Spring Has Sprung

Spring made its debut on schedule on the 19th of March this year. A roller-coaster of weather can be expected here for a little while. Temperature swings of 40 or 50 degrees are common in 24 hour periods, along with matching precipitation. So far, we've had highs of 40 - 95, and lows from the upper 20s to the 60s.

I finally retired to join m'Lady at the end of January. The numbers worked out to be to our advantage, and it would have been silly to wait any longer. I've been enjoying not doing anything but what I've wanted to: loafing, working with my lathe, a little photography, mowing the lawn, spring cleaning around the house, painting, etc. The nice thing about retirement is I can do what I want, when I want, if I want. I take walks every day, weather permitting. I started out only walking about a mile or so, but now I'm up to about 3 1/2 miles a day, keeping an average of about 3 1/4 mph. I've accumulated 152 miles since the end of February and had to replace shoes once so far.

Grumpy is 15 years old this year. We bought him a portable air conditioner for the garage so when it gets hot outside, he has some cool refuge. Yes, we're doing our best to spoil him (that is, "take care of him"). He's doing pretty well, considering his past hard life. He has a recurring, chronic upper respiratory thing that we have to give him antibiotics for when it strikes. I doubt he would have lasted this long if we didn't start taking care of him. We are blessed to have him with us, and I'd like to think he is blessed to be with us.

Grumpy.

Buster is 11 this year, and he is still Buster. 😊 He is one of us, for sure. There is a person in that little body!

Buster.

Our Crab Apple tree was loaded with blossoms this year. We thought a mild freeze (while they were blossoming) was going to undo all of that, but didn't seem to. Even though the blossoms have left now, we haven't noticed any apples yet. I hope the freeze hasn't stifled the apples. Time will tell.

Our Crab Apple Tree's Blossoms

We have always had trouble growing rhubarb here in the panhandle. It just doesn't get cold enough in the Winter, and it gets too hot in the summer. Our two plants are looking ok, they just don't have very large stalks and they don't have a lot of the "rhubarb" flavor.

We have been planting flower seeds more than anything this year, purchased online - Daisy family, Bachelor's Buttons, Lavender, and a few others. Only two urns have been planted with flowers from one greenhouse - 5 different colors of Coleus and 2 of Million Bells. We haven't been getting out much this year, for obvious reasons.

Be well.
Be healthy.
Count your Blessings!