April's almost gone

Does that mean that Spring is here? Not really, but nice sunny days in the high 60's like today sure lulls one into believing that the last frost has gone. Buds started swelling on the liquid ambars a few weeks ago. The first daffs are starting to fade. Most of the neighbors' trees are starting to leaf out. Mallards are pairing off and I can hear the Canadian geese honking from the lake in the late afternoon. This is our first Spring here, and I wonder if the lake and the little feeder streams around it will echo with the thunderous sounds of love-sick frogs? I am hoping.

And, since it's (almost) Spring, of course, I'm in love. She is big and blue and has 24 HP and more muscle than I know what to do with... wait, yes I DO know what to do with her muscles -- plant trees. David used the auger Monday to dig me out some good $40 holes for my $15 trees, and me and the blue machine went about planting them today. No water near by - no problem - lined up a bunch of 5 gal buckets in the bucket loader and away we were. Need a wheel barrel to mix up some compost, topsoil and sand? Nope - just dump it in the tractor, mix, and toodle on out to the planting holes. And I feel so TALL when I'm driving her. Especially since my feet can reach the clutch now! Drawf peach, nectarine and an apple and a semi-drawf apple went in the sand/dirt/compost mix today. Tomorrow I hope to put in two very short "Missouri Hardy Pecans" and some raspberries. Shudder to think that cuttings for 50 hybrid poplars will be on the way in the next few weeks. I guess me and the big blue lady will get our tree-planting workout soon. Ok, sorry about the gushing - but you know how it is when it's Spring and you're in love :-)

Even though I waited and replanted Tomatoes and Bell Peppers, I fear I still started them too early. Ah, well, good thing they put LOTs of seeds in them packets. I'm thinking of starting another flat of peppers, but that would mean I'd need another shop light... of course, I could hi-jack one from David's shop... and somehow, I've accumulated seeds for two more types of basil - don't know how - someone just stuck them in my cart the last time I was at Home Depot. I got to the checkout stand, and well, what could I do - I had to pay for them - I can still afford to pay for them - although at the rate I'm going this year, I might be in the poor house sooner rather than later.

I keep thinking of how to get critters out here on our patch of sand, but with all the tree planting coming up, I am hesitant to take on additional responsibilities at this time. For the moment, I still fantasize that our sand will produce a reasonable pasture. Winter rye is competing with crab grass and sweet yellow clover. Probably time to turn the whole thing under pretty soon. Man, if I can get enough organic matter into this sand, some day it's gonna be an awesome growing environment. The neighbors all just let the sage brush and tumble weeds have at their un-used portions of land. They say I'm crazy for thinking I can make the sand into pasture. Now I'm not saying it will be pasture this year or even next year, but seems like we could get some grazing value out of it in 3 or 4 years. Wonder how much water that will take? We are classified as "rural", but if we could somehow become classified as "ag", then I think we can almost tripple the amount we are allowed to draw from our well every day (they don't meter it, but I hear that they sometime will monitor it if "your place looks too green" and you look like you are using too much water in other ways, too, such as in watering large amounts of livestock...)

Well, enough rambling from me. It was good to have a productive day. Going to take some motrin before bed because I know these over-fourty muscles of mine are going to protest in the morning :-) You all take care. Many blessings to you. --Karla