Spring Fever

Spring is the hardest season for people who work the land. You want to plant, but the ground is not ready yet--too wet, too cold. And yet you see the new grass, the tree buds and feel the warm air and it is so frustrating--especially when you know that this year you will begin the grand adventure of planting an acre of vegetables for the farmers' market which may or may not be bought due to the economy. But still, you think, people must eat and they should eat 'green' so it should work. Maybe, maybe not, but whatever happens, it won't go to waste. Food pantry's, family, livestock--we will all eat and we will eat better than most! Our seeds have been ordered and delivered weeks ago. Last fall we put in more fruit trees. Strawberry plants will come in the next month. In my father's basement, he has started the broccoli and cabbage and tomato plants we will use to turn our pasture into the 'truck patch' that I have dreamed about for a long time. I am so proud of the First Lady for planting a garden at the White House. It is a waste of space and water when so much ground is used as lawn when it can grow food. If it takes her to be the example, so be it. I am waiting for her to put up a clothesline like mine to have their clothes dried by the wind and sun. Probably should e-mail her to remind her of that.

When I opened the door to let the hens (and a few roosters) out of the chicken house this morning, I was greeted by a sea of chickens of many different breeds waiting at the door to begin the procession. As I looked across the moving, clucking crowd of the different colors, it reminded me of a moving patchwork quilt and that reminded me that I need to finish cutting out the quilt pieces for the quilt I have promised #2 daughter for the last two years.

Now I am rambling so I guess we truly have spring fever here and it means more work after the winter months when the only work we do outside is thaw out waterers and make sure the livestock and dogs and cats have bedding and food. Now is the time for spring housecleaning--there was a reason why my ancestors did spring and fall housecleaning. The women knew that once garden, food processing, etc. began, there would be no time for heavy cleaning. Then, of course, in the fall after the harvest was done, it was time to clean up from the summer so that one could do other things throughout the winter--sewing, knitting, taking care of livestock, etc. So there was a method to my grandmothers' madness and since we live according to the seasons like they did, we do the same thing. Of course, our jobs take a great deal of time away (darn those bills!), but we still have lots to do here. It seems I am rambling again and that is because my computer sits next to a window directly over the tire swing on the tulip tree and boy do I have spring fever! I have bread to bake and work to do that I brought home from the office, so this is all.

Peace be with us all.