23 March 2007

Right On Schedule

Spring has definitely arrived here in Central Wisconsin. Back near Milwaukee, it took a long time coming - a little of this, a little of that, until one day in May it was obvious. Up here, where the weather is harsher, Nature seems hardier, somehow. March 21st arrived and so did the spring signs: red-winged blackbirds, robins, a caterpillar, and a moth all showed up on cue. The grass is showing a bit of green. There are visible buds on the tall maples. Nature seems to have snapped her fingers because of the tighter seasonal schedule - there's a lot to get growing before it snows again.

The yard is mud where the new well was put in last fall, so the ducks and geese can be seen wearing brown galoshes, and I can be seen in ridiculous orange rubber boots. The animals are feisty and Tulip and the kids decided to make a break for it when I opened the barnyard gate yesterday, apparently going off in search of twigs to nibble. Chef Jeff kindly cut down a rogue maple for the sheep and goats to strip inside their pen today, but it's obvious the "flerd" is ready for me to set up the electric netting and let them out to greener pastures. Soon, guys, soon... don't want your hooves to get stuck in the soggy ground!

I found some bulb shoots (iris?) poking up - looking forward to seeing what they turn out to be; this is our first spring at Tuppinz Farm and I've no idea what may be planted around the house (what the previous owners may have actually left, as they dug up most of the other perennials from a little garden despite it not being allowed in the sale contract. Grrrr...) I am missing the garden at our previous home - ten years of working on my roses, lavender, trellised vines, the native prairie plantings... sigh! I must wait to establish a new garden here until next year at least, so will have to content myself with houseplants and perhaps some outdoor containers. At least I can drive over to the Amish neighborhood for my flower-viewing fix - now those are some gardens to envy!

I saw the cutest poster here and ordered one here - hope to have it framed and hanging soon. I need to see that message on a daily basis right now, believe me!

There will be a lack of photos here for a while due to a server problem. Hopefully the boogers will stop being boogers soon and Nan, the ICanSpin site, and I will be up and running again. But there's nothing much to show in fibery news, anyway; I frogged my ripple afghan as I was running out of some of the colors, I'm stalled on Jeff's Lopi-out-of-Blackberry-Ridge-sweater because there's no sense finishing it now for spring, and I'm staring at a ball of yarn and a pattern for a little crocheted beanie without much oomph. I'm actually thinking about embroidering something... but maybe I'll just take Emma Doba on a walk.

Hoping spring has sprung in your neck of the woods as well.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I wish I could say spring has arrived in Vermont! True, most of the snow is gone. But in the shade, the ground is still hard. No bulbs yet!

This is our first spring in our new house as well. But I drove by a lot last April looking closely for signs of daffodils and tulips and such. And I didn't see much.(We planted some of our own last fall.) We do have tons of lilacs here, however, and that is good enough for me for now!

I have been thinking of you, as I have a friend who helps out on a goat farm but befriends way too many goats. She has a pet Nubian there named Trooper who is destined for culling as she is not a good enough milker. The woman is trying desperately to find her a nice home and will throw in a baby goat to keep her company. Hmmm.

My husband said not until the barn is all fixed over.

So I told my friend to bring the goat for a visit. (My husband is a total softie.)

We'll see!

Anonymous said...

Spring has sprung down here in the south - I'm looking out the window right now at all my flowers blooming, it's gorgeous!

quiltparalegal said...

What a soggy wet spring we're having - I bet those critters are getting really anxious for the mud to go away!