Dodging the (weather) bullet!

Its still busy around here! We had a couple of close calls with almost freezing temps, but luckily all the plants are doing well!
Cold, rainy weather is the forecast.....last week we got mostly rain (with a bit of snow--didn't stick at all) but the western half of the state got a full-blown blizzard. (In the middle of April--whats up with that?) They even closed I-80 down for awhile it was that bad.

I got some cucumbers planted and another tomato plant. We have a variety of peppers that still need to go into the ground. I've been working extra, so my time is limited. (grrrr) My transplanted rhubarb are all doing great!

A week ago Saturday we had a surprise 70th birthday for Patricks' mom. I can not believe no one blabbed (many of her friends were there as well as oodles of family) and she WAS definitely surprised! We all had a great time.

Since we were pre-occupied with that, we hadn't noticed the bad weather moving in on where Jared was. We texted back and forth a few times, but after he called his Grandmother (for birthday wishes) we only got a couple of more texts. I didn't think anything of it.
The next morning, I was checking in on the Family Cow forum, and I see one of the gals talking about Tornadoes/damage back east. I turn on the news, and look it up on line. Uh-oh, there was damage to Ft. Bragg, and the surrounding areas. I texted Jared....finally a bit later he texted back that the electricity was back on.
Seems I didn't need to worry, as him and a buddy had went target practising at a range and didn't know what was going on until their way back to Base. They saw trees chopped off and uprooted, power lines down, stuff strewn around....they didn't know what happened until they got to Base. They literally had been in an area that tornadoes missed!

Jared said there was stuff strewn all over the Base (even MRE's!), some vehicles overturned, and some building damage, but not too bad. I was just extremely thankful he and everyone else in the area were OK.

Onto Kyle, he has been house sitting for a friend and his mom. I got an interesting message Thursday morning: Bring food. I'm out.
I had to laugh, as Monday he went 'shopping' for food--he'd ate it all already! So I texted him back I had beef stew, or lasagna in the freezer or macaroni and cheese and hot dogs. (that's about it for quick heat n' eat food here.) He wanted Subway--I said NO WAY....you eat what I have! ;) So he opted for the hot dogs and mac n cheese...and had them all ate by Friday morning. I swear he's going to turn into a pizza as much as he goes to Pizza Hut and eats. (He does get everything half price since he works there....)
He's been practising with his trombone for his performance at church Sunday as well.

Patrick scraped and painted our two picnic tables and our two wooden (outdoor) chairs for re-staining (and one picnic table gets painted). He's been doing it all in between rains this week. Everything looks great--but the bigger table is primer white right now. (I prefer the stained redwood look!) So maybe I'll have him paint it red-white-blue....he just raised his eyebrows and gave me "the look" when I said I wanted the top to look like the US flag. ;) I don't think he wants to mess with 50 stars....HA

Me, I continue to putter in the garden and yard and try to keep up with things here. I don't like working 5 days a week at this time of the year, it just makes things harder for me to get planting done. It also makes me tired(er) and grouchy! Not what I want. I still have some fencing to work on as well.

Dolly and Anna have been enjoying some spring grass, and the chickens are liking it too. The Peach and Pear trees have bloomed, a Cherry tree is blooming, and I'm not sure if the Apple trees are going to bloom this year or not. (We put them in last year.) Dolly did a number on them 'trimming' them last fall, Pat was NOT a happy camper! She can not get to them now.....electric fence is my friend! HA

Have a Blessed Easter everyone!!

Lots of work done this week

We've had a tiring and busy but a very productive week. Wednesday I planted carrots and transplanted some volunteer onions left over from last year. I also dug up a hastily planted rhubarb patch, got them separated and replanted. Gave the sweet neighbor lady 4 plants as well--she was excited!
Patrick tilled a bit in the garden, I want to plant more Asparagus. (The purple ones) Our other patch is starting to get some coming up--ummmm!! :)

Saturday and Sunday we got some tomatoes planted in containers, as well as some bell peppers and I got my blueberry plants set where they will grow better. Pat got some Cantaloupe and Zucchini planted as well. It's kind of early for some of the plants, but I've got planting fever! Besides, I want some stuff ready for when Jared has leave (hopefully late July).

Kyle (thankfully for me) has abandoned doing the National Guard basics this summer. We have to go see the dentist again, I'm thinking he should get his (put off) jaw surgery this summer. He has been busy with work, golf, frolfing and school and practising for his Easter Sunday performance with his Trombone. Some days I don't see him much. :(

Jared was supposed to do a jump Saturday for an airshow, but they cancelled in while in the air. Too many low clouds over the drop zone. So they got up early, got all their stuff ready for just a plane ride. ;) He is good about texting (at 3:30 in the morning usually) when he is headed out for a jump.

Saturday I got a text that said PEEPS!!! so I knew he had gotten his 'care package' we sent earlier in the week. Along with some recorded shows, we sent some Peeps--one of his favorite seasonal (Easter) candy (marshmallow concoctions shaped like chicks coated with colored sugar). Not healthy, but a treat to let him know we're thinking of him!

Today Pat has a Blackpowder shoot. Its to be windy, so hopefully the gusts will hold off until they are done.

Have a great week everyone! :)

April Already!

Time is already getting away from me! Seems like there is too much to get done, and not enough hours in a day. (Though its nice its actually light out when I get home from work to do chores!)
The weather has been nice, then colder, then super-nice and now the wind blows strong and cold again. Hopefully just one more freeze tonight, then I can start planting in the garden. There are buds on the peach trees, I am hoping they don't get frozen tonight!

Kyle managed to impress our County Treasurer (Leroy) playing his Trombone at Copa. I got a text from a gal that works with Leroy and he wants Kyle to play the Trombone while Leroy accompanies Ky on the Piano for Easter at the Presbyterian Church! Kyle takes it all in stride, the kid knows he's good, but doesn't get too excited about it. (Geez, c'mon--you impressed a picky, professional man enough to seek out who you were, to play in front of the whole church!)

We finally got a text Friday morning from Jared, they were on their way to the airport in Louisiana and he was back in an area where his phone got service. Sure made my day to have contact from him. We played text/phone calls to catch up all weekend. He is glad to be back at Ft. Bragg, and to 'normal'. (Whatever that is!) He looked at some vehicles Sunday, I know he's really needing to get some wheels (other than his bike!).


I managed to get sunburned Saturday, Patrick and I went to an auction. I haven't been to one in years (accidentally on purpose) and had a good time. They had three rings going at once, even then it was slow going. It was good both of us were there to know when the stuff we were looking at was up for sale. We got:
some needed cattle panels (in really good shape),
good canning jars (two boxes full of clean quart jars cost me $1!),
empty cow mineral lick tubs (to plant tomatoes, etc in),
some old Livestock books I spied (along with some 1955 Farming magazines),
a (much needed) aluminum ladder,
a couple of Coleman lanterns (one works now with some TLC and the other will be good parts for our other lantern),
4 electric fencers (that two work now since Pat tinkered with them) and some tools for Patrick.

Then when we got home, we had to unload the truck, because we had hay (big round bales) on the flatbed trailer parked in the driveway (in the way of course) that needed unloaded as well. Its kind of hard to hook up a gooseneck trailer with a bunch of "stuff" in the bed of the truck! ;-) So we got that done with the two of us pushing on the hay to roll them off to unload them--no tractor here--manual labor gets it done! Parked the flatbed, then went and got the cattle panels, and everything else put away from the auction where it needed to go. It was a long, tiring day but a fruitful one.

A variety of people at the auction would come up and talk to me--I mean a lot of people. And it seems most of them just call me by the name "Ornery". (I don't know where they'd get that idea.....HA)

Patrick finally asked me "Geez, do you know everybody?!!" I laughed and said: "Nope, they know me!"

I can't tell you most of their names (but know who they work for/or what they drive/what they smoke/chew or what their preferred drink or candy bar/chips is), and they don't probably know my name as well (we don''t wear name tags), but we all "know" each other from where I work. Its not a bad thing, and its nice to see a friendly face when you're out and about!