Sunday, May 15, 2016

Planting, on hold

Last month was dry as a bone.
Gardens weren't flourishing, pastures were looking faded already.
But May, beginning in late April, has brought rain after rain. Now, we can't get tomatoes out. Or beans. Or corn.
So on my day off last week,  Hannah and the kids and I go to Chicken Hut in McKee to meet Aunt C for lunch.  Then we drive out to Flat Lick Falls with our chicken and have a little picnic.
I got a picture of the Hut, but not the Falls. Such a scenic little spot (the falls) and very accessible. McKee is now a trail town...makes me excited for when we become one.
Thursday morning, I get a call from Martin's Supply, and they are on the way with our hoop house.
I was expecting them on Friday, so that threw my schedule off.
Anyway, the crew of five Mennonites had our hoop house up and were outta here by 2 p.m. It was a joy to watch those boys work. I am so glad we hired them to do it.
Sure, we could have put the thing together, but it would have taken ten times longer, and if the ground ever dries up, we've got things to plant. I'm hoping this high tunnel will lend us a little climate control.




Last night, the temperature fell to around 40. Good timing, with the  high school prom going on this weekend, but hey, at least it didn't rain/snow.

There's nothing faded about the landscape now. It is about as lush and green as you'll ever see it.



Thursday, May 5, 2016

Which winter is it?

Winter is technically over, but it is cold out tonight.
Hopefully, it won't get cold enough to frost on the snowball bush, the locust bloom, the blackberry bloom,etc.
They are all taking heat for this chilly snap.
Which winter is it, I've been asked a couple of times lately.
Then we name all the things blooming and blame it on one of them.
I feel bad about doing that, so I'll be a contrarian and say, "It's just a cold spell."
Winter ended in March. That's my story and I'm stickin'with it.


"So great a cloud of witnesses"

Our nine-year old granddaughter was baptized on Sunday, fully-immersed in water that had been warmed in an inflatable hot-tub.   I grew up B...