Victorious Return

I am back at the farm this week, for the first time since before the holidays. Let me tell you, it's difficult to start a fire when the kindling is under 2 feet of snow and ice.

We had a good time though.

I need to get my life back oriented to the farm, but am not looking forward to being cold and alone again. The wood stoves need to be stocked every 2 hours, or they go out. This makes sleeping, visiting neighbors, shopping, and school much more difficult than they have to be.

But I can smell spring in the air, and I am filled with hope.

Our dear neighbor Rose, told me I could shower, eat, and even sleep at her place, so that is an option until things get settled at our place. We'll see.

In the meantime, I have bees coming in a month, and a garden to get in a month after that.

Voluptuous update: We had a party this weekend:hearty beef stew, card game, good friends and family.

Simplicity update: My clever husband melted snow for wash water...never occured to me, I have so much to learn....

Garden Planning

With weeks of bitter cold and months of snow still stretching out before us, I am longing for the garden season. Counting the weeks until I can walk out in the dirt barefoot is pretty unbearable. So I am participating in the indoor sport of garden planning.

May blessings fall upon the seed catalog people who send their catalogs just in time to give hope to the frozen north.

We are focusing on perennials and the orchard this year. We are also thinking about growing hops for the bees this year. I have already orders 15 pounds of bees and 5 queens!

I am hoping to stop by the Shrine to Guadalupe outside of LaCrosse this week to bring the Lady some roses and pray for spring.