Days Like This

Reason to Love Work #47

When it is nice outside, nobody wants to be inside.  

Days like this mean... that visitors can be few and far between.  

Days like this mean... that there is lots of free time.  

Days like this mean... that you may find a staff member has made a giant mustache and top hat and is spying on you through a window.

Reason to Love Work #48

When it is nice outside, that means nobody wants to be inside.

Days like this... include staff wanting to be outside.

Days like this... include wanting to go work in the garden.

Days like this... include harvesting a garbage bag of green onions.

Reason to Love Work #48B

Scallion pancakes are part of your benefits package.

Nature is Nifty

My dear friend Kate has a blog now, you should check it out!  After reading her first post about the "snowing petals," it made me go outside and capture what is in bloom before it starts "snowing."  There are a few things around our yard that are so wonderful looking at the moment.

This is one of our two apple trees; it is in full bloom.  This is the strip of the yard where Luna likes to go to the bathroom.  At night, when I am waiting for her to pee, I often find myself standing between these two trees looking up at the stars (those things you can see if you live in the boonies), and breathing in the sweet air.  Then, I watch the dog do her business, and it brings me crashing back to the present.

Close up of the apple blossoms.

Here is a tree that is at the back of our yard.  I am embarrassed to say that I actually don't know what kind of tree it is!  But I love it.  Maybe because I oddly relate to it.  Tall, skinny, kinda bent over a bit.

Between our house and the street is a wonderful Japanese Maple.  I can't even tell you how fast it grew leaves.  It was totally bare from winter, and then all of a sudden it was a vibrant red cloud.

Throughout the woods we have discovered that Lily of the Valley grows like a weed.  It probably got its name because it grows all across the Valley, like some kind of blood thirsty, land grabbing Lily.

And finally... on a few of the warm days we have had this last week, we have been able to open up our bedroom windows and catch the strong perfume of the lilacs right outside.

Lilacs with a fluffy ghost.

Hope everyone has been able to enjoy all these flowers and blossoms while they last.  Because I know that someday soon when I leave to go to work, there will just be a pile of petals laying on the ground.

Hope Nobody is Hungry Yet

I do love gardening very much.  But... as I listen to the song "Anticipation" by Carly Simon, I can't help but feel, well, anticipation for the coming vegi harvest.

This last week the weather has stayed in the 30s and 40s, which is much better than the "Snowpocalypse," but it doesn't help my seeds grow very fast.  Let's just say that I haven't gone outside and picked everything needed for a salad recently.

I think that everyone is ready for warmer weather, even the birds seem upset with the snow.

The seeds that I planted several weeks ago are still doing well, but haven't really "taken off."  They spend most of their time indoors as I bring them in when it gets under 40F.  

The lettuce looks like a garnish.

The spinach is no green giant.

The radishes are beets are crawling along.

And the tomatoes haven't spent very much time vine ripening.

Even if these plants still need some more time to grow, it is great seeing so many things starting to sprout.  Lots of crocuses have opened up; daffodils are growing tall toward the sky.  And then there plants that I don't even know what they are, but they are definitely growing!

Do you know what these are?

Hope everyone is enjoying shedding their winter layers.  See you outside!

Spring Forward

Springing forward is not something that is always done gracefully.  People tend to get grouchy when losing an hour of sleep.  But, I must stay thankful for being able to be springy at all.  With a gentle reminder that I no longer live in a city, this afternoon I found a deer leg near our back door.  Yep.  Not a deer.  Nor any other part of a deer. Just a complete deer leg.

At first I thought maybe it was a stick or part of a plant, but then I remembered how none of the plants in our yard have a hoof.  I'm guessing the owner of this leg is not feeling too springy right now and would settle for only being a little grumpy for missing an hour of sleep.

So, with the determination of springing into spring, it was time to take out the to-do list.  Here are some moments throughout the day.

Only had to shovel a little to get it to fit.

Inside stayed in the 50s.  Just like a plant spa.

Got bike road read.  Went for a ride.  Popped a tire.

Put a flicker house up on the market.  Hope we get some tenants!

Sprouts just about ready to be transplanted.

Starting to see more colors outside (flicker house in distance).

Temporary snow melt stream going through the back of our woods.

All in all it was a great day.  I look forward to spring and all the change and work it will bring.  I can tackle anything that comes my way, long as I can keep all my legs where they are supposed to be.

Additionally, I hope that everyone in Japan and Libya (well not everyONE in Libya) stay springy and are able to get where they need to be to stay safe.  You're in our thoughts.