Dancing on Sunshine

 It's here, it's here!  Spring is here!  Today's high temperature hit 67F!!  Here is the view from the upstairs office desk, looking south to the hay fields.  Soon, soon......soon it will be rid of the snow. 

Ride #3 on Gus the Mule today!!  It was a lovely day to join friend, Coralia, for a ride down and back on Tin Cup Junction Road.  It was good for all of us!  

We noted that Tin Cup Creek is getting pretty high. 

When we returned, I spun the snowmobile down the field to see my hive (which I am worried about) and saw this critter poking its head out of the snow.  Do you know what it is?  Here is a hint.  It is white in the winter and brown in the summer! Clearly, as it is brown, this critter is now at a disadvantage out in the white snow field. 

Ermine.  Mice-eating fierce carnivore!

And now (drum roll, please), my favorite picture of the day.  Music garlic coming up in the garden!!  SOOOOOOO exciting!! 

Spring Has Arrived!!

Today!  Today you could smell the earth as it starts to show itself again.  Warming in the sun, the fragrence repleat with spring!  Daffodils push up, their tiny tips tender and yellow against the wet dirt.  Piles of snow dimish.  There are even dry spots around the place!  And the forecast gets better every day!

Here is what I saw in my bee hive When I cracked open the lid.  Just saying, after this dreadfully long, bitterly cold, and miserable winter, I am delighted!  That's alot of bees left to start working!  Success!!  Many beekeepers lost their hives this winter.  It's not a bad thing to have good luck!! 

Mike is off tomorrow to visit a friend in Missouri.  He will fish.  He will hunt turkeys.  He will visit.  He will reconnect.  He needs this break and deserves it after a long winter of snow relocation!

Rooster is recouperating well.  We did a nice (leashed) 3 mile walk today and I praised the Cortizone makers for my pain-free knee.  Why did I wait so long to get that done??

The local creek is filling.

Many of you saw my canning project on Facebook, but I'm so excited about all this delicious fish now sitting on my shelf waiting for the day when we pop off the lid and dig into deliciousness!!  Such a treat!  Let's have some when you come and visit this summer, Miss Mary!!

Enough for now.  Our hearts are filled with joy with the departure of Winter.  It's a good season here, but lasted far too long this year.  Adios, Old Man Winter!! 

I had to ski to visit my bees.  This is the field today.  Still lots of melting to go!! 

Caretaking

 My friend Stephanie was lamenting the olther day about how she hates the now-walking age her son Cody has grown into.  "He can kill himself at any moment," she mused, "I can't take my eyes off of him when he is awake."  I believe she made a remark about no common sense as well. 

As Rooster begins day one of healing up after yesterday's vet visit, I feel a sense of her angst.  He is not to lick, not to access his scrotum (now absent of testicles) or his eyes (the bottom lid cut and stiched together to keep that lower lid from scratching his eyes).  We started the day with 25 mg of Ace (Stephanie does not have this option) and it knocked him out.  By noon, he was starting to come out of the fog and we are opting for the giant cone this afternoon.  Especially this first day, I feel like it is important to keep a close eye on him, ensuring the healing process gets off to a good start.  He manages the cone fairly well, overall.  

We awoke to a winter storm warning and snow - which, now 3:30pm, it is still snowing.  It's a good day to watch a child.  I've made 4 loaves of bread, three batches of Brain Health Muffins, and been on two zoom meetings.  A good day to be inside. 

Rooster.  On the Mend. 

25 degrees and windy

My sincere apologies to continue on about this whole winter thing. 

Mike and I donned our xcountry skiis this afternoon and skiied the permimeter of the farm.  The sharp northwesterly wind cut through our cap earflaps and hurried us along.  The snow is sculpted from the wind and the recent new snow.  We sink a bit in the slogginess of two feet of snow-cone-like mush; freezing at night and thawing during most days.  

I have completely given up looking at the weather forecast, certain to be disappointed yet again.  I have been cheerleading over here on the sidelines for Spring to win against Winter since - seriously - mid-March.  Was it too much to ask?  Last year, Mike chidded me for planting four cabbage plants in the garden in mid-March.  They froze, got snowed on, thawed out and became beautiful heads of green cabbage.  Today, there is still a couple of feet carpeting the garden.  I thought about shoveling out the two raised beds, but the 20 mph wind and 25F temperature deterred me from the effort. 

So, I finished the book I've been reading.  It was wonderful!  The Whistling Season by Ivan Doig.   Some of you have read it, I know.  This long winter has prodded me into reading paper pages of books.  Reading.  Sitting in a chair, under a lamp, waiting out Winter's reign. 

Rooster has a visit to the doctor tomorrow.  He will be relieved of any further thoughts of manly duties.  As well, a tuck under each eye will hopefully help his curled up lids that scratch his eyes.  He will be miserable and I feel bad about this certainty.  Not every day is a good day, Rooster. 

The world is a funny place.  In the past 24 hours, I have heard tales of beekeepers stealing sugar purchased for bees to make alcohol and sell it through the members in the bee club.  I have heard of threat letters - their words cut from newspaper clipping and pasted to a piece of paper with foot powder added to the envelope prior to sealing, the return address belonging to the Retaliated Person.  Things in the fire department were rarely easy, often rife with conflict.  But rank things like these never happened.  It's all about integrity.  And integrity is harder to find outside the Fire Service.  You have to walk away sometimes before you can really see what you had. 

Not every day is a good day. 

Still Waiting For Spring

Good grief, what a winter!  Today was fantastic; got up to 56F.  Tomorrow highs in the 40s with rain then Wednesday high of 33 with snow.  Boo.  

Here are some very random pictures.  Kind of a snapshot of goings-on. 

Rooster gets nuetered on Thursday.  I'm sorry ol buddy....

Bees are still alive inside this hive.  Hang on, spring should be here any day!! 

Tin Cup Creek.  Locals say we are not going to flood.  The ground is soaking up water and well, it's not getting too warm too fast! 

Used the snow blower to open up the flower garden! 

Finally, a successful batch of black garlic.  Amazing stuff!! 

Spring Arrives

 The last couple of weeks have been tough.  Winter grips tightly and it has been easy to complain.  Alot.  

Finally, a reprieve has brought blue skies, warmer temperatures and melting snow.  Now everyone is worried about flooding.  And rightfully so.  Mountains of snow will be melting.  Sump pumps, prepare to get to work!!  

Today, there are still no buds on trees.  There is still a couple of feet of wet soggy snow in the fields.  But today was warm.  And there is a pond of water out our door.  Mike worked on a drainage system today.  Now below freezing, the pond will turn to ice tonight.  And tomorrow, the melting process starts again. 

A big project this year will be putting the repurposed greenhouse together.  Here is the beautiful front door Mike has been working on in the hanger.  Really great door!!  When finished, it will be one of those doors that opens at the top and stays closed at the bottom.  Perfect for a greenhouse!!  

Here is the frame of the greenhouse.  Might be a few days before we get under those supports! 

Best to my favorite sister-in-law Stephanie who will be defending her PhD on Thursday.  What an incredible accomplishment!  Mike and I are so proud!!  You Go Girl!!