MAY THE LUCK OF THE IRISH BE WITH YA!!

HAPPY ST. PATTY'S DAY!!

I think this is the best St. Patrick's day that I can ever remember....weather wise. It got to about 74 degrees here today, and it was just plain spendid!! I hurried home from work and immediately headed outside to enjoy the weather! I spent the first hour or so in the greenhouse cracking hickory nuts....yes, I still have about a 5 gallon bucket size container of hickory nuts! I guess you could say I was a bit greedy at the tree last fall....kept them over the winter in the basement and am now trying to finish cracking them. One thing I have noticed is that they are even easier to crack now because they have dried all winter and the shells just almost fall off the nuts....if you know what I mean. It was just beautiful in there, birds singing, a nice breeze coming through the door and the sounds of a hammer smashing shell after shell. Every once in awhile a wild rogue shell would fly from under the hammer on to the floor at which point Maggie was immediately on it salvaging the nut from within. I think she is happy to have me back outside again with my silly hobbies...providing a treat and entertainment.

The big news tonite..is that my wonderful husband has completed the first "Mason Bee House" for me. I did alot of reading and studying (what else do you think the long winter nites sitting on the couch are for?? watching worthless TV? NO Sir!) on the habits of Mason Bees this winter and supplied some plans for Kurtis to work from. I had to remind him that he was lucky to have a wife that is always looking out for him with new and crreative ways to make use of his shop and tools...I really do believe he is thankful (haha). We have 4 more houses in various stages of completion....just in time before the beautiful buds of the fruit trees begin to burst open! Hopefully the bees will find the new accomodations built specifically for their nesting habits...and we will have pollination galore!! If not....well....we just can't think that way....

So, here are a couple pictures to enjoy...

Until next time.....MOM

So, here is the first Mason Bee House...the female Bee lays her eggs in the little holes, then she plugs the hole with mud. The larva hatch, eat the nector she has put in there and grow into a adult bee. Then it hangs out in there till next spring when it hatch's out and starts the cycle all over again....Pollinating and pollinating and pollinating.....cool huh?

Here is the set up in the greenhouse just waiting for the first seeding to begin....It is going to stay nice isn't it? I just can't wait much longer......

Here they are...the first signs of spring...Tulips peeking out from under the dead grass...Oh, with the temps today in the 70's and the sunshine, wont be long before they are blooming!!

Spring is in the air.....According to Miss Ellie Young!!!!

There is no time like spring to sport a new look...and that look just may as well be a fine looking hat!! I wasn't aware of it, but apparently Ellie just loves to wear hats! This weekend Grandma and Grandpa went to Des Moines to spend the day with the kids.....and as usual Ellie was up for providing the entertainment.
We started out by heading to the Machine Shed restaurant out at Living History Farms for a delightful "Brunch" and lunch...the food was great and needless to say everyone had their fill. Ellie was such a good little girl and ate like a "Lynch". She seemed to enjoy the good "farm" style food very much....which should get her all primed to come to Grandma's house in the summer and eat some goodies from the garden...she especially likes strawberries, so June should be good.
Then we headed out to the mall for awhile....Grandma had to spend a few dollars getting Ellie some "spring" clothes...and it was great fun. I believe even Aunt Jennie got in on the fun!!
Back home where the idea was for a afternoon nap...I think Grandma and Grandpa could of taken one, but Ellie wanted no part of it!! So, we had more fun seeing the nice array of hats on display....We had great fun!! Here are some of the highlights!!
Until next time....MOM

Not the most flattering expression....could it be she was about fed up with Grandma and the flashing camera???

Isn't Tom striking here?? I really do believe the chic look of purple and pink are his colors!! Go Big Boy!!!

And.....we wonder where Ellie gets this obsession!!! Genetic no doubt!
(What a good Daddie....)

My paticular favorite....just perfect for gardening, don't you think???

GLORY BE TO GOD!!!!
You know, I wasn't so sure I was going to make it to spring!!!! But, today I feel like I just might pull it off.....It was 72 degrees today, lots of sunshine...and even though it was windy, it felt magnificent!!!!
When I got off work this afternoon, I hurried home....changed my clothes...and headed right outside to enjoy the weather!! It was such fun to fill my bird feeders without gloves on...to pour the bucket of sunflowers in without the biting wind blowing them all down the front of my coat....to walk to the feeders without the big boots and slipping half way down the hill by the garden. Life is truly looking up again! Then it was a walk to the orchard..time to check on the mortality of the 36 or so baby fruit trees we put in last spring. It appears that most of the trees have survived wintere...now the challenge will be making it through spring, while setting buds and blooms and to not get frozen in the process.
I noticed several things while walking about the trees. First of all....al wonderful population of Robins have returned! They were so busy bouncing around acting as if spring has actually arrived. Wont they be sickened in a couple of more days when March returns right back to winter again...and it will, it always does. I also noticed the cows in the lot....they are very heavy with the soon to arrive crop of calves...I think they are due in about 2 weeks.
In the stock tank, I see my collection of gold fish have survived...I counted about 8 black and gold fish.....and they are at least three times the size they were when I put them in there last summer.
I just love Spring....everyday something else changes...this weekend we set the clocks back so, we gain another hour of sunlite in the evening....it wont be long and I will be starting seed in the greenhouse...which by the way, was at a nice balmy 85 degrees this afternoon..all the windows had opened in response to the warmth...it was all I could do to not crack out the dirt and start in.
My pictures this time are of the fine Indian Meal I made Sunday nite...On the menu this time was Chicken Tandoori, Alooh Gobhi (cauliflower and potatoes) and Naan bread....I have to admit it was really fantastic!!
Until next time....MOM

With my new found interest in Indian cooking, I have added a "Masala Dabba" or spice tin to my cooking collection....inside are the standard spices used in Indian recipes.

Chicken Tandoori - Alooh Gobhi and Naan bread.