Springing to Life

The weather has held fairly well lately and all the plants are just blooming and growing like crazy.  We've had a lot of rain too so that has boosted growth.  I was able to get one spraying in on the fruit trees but not again since all the rain.  Will hopefully get to spray again this weekend since there isn't supposed to be more rain for at least a week or more.  The plum tree is loaded with fruit as is the nectarine and peach trees. We have never been able to harvest any plums since I always forget to spray on time and the bugs always win.  Looking good so far this year.

Broccoli

The broccoli grew overnight with all the rain and I just harvested our first head tonight.  It was pretty decent in size.  About double or triple what it was in this picture barely over a week ago. We are currently harvesting about 3 quarts of strawberries a day and the asparagus continues to produce.  I have got to get canning.  Gotta get strawberry jam and strawberry rhubarb jam and hopefully, pie filling put up.

Strawberries and Asparagus

The chickens are laying fairly well and I think I have a hen that just went broody.  She is sitting on some eggs and seems to be serious this time.  Maybe we'll have some little fuzzy chick butts in about 21 days from now, time will tell.  The bantams, Claudette and Josephine, are adapting fairly well.  They are so cute!!  I was hoping they might want to sit some eggs for me so time will tell there.  Neither of my main broody hens has shown any interest yet in sitting.  I have a Black Copper Marans and Buff Orpington that regularly sit eggs for me but not so sure this season.  Again, time will tell.

Our sweet outdoor kitty, Katerina, likes to hang with us when we are out working or playing and when we were working on some projects last weekend she gladly helped guard the yard cart.  We finally dug the maple saplings up and got the ones transplanted on the property line that we had planned on last year.  It's nice to have them in, now if they will just survive.  We should have planted them much earlier so we shall see.

Guard kitty

Maple saplings

The clematis is really going crazy and the Peonies are just gorgeous.  Were just gorgeous.  They just don't last very long and this last rain has already taken them out.  So glad the clematis blooms all season long.  Now if I can just learn how to propagate it and have success.  Hopefully future updates on that.

Clematis

The peonies smell so good!

There's still so much more to do but isn't there always.  There's always another project to do around here.  Still so much garden work and upgrades to chicken and duck areas.  The front walk remains a huge project undone.  Hopefully, we can begin to tackle it again this weekend.  Happy planting to you!

Spring Rains

It's not even officially spring yet and the rain continues.  I'm not sure I'm looking forward to our "rainy" season because we have already had so much rain.  It seems our back yard has remained flooded for most of the past few months.  It finally just gets to drying up a little and bam, more rain!  The ducks are LOVING it, me not so much.

I'm not even sure what this will all mean for planting the garden yet, but I'm glad for the raised beds.  I know it has kept me from spraying the fruit trees so I am sad if that means no fruit again.  I must get out this week and try to get some spraying done.  I also have not put down the stuff to help control the weeds in the flower gardens.  So much to do and the weather keeps delaying what must get done.  There is more rain coming Saturday, a day that I desperately need to get some outdoor work done.

Hopefully, it will all work out.  Hopefully, the garden will get planted on time.  Hopefully, this rain will subside enough to get the necessary work done.  I hope you are staying dry where ever you are.  Rain is good.  Too much is not.

Spring is Around the Corner

Spring is most certainly almost here!  A few weeks ago the starlings were flocking in large numbers and now I see this.  This lonely dandelion flower in the midst of nothing.  I did not see any others anywhere else.  We have had a mild winter but the cold has reared its ugly head this past week.  We are back to winter temps and weather for a little bit, but last week this lone dandelion peeked through.

I know for us, once the Robins come out you know spring is really here, but for now, this tiny ray of sunshine was nice to see in the gloomy, shadowy days we have had lately.  I don't think I have ever seen a dandelion flower in January before.  It was unique and welcoming.

Looking forward to spring, sunshine, and new life in the chicken/duck yard.  What is your favorite season?  My favorite is the fall, but you just can't beat the sunny days after a bleak winter when spring is here.  Blessings to you.

Spring is Around the Corner!

The days are getting longer and the sunsets are spectacular.  Spring is almost here!  I will be so glad to officially say goodbye to winter this year.  It has just been a wet dreary one and I need the sunshine!  I know I'll be complaining about how hot it is before long, but for now, I will anticipate with joy the upcoming spring weather.

The chickens feel it too!  We collected a record 25 eggs today from 36 potential layers.  I think just about everyone is laying at this point.  There may be a few of the younger ones that aren't laying yet, but if not they will very soon.  It was so exciting to see so many eggs all of a sudden.  We have been averaging about 12 - 14 eggs per day for a few weeks now.  If you have chickens how is your egg collecting going?

Winter Wonderland

Our weather can just not make its mind up!  We had 50-degree weather one day and this snowfall the next day.  It snowed and had several inches accumulation before the weather warmed up in the same day and had it all melted by that evening.  The weather has been fairly warm since.  It has been crazy.  We are anxious for spring to be here and I will be glad when the cold leaves.

The ladies are laying more and more and I think I might have one trying to go broody.  That would be nice.  Would love to hatch more chicks.  How has your weather been?  Any strange weather surprises?