Two Steps Back

 Spring took one step forward and two steps backward this weekend.  Friday was definitely the stellar day of the weekend.  The sun rose in a clear blue sky and the morning was full of possibilities.

I spent a bit of time grooming the herd - brushing off the dried mud and trimming tails that had gown long enough over the winter to drag on the ground.  When I finished, I sat at the front of the barn and waited to see who would come for more attention.  Sitting still is an invitation to the nosey.

Even Pete wondered what I was doing.

We all sat there for several minutes just enjoying the peace of the moment...

no one in a hurry to disturb it.

Having grown up in the barn, Pete has no fear of the horses.  He uses an appropriate amount of caution when close to them -just to keep from being stepped upon.  On their backs, he's completely comfortable.

The daffodils in the front pasture opened their bright faces to face the sun

and the crocus on the path to the she shed were a showy display of yellow, purple and white.

Little did these cheerful blossoms know - that within a day, they would be battered by rain and snow and sleet.  Those storms brought wintry cold weather back to the farm.

Bringing spring into the house makes watching the snow fall a little easier.

It was a good weekend for inside endeavors.  In an attempt to make freezer room for the upcoming summer growing season, I made a large batch of brambleberry jam. 

 This entire pot of berries was foraged from the edge of the woods here on the farm.  In these days of rising grocery prices, there's nothing more satisfying that (almost) free jam!

As the rain and snow fell (luckily we had no accumulation on the ground), I took advantage of the free time and worked on a few Matthew Palmer painting tutorials.  For me, painting is meditative.  

Friday:

Saturday: 

Sunday:

Current project on the needles:

We treated ourselves to dinner at an iconic local drive-in.

  This little burger joint has been in business since the early sixties and makes the best ever burgers and fries (something that we rarely eat - but when we do, we really enjoy!)  It's only open on weekends, February thru November, so we try to eat there once a year.  It was delicious!

We have a week ahead filled with cold days.  Although I have planted many seeds in the garden, none of them have germinated yet.  So, they will stay safely tucked beneath the soil until the sun warms it up again.  Maybe next week?