Lingering winter and dreams of spring

It's February. But it's the end of February. March is just around the corner. Spring.... really. It's coming. Yet it's hard to imagine. We woke up this morning to 11 degrees. And the weatherman says that we should expect 4-5 inches of snow to cover our brown dead fields and mud-rutted paths. But March is coming. Really.

It's fun to look at last year's garden. It sure was plentiful. One can see the giant sunflowers in the background. On the other side of them was ten rows of serendipity sweet corn. Just looking at the picture gets me excited about planting again.

You may recall that this year I am going to attempt to grow and sell produce (fruits and vegetables) for the local farmer's market. The market begins in May and is on Saturday mornings from 8-12. So I have been planning and preparing the market stuff and the growing. I still need my "tent", tables and signs, buckets, baskets, aprons, cash box, bags and the like. But the seeds came this week, so did the manual seed planter, Japanese beetle traps, row covers and popcorn shellers. I need to get the planting soil but I have plenty of those plastic plant start containers. Next weekend I will start the broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower and other early spring vegetables.

Here's the list of vegetables I hope to grow this year. Did I miss anything? Suggestions?

Beet, Burpee Golden (55 days)
Beet, Red Ace Hybrid (53 days)
Broccoli, Coronado Crown Hybrid (60 days)
Cabbage, Ruby Perfect Hybrid (85 day)
Cabbage, Stonehead Hybrid (65 day)
Cauliflower, Amazing (70 day)
Cauliflower, Cheddar Hybrid (68 day)
Carrot, Purple Haze Hybrid (70 day)
Carrot, Sugarsnax 54 (68 day) Hybrid
Corn, Sweet - MIREA 350 BC (78 day) (these were quite expensive; I sure hope they are worth it!)
Corn, Sweet MIREA 308BC (71 day)
Cucumbers, H-19 Little Leaf Pickle (62 day)
Cucumber, Sweet Slice Hybrid (burpless) (62 day)
Eggplant, Dusky Hybrid (63 day)
Green Bean, Royal Burgundy Purple Pod Bush (55 days)
Kohlrabi, Kossak Hybrid (70 day)
Lettuce, Multigreen (50 day)
Lettuce, New Red Fire (29 day)
Lettuce, Salad Bowl
Lettuce, Simpson Elite
Lettuce, Summertime (70 day)
Muskmelon, Ambrosia Hybrid (84 day)
Muskmelon, Goddess Hybrid (68 day)
Muskmelon, Superstar Hybrid (86 day)
Onion, Copra Hybrid Yellow (107 days)
Onion, Mars Hybrid Purple (105 day)
Peas, Goliath Snow (68 days)
Pepper, Big Bertha PS Hybrid Bell (72 day)
Pepper, Habanero (95 day)
Pepper, Early Jalapeno (65 days)
Pepper, Super Heavyweight Hybrid Yellow (77 day)
Pepper, Yummy (73 day) [snack peppers]
Potato Sets, All-Blue
Potato Sets, Kennebec
Potato Sets, Red Norland
Potato Sets, Yukon Gold
Pumpkin, Early Sweet Sugar Pie (90-115 day)
Pumpkin, Phantom Hybrid (110 day)
Pumpkin, Snackjack Hybrid (hull-less seeds) (95 day)
Radish, German Giant (29 day)
Radish, Red Meat (30 day)
Radish, Sparkler (25 day)
Radish, White Icicle (27 day)
Squash, Aristocrat Hybrid Bush (53 day)
Squash, Butterstick Hybrid Yellow (50 day)
Squash, Heart of Gold Hybrid Winter (90 day)
Squash, Pasta Hybrid Spaghetti (92 day)
Squash, Table Ace Hybrid Winter (acorn) (80 day)
Sweet Potato, Centennial (90 day)
Swiss Chard, Bright Lights (60 day)
Tomato, Amish Paste (75-85 day)
Tomato, Big Beef Hybrid (73 day)
Tomato, Ultimate Opener Hybrid (57 day)
Watermelon, Sugar Baby

I also have some seeds from last year that I hope to grow as well:

Basil – Sweet
Beet – Chioggia (heirloom; striped)
Beet – Red Cloud
Black Eye Cow Pea
Broccoli
Bean – Black Coco
Celery – Giant Pascal
Cilantro
Corn – Ornamental (Autumn Explosion)
Corn Sweet – Luscious se/sh2
Corn Sweet – Serendipity
Cucumber – Marketer
Green Bean – Blue Lake s-7 stringless Pole (my absolute favorite green bean!)
Green Bean – Fortex Pole
Green Bean – Tricolor Bush Bean
Gourds- Autumn Wings
Gourds – Birdhouse
Lettuce – Green Ice
Lettuce – Red Fire
Lettuce – Summertime
Luffa Sponge (This should be fun!)
Nasturtium
Parsley – Italian
Pea – Experimental
Pea – Garden Pea Eclipse
Pepper – Jalapeno
Popcorn – Robust 21-82W Hybrid White
Pumpkin- Cinderella
Pumpkin – Connecticut Field
Pumpkin – Early Sweet Sugar Pie
Pumpkin – Snack Jack
Squash – Butternut
Squash – Spaghetti
Sunflower – Large Giant Grey Stripe 8-12’
Tomato – Way Ahead
Vermont Cranberry Dry Bean

Zinnias (King Arthur Reds)
Zucchini Squash-Spineless Beauty

Our last frost is anywhere from April 15th to May 1st. Yes, that is quite a long time. But there is plenty of work to do prior to the massive planting time. (Oh yes, we have 300 raspberries, 1000 blueberries and 250 chestnut tress coming as well!) I'd better get some rest.

Today's Journey Joy: Anticipation of Spring

Learning to Lay

For the past several weeks our hens hatched out in August have been learning to lay. Most of them have it down fairly well. Out of 33 hens we get an average of 28 eggs per day. That's pretty good for February! Today I found the tiniest little brown egg. I wonder who layed it? I have never seen such a teeny little chicken egg (unless you're talking about a bantam).

Of course we had to see what was in it. Could it have a yolk? Was the egg shell strong? Well as one can see the "yolk" was not yellow but pale to clear. It was very hard to break. My fingers were too big to daintily crack it....hence the egg shell shard near the "yolk". I wonder what she'll lay tomorrow.

Today's journey joy: Egg surprises

Sky gazing

There's something about a sunset that calms and quiets my soul. Makes me pause. "Look at me!" it beckons. And I do. I stop the frenetic activity of grading papers, making supper, folding clothes, feeding chickens, cats and dogs, cleaning house... "Look at me!" it implores. How can I not? What color. What beauty. What a lovely wrapping for the close of the day. I understand the science... how light rays refract and reflect off of tiny particles in the atmosphere. But that knowledge does not diminish the wonder. Perhaps this comparison of science and beauty is an argument in favor of beauty. I can reduce the sunset to one of molecules, energy and dust...still pretty neat. Or I can savor in the aesthetics and ponder in the painted sky. Can I do both? Not well. At least not simultaneously. Perhaps others can. Perhaps my brain can not contemplate both at the same time. Perhaps it needs training...or perhaps I should simply rest in the truth that we, as created beings, can marvel in the amazing. No other creature seems to be able to do it. Can this be part of the expressed image of God found within us?

Cold IS A Relative Thing

The following is a short little essay about cold. On a day when we've been in single digits and I'm tired of the cold, it made me laugh. It was sent to me by a friend from work who happens to also be from the best state in the union (Wisconsin!).

COLD IS A RELATIVE THING

65 above zero: Floridians turn on the heat. People in Wisconsin plant gardens.
60 above zero: Californians shiver uncontrollably. People in Wisconsin sunbathe.
50 above zero: Italian & English cars won't start. People in Wisconsin drive with the windows down.
40 above zero: Georgians don coats, thermal underwear, gloves, wool hats. People in Wisconsin throw on a flannel shirt.
35 above zero: New York landlords finally turn up the heat. People in Wisconsin have the last cookout before it gets cold.
20 above Zero: People in Miami all die. Wisconsinites close the windows.
Zero: Californians fly away to Mexico . People in Wisconsin get out their winter coats.
10 below zero: Hollywood disintegrates. The Girl Scouts in Wisconsin are selling cookies door to door.
20 below zero: Washington DC runs out of hot air. People in Wisconsin let the dogs sleep indoors.
30 below zero: Santa Claus abandons the North Pole. Wisconsinites get upset because they can't start the Snow-mobile.
40 below zero: ALL atomic motion stops. People in Wisconsin start saying...'Cold enough fer ya?'
50 below zero: Hell freezes over. Wisconsin public schools will open 2 hours late.

Hope of Spring

It happens every year to me. It seems it happens sooner though. Last year it was mid-February. This year I am succumbing to it at the end of January. You know, it's winter weariness. I'm tired. Really tired. I wake up and it's dark. It's dark before supper. The temperatures are ccccooolllldddd. The sky pale gray-blue. Everything white, brown, golden or gray. I need green. I need yellow. I need red. I need blue. I need.... Spring.

But Spring is months away.

Perhaps it's just that I physically do not feel well. Some upper respiratory illness. Coughing, sneezing, aching, tired. Going on 3 weeks now. Ugh. I'll get better... hopefully before spring.

The bees will fly, the birds sing and the flowers will bloom. It will happen. I am hoping.

Today's Journey Joy - photos of color

Cinna-bombs

What does a mommy do when it is snowing (6 inches), blowing, and subzero temperatures? The children's school is cancelled and it is too cold to go sledding? Why, make cinnamon rolls of course.

At this moment I'm trying to think of some redeeming feature of these delectable, scrumptious, and mouth watering marvels. Hmmm... well, there are eggs in them! (Plus butter and sugar...and ah... did I mention butter and ah...sugar?) Oh yeah, pecans too! Yes, eggs and pecans. Two great and nutritious ingredients. (smile).

The photo was taken right after the rolls were taken out of the oven. The icing (more butter and sugar) gets drizzled right before eating. Indeed, these rolls are bombs. Bombs of love, sugar and yumminess.

Today's Journey Joy: Homemade and yummy Cinna-bombs

Toasty Warm

“Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest.” (Proverbs 6:6-8)

The sun is shining pale in the western winter afternoon sky. It's cold. Colder than I think I can remember. The wind is blowing, howling, whipping around corners and trees leaving winter scapes of drifting white dunes.

But we are toasty warm. My hardworking husband has processed enough oak, maple, boxelder, elm, hackberry and orange osage to last through the winter. The pile almost reaches above the outdoor wood burning furnace. The colder it gets, the hotter the burn. And the more blessed I feel. We may have to tend the fire an extra time, but I do not need to fret about rising electric or gas prices. Our heat is supplied through a renewable source. And that renewable source will most likely last us a life time.

Especially since the great storm of 2008 when we lost huge oaks around the farm. We haven't even begun to process one huge 150 year old oak that simply broke in the 94 mph straight line winds that woke us up one morning this past summer. Something to do perhaps once the temperatures exceed 30-40 degrees.

In the meantime I am blessed to live in a small well heated home. The temperatures will fall tonight to -18 degrees Fahrenheit (that's -27 degrees C for those of you who are more familiar with that temperature scale). Brrrr ccccold. We will bundle up together for comfort and listen to the wind's conversation. Makes me wonder.....

Today's Journey Joy - husband with foresight and warm homes