It felt so good to get my hands in the soil this morning and work on planting my potato patch. There is nothing quite like dirt therapy. It’s a time for me to have some much deserved and craved “alone time.” Sometimes it’s just nice to be alone with your thoughts.
I am relieved to report that this week, the chickens we bought this past Fall finally joined the ranks of our laying hens; narrowly dodging becoming chicken soup. We are currently receiving about two to three dozen eggs a week, which is likely to dramatically increase in just a short time.
My Mother kept a garden, a garden of the heart, She planted all the good things that gave my life its start.
I had something totally different in mind to write about this week and then my grandson Aaron came to spend the night. I saw the other day on Facebook a quote that says it all: “Something magical happens when parents turn into grandparents.” No truer words were ever said.
The seedlings in my greenhouse have started to take off. Some haven’t emerged yet; still mostly less than patiently waiting on the tomatoes and peppers to germinate. But the winter veggies, leeks, tomatillos and onions, sunflowers, marigolds and zinnias are all growing quickly with a little bit of heat and sunshine.
What a gorgeous week it’s been to work outside. While it’s certainly been on the windy side, the temperature has been ideal for comfortably working around the garden. And even the rain has been beneficial.
Spring is so much more enjoyable when there is a mix of warm and cool days, because you get this burst of bloom, and then with the cool temperatures, the flowers last longer and the colors seem to be more vivid.
Not only has this week’s gorgeous Spring weather been more than welcome, it has also been wonderful and beneficial for everything around our budding homestead. The chickens are much more content with the fresh new grass to snack on and the lack of snow and wet mud.
We spent a little more time this week making excuses to start sowing some seeds indoors. I am usually too far behind and unprepared to have productive early Spring vegetables such as cabbages and broccoli. But this year I am hoping we planted our bok choy early enough to at least be able to grow some baby bok choy before the weather warms up too much for them.
These recent weeks indoors have certainly allowed time to sharpen my culinary skills. One of our family’s new favorite quick meals is my Cream of Roasted Potato Soup. It’s hearty and filling and complete within the hour from start to finish.
I just couldn’t take it anymore. Every time I blink, it feels like another blanket of snow has shrouded the layers of already fallen snow and ice. I needed to feel like Spring was in sight; after all, the first day of Spring is only days away. So I warmed up the car, bundled Grayson up in his cold weather gear and we headed to Behnkes’s to start planning our Summer garden.
The last Full Moon (in February) was, appropriately, referred to as the Snow Moon. We didn’t need the Farmer’s Almanac to guide us on that one. Whether the moon’s origins reside in folklore (Wolf Moon), seasons (Harvest Moon) and/or any other numerous origins, a full moon can be inspirational and insightful.