Is Spring spreading to your area?

“Like a sound, spring spreads and spreads until it is swallowed up in space.  Like the wind, it moves across the map invisible; we see it only in its effects.  It appears like the tracks of the breeze on a field of wheat, like shadows of wind-blown clouds, like tossing branches that reveal the presence of the invisible, the passing of the unseen.” ~ Edwin Way Teale

I went to Philly for a week when #1 daughter and Sir T welcomed grandson Baby B into the fold.  He weighed 8 lb 11 oz and was 21 inches long.  He is Baby O’s identical twin born 23 months late!  Baby O or more aptly Toddler O loves him and hopefully they will be very close and have lots of adventures together.

I arrived there on Friday, April 5th with a winter coat on and by Wednesday it was 89°.  The forsythia, swamp marigold, magnolias etc were blooming and I was afraid I missed spring arriving in my own backyard.  But I should have feared not as we run about 2-3 weeks behind them.  Spring is making herself known this year.  There is no jumping over her and going head first in to summer up here so I have been thoroughly  enjoying it.

I returned home just in time for…

…two trips to town for #2 daughters pre-op paperwork and blood work, then she had surgery for pilonidal cysts and subsequent return doctor visits.  The surgery is deemed a success and the final stitches will be taken out in two weeks.

…opening day of trout season were several trout were caught.  My brother has contributed to filing my freezer with some larger than my husband or children have caught but he grew up here and has more experience!  He tells them they go fishing and he goes catching!

 …opening of turkey season….well let’s just say I will be raising some turkeys this year or the Thanksgiving table will be empty.

…#1 son’s  bachelor party to which I provided some food.  They had a high stakes poker tournament but none of the monies made it home….They must play as well as they hunt.

…the bridal shower was held in the Delmonico room in the historic Hotel Fauchere.  (some pics taken from their website) 

 

 

It was a beautiful day, guests were dining on the veranda and the private garden is just starting to come to life. 

The food was delicious, the coffee was strong and excellent, but the cake was too die for.

 …final shopping for #2 daughters prom and the prom it’s self.  In an attempt to curb the consumption of alcoholic beverages by the seniors, the prom is held on a Sunday.  They must attend (allowed late arrival 11:15) school the next day or be suspended. 

…and my favorite niece unexpectedly stopped by for several days with her children.  She is ten years younger but her oldest and my youngest were born three months apart so we deal with the same child problems at the same time.  We can go months without talking and pick right back up when we see or phone each other.  We have tried convincing her to move closer than 6 hours away but a husband and her schooling prohibits that. 

…#2 son’s entry in the Home and Garden Show.  He and four class mates in building construction class built a playhouse to enter into a competition.  They had to present it at the H&G show for two days where it was voted upon.  They were later raffled off and all proceeds went to local children in the Make a Wish program.  Their entry was a barn which took second place to a log fort with water guns mounted on top.  As they were competing against playhouses built by area builders, I think they did a remarkable job.

Along with all that we have finished cleaning up the garden, have a rough draft of this year’s plants, transplanted several blackberry plants and flowers, painted the barn, moved some fences, straightened out the greenhouse to accommodate the numerous flats of tomatoes, peppers, broccoli, cabbage along with some lupine, lavender and horehound that we started.

With all the social/medical activities, the man’s work and #2 son’s return to his seasonal job after school being back in the garden and greenhouse is very cathartic for me.  I have been day dreaming of all the rewards to come from that one little seed and this morning I was able to pick the first asparagus of the season.

Needless to say fiber arts have taken a back seat once again.  The man sheared the sheep while I was away but I haven’t found time to deal with it yet.  I have continued to spin and I am working on a shawl that you start at the bottom and knit until you run out of yarn.  A friend asked me to make a little bolero for her daughters  6^th grade(their junior high) graduation so I have one on the needles. But I think I need more therapy so I am headed back out to the garden to listen to the bee's work the flowers of the nanking cherry trees.