Pickin' Up Rocks...

What kind of family activities do you do over Easter break?

Last Friday afternoon we picked up rocks in the fields where Jim is planning to seed alfalfa.  Years ago, we did this every spring.  The fields where the alfalfa will be seeded need to be as smooth and rock-free as possible.  However in the past number of years, Jim has no-tilled and so we were out of a job.  It was so long ago in fact, that the kids don't even remember doing this!

I got the driving job, and the kids rode in the back of the truck up the field lane and into the fields...

(Please don't judge me by my dirty mirrors!  :)  )

They walked along behind the truck and picked up rocks and golf balls...yes, the neighbors drive golf balls out into the fields!...and tossed them into the back of the truck...

Looks like we must've missed one...

While we were driving around, this tractor kept following us...

When we were finished, we headed down the field lane, and they tossed the rocks off into the rock pile.  Ask any farmer you know...I'll bet he has a rock pile somewhere!

Ours here at the "other farm" is out behind the barn...

It looks like tomorrow will be the day Jim seeds the alfalfa, if the weather cooperates.  How can it be that time of year again already?

Friday's Hunt #13...

It's Friday, but it's felt like Saturday all day long...

Eric is home from college for Easter break, and Jenna doesn't have school either.  Yay!  It's not very often that all four of us are under the same roof.

This week's prompts for Friday's Hunt are...

1.  Starts with "M"...

What who else but Murphy...

Murphy is no stranger to my blog.  She's our eight year old black lab...with a personality like no other.  When she was born to Snickers...our yellow lab, Jenna chose her right away as the puppy we were going to keep. She tried our patience for the first two years of her rambunctious life, chewing on everything from shoes to rocking chairs to picnic tables.  But we can't imagine what it would be like to not have her around!

2.  Week's Favorite...

Of course it has something to do with flowers!  The pussy willows that I had on my porch were going to seed, and I was in need of some brightening up, so I went to my neighbor and traded her a loaf of homemade bread for some forsythia...

3.  Bird or Wings...

I was putzin' around in the garden this morning, and the chickens were ever so curious...

Lots more happened today, but I'll save that for another post on another day.

Have a wonderful Easter weekend!

Spring Fence Check...

Ah, spring!

The windows are open, the birds are singing, and the cows are itching to be out in the meadow!  It's almost time, but the meadow grass needs a little longer to grow nice and thick so they'll not rip it up with their sharp hooves, and they'll actually have a meal rather than just a snack.

Last night Jim took the backs off the calf hutches...

The little heifers were so excited!  One of them actually ran and jumped out over the wire in the back and sprinted around the garden for a few minutes until she was corralled again.  This morning I snuck behind them and snapped a picture while they were busy eating their breakfast...

Now, they're all four laying out enjoying the warm sunshine.

This morning after breakfast, while Jim headed out to fill in some ground hog holes at the other farm, I did the spring fence check around the meadow.

Most of it was in fine shape, with a few minor exceptions.  We run two strands of wire around the meadow, for extra security, and the lower strand was too close to the ground here.  So...I decided to test the "rubber boot" theory...

You know...the one that says if you have on rubber boots, you won't get shocked?  Well...it worked!  I pulled it up about 6"-8" with my toe, and it's good to go...

One strand of wire had slipped over the fiberglass fence post and was touching this old metal post, so I used my sweatshirt sleeve to grab the fiberglass post (they're full of tiny, almost invisible sharp pieces!) and bent it around behind the wire.  Now it's keeping the wire off the metal, which would cause a short...

The meadow is greening up nicely...

The west side of the meadow was in pretty good shape too.  Eventually some of the wires will need replaced, but for now they're ok.  There was a big piece of plastic that had blown across the fields and was tangled in the fence...it went into the trash...

As I was finishing up, I came across some "mystery" prints in the dirt near the waterway.  Hmm...could it be a bear print?

Probably not.

I think I found the culprit...

Yup.  It must've been Murphy!

On with this beautiful day!  There won't be enough hours in it, I'm guessing.

I'm linking up with Good Fences today.  Thanks, TexWisGirl for hosting!

Friday's Hunt (on Saturday again!)...

Here we are again at the end of another week...

I wish I could say that today was a really productive day ...but it wasn't, not for me as far as getting a lot done.  That was yesterday...tons of laundry sorted, washed, hung out  tacked on the wash line, folded...vacuuming done...cow breeding records updated. Jim did get a lot done today though...he hauled load after load of manure.  That job never seems to end!

Today was good anyway.  Two friends and I spent the afternoon at a couple of local greenhouses, and each came home with a free flower.  Then we enjoyed cookies and coffee.  No regrets!

Now I'm finally sitting down to get my Friday's Hunt post finished!  I hate to miss it.

This week's prompts are...

1.  Starts with "L"

I'm using an old collage that I made for this blog post about Lancaster County.  These are a small sampling of signs we see by the side of the road. Lancaster County is a great place to live!  Both Jim and I grew up here, and have lived here all of our lives, with the exception of a few months here and there...

2. Week's Favorite...

These daffodils grace my kitchen window sill, and are a favorite of mine...

3.  Lace

This might be stretching it a bit, but I think these geraniums have a lacey look about them...

I hope you're having a great weekend!

Mine will be even greater if the snow that has been forecast for tomorrow fizzles...

The first day of spring is supposed to be sunny and warm!

Getting My Fingers Dirty...

Ah...it feels so good to be getting my fingers in the dirt again!

Last week during our beautiful spring-like weather, I spent several afternoons weeding my iris bed.  Did it ever need attention!  I still need to edge it, and should go back over it more thoroughly before the mulch gets put down, but it looks much, much better than it did before I started.  Darn chickweed!! That stuff is next to impossible to pull out, and if even the tiniest bit of root is left behind, it starts growing again.  Grrrr...

Oh well.

We had clouds and rain off and on since the weekend, but today I had a chance to plant a few cold tolerant veggies.  I like to plant these inside of old pallets...

It helps keep weeds at bay, and keeps the dirt from splashing up onto the leaves.  I planted kale...

Spinach...

...and even transplanted this lonely lettuce plant that wintered over nearby...

Then I worked up the ground next to the kale, spinach and lettuce and put down a "box" made out of old pallets that I was recycling from another year. I dumped in some potting soil that I had left over from when I planted my pansies, and worked that in with my garden hoe...

Then I spread out my Stuttgarder onion sets, and pushed them into the hungry soil...

I've usually just planted onions in rows in the garden, but the weeds take over so easily, and the ground around them gets hard and difficult to hoe, so I thought I'd give this a try for once.  We'll see how I like it.

It was so good to be out in the sunshine...although it's now clouded over again...and get my fingers in the dirt!  What are you planting in your gardens?

Feeling Like Spring...

This spring like weather is beginning to feel like the norm! It actually lasted all week long!

I know, I know, it's March and it could change again quickly...but I'm loving it! Last year at this time it was bitter cold and we had snow on the ground.  I'll take this over that any day.  I've been chasing the winter blues away with some warm sunshine therapy!  This morning I got a nice walk in with a friend, and this afternoon I weeded another big section of my iris bed.

Jim started cleaning out pens this week, now that the ground is dry enough to spread manure.  He also helped me bed up the calf hutches today.  He filled feed bags with sawdust, and loaded them on the truck for me.  As you can see, I had other helpers too.  They watch...and look for any opportunity to hitch a ride...

The hutches are full right now.  This little gal doesn't miss a thing...

Checking out the fresh sawdust on top of the straw...

We took the back off this hutch the other day for better ventilation. The area the hutches are in is pretty well protected, so it doesn't catch the wind like the rest of the farm.  Soon we'll take all the backs off, and the calves will be able to enjoy laying outside in the warm sunshine...

It's also time for Friday's Hunt, hosted by Teresa at Eden Hills.  This week's prompts are...

"Starts with K"

As I was switching out porch decorations this week (goodbye pine cones and anything remotely winter-related!) I got a text from my neighbor.  She was trimming her pussy willow bushes trees, and offered some to me.  Yay!  I found several uses for them, one of them being this watering can.  Little Ed, my garden kitty was hanging out on the porch while I was working.  Look where he ended up...

I snuck up on him with my camera to take a few pictures.  A few minutes later, he rolled over and fell off the table!  Don't worry, he didn't fall far.  I even think he landed on his feet, but I was too busy laughing at the look on his face to know for sure.  Silly kitty!

Next is my week's favorite...

Thursday morning, I noticed these...

I just love daffodils, probably because they're usually the first real sign of spring that I see.  Their cheery yellow faces make me smile.

And last but not least is flower...

What a perfect word for this week! In addition to the daffodils...my favorite greenhouse opened on Monday, and my car automatically turned in.  I bought some pansies.  And I went back on Tuesday and bought some more...

I don't often buy pansies, because we enjoy them for such a short time until it's time to plant other annuals in their place.  But with our early spring, we should be able to enjoy these for much longer!  Don't they make you feel happy inside?

No?  Oh well.  Have a great weekend anyway!  :)

Spreading Fertilizer...

All of a sudden, it feels like SPRING !!

This is day four of high 60's - high 70's like weather, and we're loving it!  The birds are singing, the dogs are being lazy in the sun, the perennials are poking through, we're feeling more energized from the beautiful warm sunshine, and it's a great feeling!

If you're a cat, you climb all over the barn windows...

Just because you can...

This morning a cart of fertilizer was delivered for Jim to spread on the meadows.  This time of year, everybody is looking for these carts, so as soon as they're delivered, you hook up...

You make sure everything's all set how you want for spreading...

...and off you go...

An hour later, you park, unhitch and call the fertilizer company to tell them you're finished, and they pick up the empty cart and fill it up for the next farmer...

Now all we need is a little rain shower and more of this gorgeous weather, and the meadow will be looking beautiful in no time!

Friday's Hunt...

Another weekend is here, and with it comes the time for Friday's Hunt.  Thanks, Teresa, for hosting again!

Here's my starts with J photo for this week...our youngest...Jenna!  This was taken last Christmas when the cousins were all together.  She's now 17 and a junior in high school. Some things she enjoys are running, violin and photography.  Time just keeps flying right on by...wish it would slow down just a little...love her!

My week's favorite is the daffodils that are almost ready to bloom along the south side of the house!  For the past two winters they've been really late, but this year they're right on time, reminding me that spring really is just around the corner!

This was my cuppa of choice this morning...

I have a mild addiction to iced coffee...even in the winter!  It will be is my downfall, but I just can't shake it!

It looks like a beautiful day out there today, so I'd better get out and get to work!  We had snow yesterday morning...and might have a little more tonight, but it's not sticking around very long, which is fine with me.