I gave in

Hope is both the earliest and the most indispensable virtue inherent in the state of being alive. If life is to be sustained hope must remain, even where confidence is wounded, trust impaired. ~ Erik H. Erikson

And so it is with the frost and the garden. Earlier in the week they were talking about frost and freezes. Luckily we missed them but not by much. I am hoping we are done with them because I was sick of waiting. Last week I wanted to plant but I was told to wait and then the rains came. We had lightning hit so close to the house that my brother called to see if we were okay. We walked up into the woods the next day to try to see where it hit but couldn't find anything.

Finally I couldn't take it anymore so Tuesday and today, I spent planting the greenhouse garden. It has plants for 2 different types of squash, seeds for watermelon, lettuce, osaka purple mustard, 12 tomato plants, 21 pepper plants, 10 ground cherry plants, dill plants, basil plants, seeds for soup peas, celery plants and carrots. Now I just have to mow the grass so I can mulch the garden. We will not discuss the large garden as it will only make me cry because it is not even rototilled yet. The tiller worked fine to till the greenhouse garden but now it won't start.

Walking continues. We see strange things, like this maple growing a pine cone. Genetically modified or just stuck there?I can't say I notice any physical difference from the walking, except I go to bed a lot earlier. I have also fallen into the habit of getting up earlier and earlier. Today it was 5:15. I let the dogs out, put food out for them and the cats. Then I get my coffee and go sit to spin or knit or just listen to the birds. Very enjoyable but I don't want to be waking up any earlier than 5 as I do still need alot of beauty sleep.

The KnitPicks catalog came Tuesday and I fell hard for the red smock coat by Debbie Bliss. My mom has the book (where it is done in black and is no where near as pretty) so tomorrow we go to buy the yarn for it. I frogged the shrug, decreased one pattern repeat and I am reknitting it with larger needles-almost done. I finished one bobbin of the heathered blue and plyed it back on it's self and then have 1/2 of another bobbin done.

My sister is teaching #1 daughter how to sew. They are making #2 a dress for her formal. As practice my sister had #1 make this reversible apron. Pretty darn good and it is purple (her fav color) so she is happy. They are talking about learning to quilt....anybody want to discourage them? No? You enablers are awful. But then again I would love a quilt. Hint Hint Hint.

The roasters are getting big and annoying, The 6 " teenage" chicks got into my garden and ate the lettuce right before I was ready to transplant it. The baby chicks are almost fully feathered as are the turkeys. The turkeys do much more foraging and are a blast to watch when hot on the trail of a flying bug! The pigs are pigging out. They love the biweekly produce we get for them. The sheep and goat are out in the pastures enjoying all the green grass. Life on the farm may not be laid back but it sure is interesting.