Thursday, April 09, 2015

Thursday

Yes, it's a "careful what you wish for" kind of day. I wanted rain. All of us who grow things wanted rain. We got it. The night was full of spontaneous cracks of thunder and the rain beat hard on the windows and parapets. We'll be over the April average rainfall by the time this band of wetness moves on.

Not only is breakfast in the kitchen, but the lights are on, the windows are closed, the door to the under-heated sun room is shut tight. Ed asks for pancakes, I eat the usual oatmeal and it all feels cozy in the way that it does only when there's inclement weather out there, beyond our farmhouse walls.

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Of course, the rain puts the pressure on to get things done outside. The daffodils are quite high now in all the beds and the perennials, too, are visibly sprouting. We need to lay down the wood chips before it becomes too difficult to spread them in between growing things. Too, I need to finish pulling up the rose brambles and preparing the bed for planting.

The soft earth makes this not too difficult, though I notice that my back has stiffened some after yesterday's marathon weed pulling. It's a fine balance this doing too little and doing too much! Life's dilemmas play themselves out in the garden constantly!


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As Ed and I spread chips, the rains come back. I'm not cold: I want to continue. But, my jacket is wet and the rumble of thunder causes me to finally put down the shovel and pitchfork.


In the afternoon, I am with Snowdrop. Now, you may think that there's not much you can do with a three month old. Wrongo bongo!


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grabbing kitty kat




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Letting grandma do timed selfies: power to the babe!




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kicking and gurgling




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quiet time




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learning to sit up tall!



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a quick walk between downpours




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copying each other's silly faces


All in the space of a few hours.

Storms roll in tonight. Tomorrow, I'll be intensely tending to the garden. If you care about your plants, this is the time to get your hands dirty.

7 comments:

  1. Heh. We're at almost the same latitude you are and yet are 2 to 3 weeks behind you when it comes to warming up. There are no leaves on the trees here and I think I've seen only one green patch of growth on the ground. Even our grass is still withered and brown. But we are having spring rains today, and there are threats of our temps making it into the 50s or better. Not that I believe them. It was supposed to be near 60 today - well, overnight - but I really don't think we'll be getting there.

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    1. Ditto from Salem, MA! Brown and cold with some snow on the ground still, even after relentless rain over several nights. It doesn't want to go away -- this 2014-15 winter!

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  2. Am I imagining it or is Snowdrop a redhead?

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  3. I surely love and miss the early spring flowers. Your photos of them and snowdrop are delightful.

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  4. Owen loved "Peek a Who". Thanks for the reminder to get started cleaning out our gardens. We're a couple of weeks behind you (only buds, no leaves, very few green shoots yet), but I'd better get to it when the rain/wind/gray finally breaks this weekend!

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  5. Wrongo Bongo? You quack me up!

    I seem to always be a beat behind the band looking for my baton. Though I always read your posts, I sometimes don't back to comment. My bad.

    It 's the stormy season. *sigh* During this long dark icy winter, I was sometimes consumed with concern that I would lose power. It never occurred to me that spring and summer would bring greater concerns with pelting rain, pounding thunder, electrifying bolts. *sigh* I find comfort in the two who reside on my property with me - always on alert to make sure I have an oxygen source. Um, rather than continuing to blather, I feel a Reenie's Reach post growing here.

    Snowdrop is truly amazing. She's so animated. I will be compelled to comment every time that she reflects the love surrounding her.

    Oh, glad you ditched the pitchfork aka lightening rod.

    Love!

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