Curse Not The Rain


 What is April without lots of showers?  Just as I get seeds planted in the garden, Mother Nature steps in and says "Don't worry... I'll handle the watering!"  Bless you Mother Nature.

It pretty much drizzled or showered the entire weekend.  

The timing was perfect as I had just finished planting lots of seeds on Friday.  Now the waiting begins.  Elsewhere in the garden boxes, pea shoots have emerged,

as have spinach, radishes, and onions.

We have learned, through the years, to embrace the rain.  So, we put on our rain gear and immerse ourselves in these much-needed showers.  As we work, the droplets make music on the tin roof of the barn.

Many spent the weekend staring out into the rain...

while others went about their daily routine completely oblivious.

Hubbs built a new perch for Old Tom Turkey to roost in the henhouse.  After spending all day with the girls, he typically flies up to their roosting bar in the evening. 

 If he spends the night clutching the bar, his feet are sore in the morning.  So, rather than carrying him back to sleep alone in his own house, Hubbs solved the issue by building a platform for him to sleep on here with his chicken friends.

Thanks, Hubbs.... brilliant idea!!  (and Tom likes it, too!)

As for me, I took the opportunity to shift my energies to indoor activities, such as bread baking...

 and baking scones (for tea, of course). My favorite tea at the moment is this one. (it is well worth the price... as it is flavorful and sublime and not a lot is needed to brew a cup)

Friday evening I had a visit from a long-time online friend from Indiana who was in our area for a wedding at my favorite brewery.   Jess always felt like a kindred spirit... though she is young enough to be my daughter.  We visited for the first time in person and had a lovely, though, too short, visit.  (The vase that holds these spring blossoms was made by her... she has an Etsy shop for her pottery.)

With the rain curtailing outdoor activities, I had some spare time to work on watercoloring.  I had taken a photo of one of our willows tree in bloom...

as an exercise in painting the blossoms. 

 I also worked on a few short classes in landscapes and seascapes. Still, my favorite thing to paint is what I see in nature.  I'll keep working on other things, though, to stretch myself out of my comfort zone... all in the name of learning.

Sunday evening, we drove to town to babysit our three (local) Littles.  It's hard to believe the littlest of the three is already 6 months old.  He might just be the happiest baby, ever!

Spring continues to erupt here on the farm... with bushes and bramble now covered in leaves. Fruit trees are in full blossom,

as are our blueberry plants.

With the rain setting the stage, there will be an explosion of leaves when the sun returns.  Not far behind, blossoms will become fruit.  Nature is miraculous as Spring renews the earth as well as our spirits!

Comments

colleen said…
Tom must be thrilled for sure with his new platform...brilliant idea!!Your willow painting is amazing. I can't believe how fast your grands are growing. I admire how much you can get packed into a weekend. I think if I had a blog it would be pretty boring lol. I tried to go to your friends Etsy shop but it didn't work. Is there a name that I could have and just go to Etsy that way?
Rain said…
I love your painting! :) It's always so nice to come to your blog and see all of the lovely critters you are blessed with! :) I'm with the dogs lately though, it's cold and rainy and I prefer to stay dry! :)
littlemancat said…
So much to enjoy here,today! Love the growing garden,the littles, and Tom's new platform.
And the willow work is lovely - isn't that a great color? Essence of Spring.
And am checking out your friend's ETSY shop for sure.

Mary
This N That said…
We need the rain. I think we caught up.
Tom’s perch looks perfect for him. Good job hubs...
Your bread looks gorgeous...so 😋
So nice to see an online friend. There are several that I would love to meet. Probably never will though.. both in the Midwest.
your painting is. Fantastic....love the “stems”
Going to check out that Ets y shop...ILove pottery
Hugs
Beautiful new colors seem to be appearing in a different spot every day at your place. Glad you're getting that life-giving rain. We have been getting some days of it too! Love the new platform for Tom Turkey....so thoughtful you guys are! Your painting is gorgeous....and aren't your littles just darling! Such sweet, smiley kids! I remember well when we had little people like that running around....now they've all grown up. It happens soooooo fast.
Love your bread too....I can smell it from here....and the scones too.
Love visiting your place, Bev. Thanks for the links to the coffee/tea shop and the pottery place. Fun to check those out!
Lynne said…
I think the rain makes for beautiful pictures . . .
Especially nature pics . . . .
Love all your sprouts too!

Oh my, the three little ones are adorable and it is unbelievable how fast time flies!

Tom is looking perched!
And the hens are saying . . . “I guess this is ok!”

Very nice watercolor Bev . . .