Photo: Great grandparents at their farm in Blandinsville, IL, with five of their six children .. my grandpa was yet a twinkle in grandma's eye. Stable boy and governess also pictured. Hodges farm, circa 1903-4

Thursday, April 21, 2011

Stuck In La Nina

We are in a awful weather pattern .. every other day brings rain or snow showers .. it's been like this for several months including ten degrees below normal temperatures.  Our last 60 degree day was in November.  There is a slim chance that Easter Saturday will be hovering around 60 .. but then we slide back into the cooler wet weather pattern.  Makes for little news to blog about.  Just ho-hum going on here.  I am still recovering from the flu (which I imagine was the swine or similar variety).  Although no loner contagious .. and I did visit the doctor .. my strength has not completely returned.

Hubby and I have one last raised bed to set in place and fill with garden soil.  I hope to get the potatoes planted in the next day or so. What's the weather like in your neighborhood?

Monday, April 11, 2011

Coaxing Spring (hurry up already)

Our weather of late has been fickle.  Most of March found rain showers, gray skies, a few snow showers .. and April is only a little bit 'more promising' ... Our teeny tiny dining room plant nursery has expanded and now includes a sturdy new shelf unit sitting in front of one of the many windows.  All of our plants have sprouted .. even the pepper plants after getting a good warm start in the little plastic covered greenhouse rigged with warming beds and a grow light. 


Hubby and I worked on building 10 of 14 raised garden beds last week, some extra deep and outfitted with quarter inch wire mesh underneath and soon to include hoops made from curved electric conduit to support different coverings.  We have them stacked and draped outside on a slope until the actual garden ground is ready.  It will be at least another five weeks or so before we are frost free and can transplant the seedlings. 

Through all of this soggy weather, I picked up a flu virus that ended with acute sinusitis and over two weeks of feeling exhausted.  Saturday I finally broke down and visited the doctor to get some meds and am almost up to feeling 100% better.  The thought of lying on the backyard hammock in the warm summer air sounds like heavenly therapy; can't wait!