Just the Beginning...

Happy March!!

From the Farmer's Almanac comes this quote:
"Now Spring Has Come, The Birds Rejoice, And Chaunt The Cheerful Lay;
The Farmer With Exulting Joys, Prepares For April's Day."

I put in my seed order, I replanted my bulbs AGAIN (dang!!), I talked to Darryl about a tiller and about a trellis for my peas. I'm getting ready to get my hands dirty after a nice, long, winter reprieve. My new email friend, Arlene, assures me the leafy plant that popped up (and is pictured on the flickr account) is a tulip and she advises lavender for around the walkway of the cabin. I think that's a really nice idea. It's pretty, it smells good and it doesn't spread. It's also very hardy here in TN whereas FL would have been too hot for it. Think I'll have my hands full?? You betcha :) and I can't wait!    

The early daffodils are blooming and they simply brighten up the roadways with their yellow faces turned upward and outward as if to smile at the passing vehicles. Hope is not lost for mine as they are out in the sun and surely just biding their time.

The Allium are all about 8-10 inches tall but show no sign of the flower stem coming up. As I recall from last year, they didn't bloom until right after the day lilies. It's nice to look upon the driveway and see green in between the stone border.


I guess placing my seed order must have kicked in the spring fever LOL. I'm ready for the screen doors that Wally is building so we can open up the cabin and let it air out. Oh for those fresh mountain breezes to be blowing through while I'm piddling around all day.... :)

Those sunflower candle holders and the tablecloth that have been packed away since sometime in September are ready to be unpacked, get cleaned up and set out again. The fall and winter things are destined to be boxed up this weekend as the swap out is made. After a winter of white candles and crystal, clear candle holders, brown acorns and grapevine wreaths, it's time for some bright yellows and crisp blues to adorn the mantel, bookshelf and door.

I even bought a couple bags of potting soil the other day :)  Yes, it seems springtime will be upon us just any day now and while the winter was amazing with its force and its beauty, the colors of spring are beginning to call my name.

So for all those of you who declined the offer to visit during those colder months the door is still open (literally now...lol) and awaiting your approach down the driveway. Which, by the way, has been graded so it's a very smooth ride. The spare bedroom has new linens and pillows and is just begging for a visitor :) The puppies are learning their manners and the horses are shedding their winter coats. The roosters number just 4 these days but we have been hearing sounds off in the woods that might mean Roo could be coming home... when the 4 of them start cock-a-doodle-doing in the morning, there's a resounding cock-a-doodle-doo that comes right back at them. One can only hope.

As Days Go By I find that I have indeed settled in here. I still miss all of you and FL too but this place has become home for me. My thoughts drift toward the beautiful land, trees, cabin and critters and I couldn't imagine life without them. I knew when I moved here that it was where I wanted to be. What I didn't know was how near and dear to my heart it would become in such a short amount of time.

I'm ready to get the canner out and give it a test run to make sure it's in perfect condition for canning season. I have boxes of jars that need to be run through the dishwasher and my quest for new recipes this year will include finding a way to can my soups and stews so I can share them with those of you who have so earnestly requested them. hmmmmm maybe that's what I should use to bribe you to come up...lol! Want a jar of my beef, barley and vegetable soup? Well, come and get it............lol!!!

If you are making plans to come see us, we have a couple of visits on the calendar already. Ernie, William and Britney are coming up March 26th and Paul and Missy are planning a return trip sometime towards the end of April. Those dates aren't set in stone yet. Dizzy says she's planning a visit in April too so I'll keep you posted on her schedule as well. Sydna keeps saying she's going to come up but now that she has her new boyfriend....well, you know how that is.

Mule Day is coming up March 31st through April 1st. If our company so decides, we may make the trip to Columbia to check out the festivities... the straw covered grounds, the mules braying in the distance, the home made crafts and jams and relishes, little kids running barefooted, I feel it all tugging at me like the Hickman County Fair did last fall. mmmm that corndog sure was delicious!

If anyone comes up in May - please oh please bring me some Zellwood corn... :) :) :) The corn here is good, don't get me wrong. It's sweet, crunchy and juicy as all get out but there's just something about knowing that it's from Zellwood that makes it so special.... I'll even give you a jar once I have it canned :) now that's a deal right there!

I haven't come up with any new concoctions lately but I did recently learn that you can cook a meatloaf in a roaster. Yep, it's true. My friend Kris sent me a picture of the one she made. I know it sounds crazy and that's exactly what I told her but what an awesome idea, right? You don't have to heat up the kitchen, the roaster only takes up a little space and you can plug it in anywhere you want - even outside if there's an outlet. What the heck, it's worth a try. Maybe a roaster meatloaf (Lizzard's Amazing recipe of course) will be on the menu for the race on Sunday. I'm feeling adventurous...! 

The weather, I'm told, is typical of this time of year. It's in the 60s during the day and the 30s-40s at night. I can wear a long sleeve t-shirt without a jacket as long as the sun stays out. Ah, now that's nice... sometimes it's the little things that make us happy. We just have to take the time to think about what they are.

Well time has gotten away from me today and I must sign off until tomorrow. Gosh, there's so much more to say (write about)... where does it all come from? LOL

Raise a glass folks as March 26th marks my one year anniversary of being in TN. Woo Hoo!

"An anniversary is a time to celebrate the joys of today, the memories of yesterday, and the hopes of tomorrow." ~Author Unknown      I sure am excited to know that I'll be spending this, my first anniversary in TN, with my wonderful, beautiful, funny, sweet, loving friend, ERNIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  See you soon!