April 28, 2014 Spring Planting

Our first bluebell, growing near
the garden.

Looking up from the south slope to Jesse and a
balsam root bloom on the ridge.

Friday 4/25. When I was Down There yesterday, I stopped in to visit Larry and Elsie.  They have to go out of town next weekend and asked if I could house-dog-cat-chicken sit.  Of course I said Yes!  It will be the first time I have stayed at their house, so it will be quite an adventure.  Plus, they have TV. . .

I finally finished all the papers JB brought back for me.  Twelve days of the Seattle Times.  I did ask for them but got rather overwhelmed with all the news, mostly grim.  I mainly like them for the comics and crosswords.  Now I have all the "homesteading" magazines to read.

Did the laundry but hung it inside as the clouds were getting darker.  We had about a ten-minute snow shower at noon and then the sun was out off and on.

We planted four rows of onions: Walla Walla, red, and white.  JB will cut the potato starts and we will plant them in a day or two.  This is much earlier than we have planted before.

On our afternoon walk there was snow falling on the south ridge.  When we arrived back from our walk, it moved down to the house as a short, mixed rain-snow-sleet shower.  The high for the day was 48, but it sure didn't feel that warm.

It was nice to have our Friday-night pizza again.  After which we watched the movie The Rum Diary with Johnny Depp.  Don't know why it got panned.  We sure enjoyed it.

Saturday 4/26.  It was 32 and clear this morning.  34 by the time I got out on the porch with my coffee.  Sitting outside even for a few minutes really gets me energized for the day.

After morning chores, we took a drive in Miss Kitty down to sandstone corner and collected a load of wood on the way back up.  Back home I broke up the pieces and stacked them in the woodshed, while JB planted the leftover onions in some pots we have.  Then we planted the tomato and pepper plants I bought on Thursday.  The tomato is a Black Prince, an heirloom tomato that originated in Siberia.  Thought it might be perfect for Rose Camp.  Then we have one green pepper plant and one red pepper plant.

Our high for the day was 50, but with an icy wind.

Dinga and I went out for a bit after dinner for a short hike, but Jesse stayed inside with JB where it was warm.

JB and I are going down to Larry and Elsie's Monday evening for some marbles and instructions for taking care of their house.

Sunday 4/27.  It was 33, mostly clear, and windy.  According to NOAA, it was snowing at both passes, but temperatures are supposed warm up back to normal in a few days.  Again, it is a very icy wind.  Of course we just planted the peppers that do not like the wind.  Don't know how to shelter them from the wind without sheltering them from the sun.  Fortunately, I covered all three plants last night.  We had frost on the roof this morning.

While JB worked on getting our new computer set up, I drove Miss Kitty down the driveway a ways to start collecting wood from the several piles stacked along it.  Brought up a full load and stacked it in the woodshed.

I wanted to go back outside after a late lunch, but the wind was stronger and even colder.  Sleet cells were passing over and dropping as much as they could.  I did go out to cover the tomato and pepper plants again, which is good because in less that an hour we were in the middle of a snow storm.  And then we weren't.  Oh, that's right - it's Spring!

I think the best part of my visit to the doctor on Thursday was a recipe for vanilla pudding that I copied out of Good Housekeeping.  Am still rather irritated about that whole episode.

When the dogs and I ventured out for our afternoon walk, the wind was not as icy as it had been before the sleet and snow passed through.  While we were up on the south ridge, Dinga disappeared over the side, obviously on the trail of some critter.  Jesse and I continued on, but still no Dinga when we were back at the house.  So back up to the south ridge we went in search of her.  I glimpsed her about 150' down, trying to get a critter out from under a log.  Jesse got a whiff of whatever she was after and ran down to help.  I went back to the house, and they both showed up about 15 minutes later for their dinner, since they hadn't seemed to be able to catch their own. 

After dinner we watched another couple episodes of Homeland, season two.

Monday 4/28. It is 31 and clear this morning.  I hope to get another load of wood up from the driveway today, and JB still has some more issues to deal with on our new computer.  

Randy and Arlene are on their way back to southern California from northern Idaho today.  Godspeed.

Jim, would love to see some of the photos you took of the bridges!

Thought for the day: You must speak straight so that your words might go as sunlight into our hearts.  Cochise