March is a Lamb

I know this isn't really a news flash, since everyone seems to be enjoying the unseasonable warmth this year. March really seems to be coming in like a lamb. Let's hope it goes out like one, too!

We slept with our windows open the past two nights. Thankfully the kids and I washed and put in all of the screens or we would have been eaten alive by the mosquitoes, who also seem to be thriving in this weather. It seems so early to be keeping the windows open all night (and for mosquitoes). Well, it is early. But sooo enjoyable to listen to the frogs all night long and feel the soft breeze and be awakened in the middle of the night by a loud "meow"!

Yes, one of our kitties came right up to the bathroom window, which is at ground level on the north side of the house and started calling to us--probably she was leaving an offering from her nighttime hunt. I was asleep, but jolted awake immediately thinking "how did a cat get in the house?" The echo in the bathroom made it that much louder. Funny.

Three nights ago I woke up to flashes of light. Thinking perhaps it was the aurora I got up and looked out the window. It appeared to be lightning, but stars filled the sky and there was no thunder. I walked through the house looking out all of the windows and saw an amazing lightning show to the southwest. The frequency and brightness of the lightning indicated a very intense storm.I watched for awhile and went back to bed. I do love storms.

Our bulb flowers are coming up rapidly and the chickens are actually leaving the crocus alone, so that I have a few little spots of color in the lawn. We'll see how the tulips do--our chickens keep pecking at their tender green leaves~they aren't decimated and actually look better than in years past~ hopefully they will leave the flower petals alone.

HE fenced in our little flower garden and lots of things are greening up beautifully in there. The plants now have a fighting chance without the chickens strong claws digging them right out of the ground~now I just have to get the weeds out of their way and in a few months, it will be a beautiful spot on our property.

We got our seeds going again inside: tomatoes (eight varieties), four types of peppers, lots of herbs, all the brassicas (cauliflower, broccoli, etc), onions (definitely late to be starting these guys, but we'll do some sets, too), flowers and we started some celery for the first time.

We walked around the property last night as the sun went down and looked at what needs to be done--lot's of weeding and cleaning up. The garden has many dead plants that didn't get pulled out last fall--we ran out of time--broccoli plants, brussel sprouts, kale. On our wanderings we discovered something interesting~the kale overwintered. Well, a bit of it anyway--the plants themselves look completely dead, but growing out from a couple of them were some fresh green kale leaves. Remarkable. 

Lots to do on this little place, but plenty of time to do it.

Spring is such a joyful time to remember how much beauty there is in the world.