The Rush of Spring

Spring brings a frenetic pace around these parts.  Tilling, planting, weeding, tending, birthing, chopping, burning, digging, and sculpting the soil..... in between copious amounts of soggy cold days which chilled the soil and seemed to never let up.  As we watched the rains come down for over two weeks, the weeds grew, the grass flourished and the flowers bloomed.  Finally, the sun came sliding through the clouds warming the bones and nurturing the warmer weather crops.  Asparagus and rhubarb stretching their stems skyward.

Seven of my hives from last year survived the winter and are doing well.  So well that I double- supered them right before the cold wet weather came.  Now they are eager and "busy as bees" to capture as much nectar and pollen from the spring blooming flowers and trees as they can.  In two weeks I will harvest the delightful springtime honey - my favorite honey of all.

In the meantime, planting of the dahlias, orchid gladiolus, and ranunculus kept me busy.

Our NRCS guy Joe, sold me eight of his red star chickens... they are much more friendly than mine and seem to follow the tractor wherever it goes.  I like when they gobble up the grubs.  But could you kindly leave the worms please?

Picking tulips for the first day of Market.  It was a fantastic first day at the Farmers Market.  We brought blueberry bushes, black and red raspberry bushes, tulips (of course) and rhubarb and asparagus.  This year our placement at the Market is in an ideal area.  Much more visible. Ally decided that she would come to the Market and help every weekend.  It was great having her with us!

Spring has also been filled with end of the year adventures for Ben.  For months he and his friends at school have been rehearsing for the annual school play.  This year's play was an acting stretch for most of the students.  Ben played an erudite, elitist member of the ruling class who appeared to be caring and compassionate but later turned out to be ruthless and self serving.  There was a part in which he had to yell at the top of his voice off stage, seemingly at a young girl (who actually was in a different room).  Believe it or not, Ben rarely has risen his voice in anger.  He said it was an interesting experience. That and wearing a wig...

Gary also took advantage of the dry days between raindrops when the road to our new building site was too muddy to work, to finish burying the electric line from our well to the house.  It's been on the surface for about half a year.  What a great project to have completed.

And..... (drum roll)..... the materials for the barn arrived this morning!

I must admit - I was concerned about those massive semitrailers getting up and around the bend.  But the driveway stood strong and the ground was dry..... at least for an hour or two... then ten minutes of rain fell hard.  Turning the dry road to a slippery mess.  But the heavy tractor trailers made it down and drove away.  I'm sure that it was an adventure that they don't do every day!

The time for building has arrived!

Today's Journey Joys: Heavy trucks maneuvering through our S-shaped driveway successfully, tulips for another week, Columbine flowers in bloom, snap peas and potatoes growing, university decisions, the end of my semester, blueberry plants ready for the field and the opening of walnut leaves on trees.