Spring Chores

Good morning!
I hope this finds you well....
home, and well!


Spring is here in all her glory, and I couldn't be happier.


(Truth be told, I could actually be happier if I could
have a whole lot of hugs from my family...
but, we cannot dwell on what cannot be at the present moment.
We must enjoy each day... whatever it brings!)
My mother's words come to mind...
"This isn't a dress rehearsal!"
No, this is life and we must take it as it comes
and make it the best we can.
One foot in front of the other... and we march onward.

So, let's for a moment concentrate on the beauty that is Spring!
It is definitely the busiest season here on the farm.
I've been spending quite a bit of time in the garden this week
as the weather has been delightful.
We've discovered a lovely peach tree 
blossoming at the edge of the woods...


just down the embankment that our house sits upon.
"Down in the holler"... as we call it.
The funny thing is... we have had no luck with the peach trees
that we planted in our orchard.
However... this tree grew from a peach pit that someone threw
down there... and this tree is doing extremely well.
Go figure.

In the garden...
my sugar peas are up...


as are some radishes.


Yesterday, I planted beets, spinach, more lettuce, Swiss chard,
and another row of sugar peas.
Everything in the greenhouse is growing and eager to be 
transplanted into Mother Earth.
It's still a bit too early for that, though.
Instead, I water them daily, and talk to them, and re-pot those 
that are getting big...
it's an ongoing process.

I managed to finish weeding the raspberry patch,
and Jack mulched it with compost.
I can almost taste the plump, juicy red raspberries!


I received a question last week about how to get started preserving vegetables.
I have found that one of the best references
is the Ball Blue Book of Preserving.
It goes into great detail about canning and freezing.

Besides garden chores, painting was also on the To-Do list yesterday.
Jack and I painted the trim on the new shed,
and I painted the front door.
(all that is left is to stain the rest of the front porch)


This is still a very stripped down version of what I have in mind.
I would like to put a banister on each side of the porch...
I am thinking that perhaps I will cut out my own 
bunny pickets like I did for my bunny fence years ago,
and fashion a banister with them.


I plan to plant some hydrangeas and other flowering shrubs
 around the sides of the shed,
and plant an old English style perennial garden in the front,
with a brick or stone walkway up to the front porch.
I suspect this will take a couple years before I have 
completed everything that is in my mind.


I was also asked what I plan to do with this building.
Yes, we have a lot of buildings on the farm...
dedicated mostly to animals, tools, and equipment.

This particular building, however, is going to be finished on the inside
like a room in a home... comfy and cozy and feminine.
It will be my retreat... a place to read or write or dream...
a place to share with family and friends...
for tea parties and all sorts of adventures.
The shed will have no electricity,
but will have antique oil lamps for light and
 a tiny pot-belly wood stove for heat, so 
that I can spend winter days there as well.
I am planning on occasionally cooking on the wood stove as well.

It's amazing to me how quickly a day passes when you are up
to your elbows in soil and paint!
When all was done, I sat on the ground in the horses' dry lot
and visited with my little boys.


Furry hugs are not in short supply around here!

Comments

Karla said…
Bev, I love the color combo of your She-shed! You have a gift for color. Can't wait to see what you do around it outside, and inside. Being outside and just pootering in the yard is food for my soul. We do not have a huge yard, just enough. Looking forward to hanging the bug curtains on our gazebo, and then we can sit in bug-free peace, and be outside. We have a propane fire pit that we keep in the gazebo, for those chilly mornings and evenings. We are looking for and finding joy where we can. Thanks, as always, for sharing your corner of this world with us. Karla from Illinois
Anonymous said…
Love the she shed!!!
jaz@octoberfarm said…
it will be perfect with your custom railing!
That bunny picket fence is adorable!
Angie said…
Amazing! Love the colors! Do you paint with a roller or a brush? What type of paint did you use? Thanks:)
Marcia LaRue said…
As usual ... everything is beautiful, however, those peach tree blossoms ... WOW! They are stunningly gorgeous! :)
This N That said…
Love your shed colors..I noticed some green paint on your fingers in one of the pictures..;).The bunny railing will be a cute addition..Nice to see things sprouting..ENjoy your day..Hugs
Anonymous said…
I think it should be called the dream house. The little house of dreams. Stay safe.

Kaye
Park City, UT
Jody in Georgia said…
Love the She-Shed. Don't know why you need one but then...hey, don't know why I need each new pair of shoes I buy! Whatever floats your boat, I always say. Love the bunny fence...it is beyond cute! Also like the paint colors you've chosen. Thanks for sharing this process - with your talents it'll be a real show-stopper when you get everything you're dreaming of doing done! Blessing be to you and your family.
Barbee' said…
My grandparents had a peach tree like that. The fruits were small, but were perfect size for canning spiced peaches to bring out for holiday meals. Childhood memories.
Dee J. Hartman said…
Smiles again from me!!!