Seventy Five and Sunny!

I have made this proclamation countless times.  I pretty much love whatever season I am in - however, Spring and Autumn make me giddy.  I [seriously] am head-over-heels about springtime.

The front pasture has so many clumps of daffodils blooming in all varieties.  It makes me happy just walking through this area!

I know that I show you this same photo quite often; but, it's actually a different photo each time.  It's just that I am so often caught off guard by the beauty of this little old cabin as I pass by it on the way to the pond to feed the ducks.

  And because the look of it reaches out and grabs me - I take yet another photo of it.  It is, without a doubt, one of my most favorite spots in all the world.  Especially, when it is surrounded by Spring's finery!  Each day, the flowering quince becomes just a bit brighter than the preceding day.  And so... another photo!

The pace of life around the farm right now echos the pace of nature, as a new season unfolds.  We are as busy as honeybees gathering nectar!

 There's much to be done - flower gardens to clean up, seeds to plant, seedlings to water, grass to mow.  The list seems to never end, and yet, it's a joyful list that I wake up excited to tackle.  The only thing slowing me down is an occasional day of (necessary) rain.

I spend a little time each morning puttering in the vegetable garden - checking growth of seeds and pulling an occasional weed - just generally spreading a little love over each of my garden boxes.  Each one holds so much potential that will be realized over the coming months.

Yesterday, I harvested some rhubarb that I am going to use to make a small rhubarb crisp for Hubbs and I.  As much as I love to bake, we rarely eat dessert.  However, homegrown treats are always an exception - rhubarb crisp with a scoop of vanilla ice cream... perfect for a Welcome Spring celebratory dessert!

After chores were finished and the horses were brought back to the barn...

with Moonie once again in charge of his own transporting...

(out of the pasture and down to the garden!)

 I painted a few more garden markers...

(spinach, radishes, peas, carrots)  I still have a few markers to paint - beans, zucchini, yellow squash, gourds, cantaloupes, etc.

You might remember the perennial garden that went to @#&! - our plan is to kill it and till it.  And although killing it goes against my principle, it is filled with a weed that has the most tenacious root system that we absolutely cannot get rid of. 

 Hopefully once it is tilled, I will be able to sift through the soil and remove every last bit of tuberous root.  If this were a lovely flowering weed, I would let well enough alone, but this weed is (I hate to say) just ugly. I would love to quickly reclaim my beautiful garden.  But with the amount of anticipated work, I don't believe I will have a lovely garden to show you in this place for yet another year.  This summer will be the season of eradication.  For the present time, I will just enjoy these few hyacinths that have emerged in this space.  As for that wooden arch behind the garden - I am trying to root some climbing rose bush clippings to hopefully plant later this year.  My dream is to have it covered in climbing roses!  Thanks Kendalle for the clippings!

Lastly, I wanted to show you what garden watering looks like in the presence of a water dog.  

I swear he can smell water.

The hose turns him into a snapping alligator!

I foresee a summer of Forrest playing in a sprinkler just like a kid!