.  I love them.

 Speaking of spreading like crazy, my lily of the valley are threatening to take over my large flower bed.  That's okay with me, too.  I love them even more than the grape hyacinth.

 Somersault was begging to have her picture taken the whole time I was outside.  She's such a good kitty.

So, there you have it- what spring looks like around here. Tonight we dine on the first batch of asparagus.  Did I mention I love this time of year?