I just came in from outside. It’s such a beautiful spring day! I heard the first Red-winged Blackbirds singing this morning and our pair of Canada Geese is on the beaver pond, checking out nesting spots. I’m sure we’ll see more snow, but today it’s perfect

Our beaver ponds are nearly ice free and our pair of geese has returned to nest. Yea, Spring!

Yesterday, I looked out and there’s Will, perched on top of our greenhouse, screwing in a few screws that somehow got missed when the roof was put on in a snowstorm. It was definitely not a safe method! Eek! I couldn’t look. But he got it done. The wind was trying to get under the roofing panels and that could have been bad if a sudden, severe windstorm had popped up. Now we have several flats of peppers, transplanted and safely inside the heated greenhouse. I’ll be doing more transplanting today, both peppers and tomatoes.

This is what I saw when I looked out the window! (Remember both Will and I fell off our barn roof a few years back.)
Even though not safe, Will did get the roof panels screwed down tight then climbed down the ladder. Whew!

Our chickens have started laying after taking the winter off. We don’t keep lights on in the chicken coop to keep them laying. We do miss the eggs, but our hens lay a lot longer than ones that are forced to lay year around. Some are five and six years old and still lay their egg a day, come spring, summer, and fall. They are outside, singing happily. It seems they are enjoying the day too. — Jackie

19 COMMENTS

  1. I just want to tell you that I’m so happy you found Will. He is just like you, in that he just goes around fixing, building, plowing, repairing wherever he needs to. He doesn’t need to be told because you’re both in it 110 %. You both carry the full weight of everything together and I admire you for it.

  2. How far apart should i put my pepper plants so cross polination happesn?Your Will is a working fool. Good for you both. Happy spring

    • I’m assuming you mean so they don’t cross? If so, we plant them only 18″ apart but use an insect barrier cloth over them and switch this between varieties, allowing a few days between covering to let insects access the flowers, keeping the others covered. Peppers are chiefly self-pollinating but sometimes insects can also carry pollen. If you’re not needing to be absolutely sure of pure seeds, just plant them and let them go. They probably won’t cross. But, as we need to have PURE seed, we can’t take a chance.
      Yep, Will is a worker, for sure!

      • Ive got my pepper plants a quarter mile apart, so each will provide true seed. Im determined to have all my own seed when the grid and country fail. Regards from far north California. We’re in Arkansas right now on vacation.

  3. Spring is such a wonderful time of year with the birds singing and animals nesting. I love the sights and sounds! Turkey buzzards are back here and that is my barometer for real spring. I see Will didn’t wear his cape while on the roof, lol. My grandfather roofed his barn at 80 years of age. He wanted my grandmother to help, but she had fallen off the roof of their house when helping him repair their chimney years before and couldn’t bring herself to get up there. It takes grit and determination to homestead and my grandparents just never stopped working. My lone chicken has been laying an egg occasionally. She is getting quite old and I am amazed she made it through the winter. Sending prayers for a blessed week.

    • Thanks Marilyn, We love the day-by-day awakening of spring. Today we saw our first robins and yesterday, we had a pair of swans on the pond.

  4. Wow, Will on a roof! My son’s all prevent me from climbing and ladders. I still manage to get on a ladder once in a while, but the roof of anything-no way. I have had too many falls with broken bones. The sun shining here but some snow to melt. Next week I’ll be planting 5 year old maples I purchased. We’ll have rain for a few days and then hopefully I can plant the onions. I’m so looking forward to spring.

    • Yeah, he’s sneaky! Nobody saw him go up there. We’re really looking forward to spring too. Can’t plant anything yet but as soon as the frost goes out of the ground, we’ll begin. Hooray!!

  5. Men, especially farmers are the worst for doing the same acrobatics they did in their 20’s. Mine will be 71 tomorrow and will still be found in a tree or on the barn roof. He’d be up there helping your husband if nearby.

    • I’ll bet he would. I agree about guys. I’m afraid of heights but still would go up on a roof if Will would let me. After our fall off the barn roof, he told me no more roofs. But, hey, we BOTH fell off. Why can HE go up but not me??? Right now, though, I can’t climb due to my knees still being sore.

  6. Hi, Jackie! We doing spring but winter is back. We’ve got 2″ of snow and the temperature is at 28 and it’s noon. I was happy that the snow was melting finally. I’m glad Will got up and off the green house safely. Falling off roofs is no fun. I’ve done it a couple of times myself. Later today I’m going to be starting more seeds. I’m looking forward to getting the ones I ordered from you. You take care!

    • You’re right. Falling off roofs is definitely NOT fun!! Today I’m transplanting the first of the tomato seedlings. There are hundreds of them.

  7. We get the cold lake wind but it’s sunny! Will is doing something that my husband would do 😅

  8. We don’t leave lights on for the chickens either, but every spring I get a couple of babies so that they will lay naturally through their first winter. It’s not a lot of eggs, fewer than a dozen a week, but enough to do some baking and have an occasional egg salad sandwich. We’re always thrilled when the older girls come back into lay in February and March.

    • Isn’t it fun, though, when you find those first spring eggs, warm on the cheek, right from the nest?

  9. Even though our hens are off duty during the holidays, we still have lots of eggs I stored up in cartons, in the fridge. They usually last nearly until they start laying occasional eggs in the early spring. Yea girls!!
    We saw a pair of Trumpeter swans this morning. That was so beautiful!

  10. I applaud not forcing the hens to lay. I think you are spot on with longer producing hens. Though I’m sure during holiday baking season you miss your eggs, the long term ROI is worth it.
    While I can’t speak for Will’s joint health, I can speak for my better half. Once he hit a certain age, no more roof work. Fifty years of physical labor takes its toll. He had his “goal age” and he met it. One plus of being younger and still employed I guess. Cash outlay is less painful when cash is still coming in.
    Wildlife is in overdrive here – all of a sudden A LOT of turkeys are frequenting the feeders. Deer are still here. Birds of all varieties in the yard. All are welcome. Besides a good balance of nature, it is such a joy to watch them.
    So far the “we’re gonna grow despite it being March” garlic shows no signs of distress. The hyacinth have bloomed but at least it is April. Warm temps for the next 10 days. Crap shoot on how much rain we’ll get this weekend. But we can use it.

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