Friday, May 15, 2015

A Simpler Life


Nearly drowned out by the beating of the rain on the window panes, the TV news pundits are giving their opinions on the days events. I sit at the computer, my heart drawn to pick up my blogging as if we had never left off, good friends are like that. I moved to the sticks to enjoy the call of the simple life, not so much a call, but more of a distinct and undenyably loud yell, and yet after several years I found myself longing for the companionship and human contact of a city job.

Perhaps I am as flighty as the hummingbirds outside my window, but after a few years I found my heart crying once again for the feel of the dirt under my nails, the pelting of rain on my face, the sweat on my brow and the smell of a newborn calf. Such things are hard to find imprisoned behind a desk in a cinder walled office with windows overlooking a parking lot. So, I said goodbye to the people and once again, and with relief, embraced the dirt, plants and livestock.

I sit nestled warmly into my overstuffed couch, with my little lap dog, feeling the words and emotions of the day welling up on the inside. So I write, I put them on paper, well more of a screen, but I get them out. They fall out of my head as quickly as I can type, cascading like the spring waterfall running in the pasture.

 Its a rainy spring day and I am thankful that I have already planted much of the garden. Although with the 26 degree freeze and 4" of snow, a Mother's Day gift from old man winter, I discovered the need to replant just a few of my more tender items. Just go away old man winter! Now that I find myself a little beyond the age of comfortably playing in the snow or getting an unexpected day off school, I don't like your gifts much. Three hours of covering plants with CD cakeboxes, followed by doubled up bath towels, who knew I had so many?, followed up by a thick layer of hay kept most of the harsh elements at bay. I lost my watermelon plants and most of the vining varieties that had yet to breech the surface.

 Despite the rain, I pull on my mud and cow-pie caked boots and traverse the steep hill leading to the garden. My curiosity is strong, strong enough to drag me out into the cold pelting rain. I had removed the protective shield a few days ago and most of the plants fared well, but like any lover of the land, I had to go out and check again. After all, I hadn't checked on them yet today. The heavy and long low rumble of thunder in the distance spurs me on to just take a quick peek and return to the warmth of the house. Yet, the beauty of the plants causes me to linger. Everything is growing so well.

 Three rows of potatoes are up and running strong. Out of 20 plants, not a single tomato was lost. All 6 peppers survived as well as the onions and herbs. I assess the weed situation and declare victory...for now. It just feels right to stand in the dirt and survey the garden. The world in all its chaos just feels right when a person can stand in the midst of a thriving garden. And so I stand and for a few minutes gawk, and then I return to the house, to the TV and to the pundits, and feel just a little bit sorry for all those folks who sit at desks behind cinder walls and have no garden to stand in.


The apple tree is BLOOMING!


Dark skies, but boy is it green. I love the rain. We only average 9"/year here.











Fruit trees. Two cherries, two peach, two pears and two plums up here and an apple down by the house. Now, to keep the bears away from the harvest!



Lots of flowers coming up around the place. So pretty! Yes, even the dandelions.
Peppers



Potatoes






































Tomatoes

Asparagus, we already had a couple meals, so much better than store bought. 

Dill

Lots of lichens on the rocks.

Spring run off waterfall in the pasture.

Pasture is green!

have a dozen or so of these waterholes on the property right now.

Deer just outside the garden...stay away!

Love listening to the waterfall babbling.

Roosters...need to do some butchering on a dry day.

Hershey, a faithful OLD companion. Checking out the garden with me.

Milk cow and roosters in the pasture.