Wilma D

Just the Dil sleeping, not hiding in shame. lol

Warmer days

The temperature right now is 40 degrees; over 30 degrees warmer than it was a couple of days ago. Although the ground still has 3-4 feet of snow on it, the sun is riding higher in the sky and the days are lengthening. Signs of spring, although subtle, are beginning to show themselves.  In tribute, I thought a little color would be nice.

Spring tulips from last year

Early Morning Moon

Moon setting over the sheep barn on a cold, clear morning

Doggie snow art

Happy Valentine's Day

From our favorite cardinal couple.

Perhaps she is practicing for the luge event?

Some just aren't bothered by snow

So today we are getting a ton of snow again. who cares anymore. Seriously, it is just a part of our day now.(I say that only in a really defeated way) Ruby is completely unaffected. Here she is enjoying a treat. Clearly she could care less about the precipitation. Soon she will disappear.

Pics from the other day

Black-capped chickadee butt. can't help it, I love animal bums.

Our resident bunny this winter

Some days I just try to take it all in

Dust mop or dog?

you be the judge

A rare moment in time when Ruby is sleeping, not screaming.

Fire and Ice

Quite literally

When the Ranger won't cut it

use a snow mobile. So, by now you know we have gotten a ton of snow. Lots of powder on the ground which makes driving the Ranger too difficult out to the sheep barn. The hay supply was low so we had to replenish it. Lynn improvised by tying a tarp to the back of the sled, threw the bales on top and rode away.

Of course I used this as an opportunity for Lynn to thank me for purchasing this tool. I have received a lot of slack for buying these. She basically sees them as mass taking up space in the barn. Score one for Lee!!! It would seem that I am so rarely right so I make a point of celebrating when I am. Juvenile? Perhaps. I can live with it.

Snow-Up close and personal

Garden Diary - February 2nd

My seed and plant order for the spring is complete now.  The last item on my January to-do list was to order from St. Lawrence Nurseries (a local nursery that specializes in trees and shrubs that are cold-weather hardy).  I just mailed in my order for the following:

• 10 Manchurian Crabapple trees (a hardy tree that will feed the deer, birds and other wildlife into winter; I planted 2 of these trees along the wood line last year and will plant another 8 there this spring.  The remaining 2 will go into the garden area, next to the new Carpathian English Walnut tree that I ordered)
• 8 Winterberry shrubs for the chicken area (the birds love the red fruit in the winter)
• 10 rugosa rose for the chicken area (a very hardy rose with pink blossoms; it produces large rose hips with a high vitamin C content that can be dried for teas)
• 10 white potentilla (small, flowering shrubs that flower all summer; they do very well in the rock gardens; I already have 10-12 yellow potentilla scattered throughout the gardens)

I thought briefly about adding a few additional fruit trees, but we already have 11 trees (a mix of apples, plum and pear trees) in the young orchard (half the trees are heading into their 4^th year and the others into their 3^rd), as well as 5 mature apple trees.  Once the young trees are producing, that’s quite a bit of fruit for two people to harvest and process, so I managed to curb by need to add more. 

Without going into great detail regarding the varieties, I ordered the following seeds for the vegetable garden:

Vegetables

Green beans (pole and bush varieties), beets (3 varieties), carrots (2 varieties), cabbage, brussel sprouts, cauliflower, cucumbers, eggplant, edamame, leeks, lettuce (3 varieties), onions (3 varieties), peppers, potatoes (3 varieties), peas, spinach, pumpkins (2 varieties), summer and winter squash, shallots, swiss chard, tomatoes (4 varieties), rutabaga, and watermelon 

Annuals

Cosmos, calendula, marigold, sweet peas, morning glories, nasturtiums, sunflowers (3 varieties), zinnias (2 varieties), and scarlet runner beans 

Herbs

Dill, borage, basil, chives, valerian, yarrow, sweet marjoram, oregano, thyme, sage, parsley, lemon balm, chamomile, anise hyssop and mint

Perennials

I will plant some perennials from seed in an attempt to cut down on some of my gardening costs.  This year I'm trying the following: lettuce poppies, larkspur, columbine, campanula, sweet rocket, and hollyhocks.