March 31.

Daphne-almost ready to bloom! This is the first flower I see every year- before there is a leaf on any tree, this random stick in the woods will have beautiful little pink flowers.

 

I think the snow is gone for good this time, yeah, sure, it might snow again, but April snow always melts fast...plus, I'm all done with snow, so it can't snow again...right?

band of turkeys

I've had a busier than expected spring semester. It's a little more than half way over now, and I just signed up for summer classes. If all goes as expected, and I pass both of my Praxis tests, I'll be student teaching in the fall, and will have FINALLY finished my degree! This has been a very long time coming, so I am getting pretty excited!

I started some scallions and some jalapenos a bit ago. The scallions are 2-3 inches tall, and the jalapenos are just emerging. This time of year is so strange, things seem so slow and so fast at the same time. I've got plenty of prep to do before I think about gardening- like getting some fencing to keep the chickens out, and getting some manure....but the ground is still mostly frozen, so I need to hold my horses!

Speaking of chickens, we lost one to a hawk this past week. Poor Peaches, the Buff Orpington. It's sad, but this is what can happen when you free range. Some people may think I'm cruel or dumb to continue to free range, but that is how it's going to be. They enjoy it, and loss to predators is part of the risk, even if they are penned. Moving on....

Last week we had a full moon..a big, bright one, and it made for a crazy week. The beginning of the week was crazy, but I was finally able to shift my mood and start to find spring when it turned a little warmer and the sun came out. We are in that " brown and gray" time of year, and I am really yearning for some green, and maybe a flower or two!

Pretty Peaches, RIP

Penny, my one and only blue egg layer has finally started laying again.

There Are 16 Days Until The First Day of Spring...

...But who's counting?!

 

I sure am. March first is a big deal in Maine I think...at least to me. Sure, we still get snow into April sometimes, but the days are getting noticeably longer and when the sun is out you can feel the warmth. Also, it marks an end to constant cold. As soon as we turn the corner into March, above freezing days happen more often. This is good for many reason, one of them being my dwindling wood pile!



hanging out across the street....

 

Please don't eat my chickens!

browsing the neighbors grass pile

From the top of Mt. Megunticook...my birthday hike

After the last big snow storm

turkey in a tree!

prints made from the wings of the turkey as it took off

 

 

 

 

Sure, we have the whole "mud season" season to get through, but like I said, we have turned the corner, the majority of winter is behind us and I can start doing spring things.