4/20/26 A mind unemployed is a mind unenjoyed.

It was 29 degrees but bright sun has already brought it up to 32.  Clouding up this afternoon, possible early afternoon shower.  High 43 degrees.  A stiff NNW breeze, Clear tonight, low 25.  Some forecasts say 22.  We did have a couple hours of mix last night. Partly cloudy tomorrow, a light WNW breeze, high 46, low 38.  Scattered showers  Wednesday and Thursday.. Highs about 50, lows 35.  A south breeze Wednesday, a WNW breeze Thursday.  Partly cloudy Friday, a strong north breeze, high 54, low 33.  Mostly sunny Saturday, a NE breeze, high 59, low 37.  Mostly cloudy Sunday, an ENE breeze, high 58, low 40.  Mostly cloudy next Monday, an east breeze, high 59, low 41.  Showers next Tuesday and Wednesday, east breezes, highs about 55, lows about 43.  Sun and showers next Thursday and Friday, north breezes, highs 56, lows 42.  Some showers the weekend of the 2ed and 3rd, north breezes, highs 55, lows 40. 

   I follow a few homesteading blogs.  Mostly Josh and Carlyn Thomas's Homesteading Family.  and Laurie Neverman, Common Sense Home.  I've taken several of Josh and Caryln's classes.  Last week I took one on stocking a pantry.  They have 40 acres but their suggestions cover everything from window sill gardens to unlimited space.  In the class Carlyn talked about one of my favorites for stocking up for winter, winter squash. There are many different kinds.   Several kinds have varieties that grow with smaller vines.  I grow big mama buttercup squash,a large squash and lots of vines.   We have the room and a large family.  There are smaller varieties, Johnny's has one that people love.  We grow it for sale because it is so popular.  All you have to do to preserve winter squash is wash it in a solution that is one part bleach to nine parts water, let it dry thoroughly, and store it in a cool dry place.  For me that has been three milk crates stacked with a round piece of plywood on top and a pretty tablecloth over it.  In the front room behind a chair. I've set a blue Hubbard on top for decoration because it was so big I didn't have any other place to put it. I've also lined squash up on the floor under the bottom shelf of a bookcase.  We often plant them in odd corners.  Their vines cover everything so there is less weed whacking.

   Late yesterday the forecasts about how much "mix" we were going to get and how cold tonight would be got to me.  I went to church and tucked some remay around the pansies.  Snowflakes make brown spots on the leaves, a wet mix seems to bother them less.  I don't think we are going to see 21 but if we did that would set the pansies back.  Their cheerful colors are so pretty, I wanted to protect them.

   May your day be blessed, Sally

 4/19/26  Teach me to pray with compassion, to speak with gentleness, and to live in a way that reflects Your heart for all people. Amen.

 Rain today, a stiff WSW breeze, high 47.  Partly cloudy after midnight, low 32. Cloudy tomorrow, a stiff NW breeze, high 45, low 27.  Some forecasters say the low may be 23. Sunshine Tuesday, light NW breeze, high 47, low 29.  Cloudy Wednesday, a south breeze, high 49, low 36. Showers Thursday.  Pleasant next weekend.

    I think i'll tuck in the church box pansies tomorrow, they can handle 26 degrees but 23 might set them back.  If I had a pansy bowl I'd bring it in or throw a jacket over it.

     May your Sunday be blessed, Sally

 4/18/26 If you've complained for a minute you've lost sixty seconds of happiness.

Cloudy, calm, 45 degrees.  Partly cloudy this afternoon, a strong SE breeze, high 63.  Overcast tonight, a brisk SSE  breeze, low 43.  Rain tomorrow, a WSW breeze, high 47, low 32.  Partly cloudy Monday, a strong NW breeze, high 45, low 26..  Sunshine Tuesday, a NW breeze, high 46, low 31. Rain/snow showers Wednesday morning, a SE breeze, high 46, low 35.  Mostly cloudy Thursday, a brisk NWN breeze, high 53, low 35.  Partly cloudy Friday, a north breeze, high 53, low 36. Partly cloudy next weekend, showers possible Sunday morning. East Breezes. highs in the fifties, lows 42.  Showers every day but Wednesday the week of the 27th. NE breezes, highs in the mid to upper fifties, lows about 42.
   Everyone was busy yesterday soaking up the sun and warmth.  Trying not to think about next week's chilly temperatures.  Especially that four letter word, snow, mixed with Wednesday's morning showers.  We'll put the pansies inside Tuesday night.  They will keep blooming through snow but it makes brown spots where it sits on the leaves. If I have time I may cover the ones in the church box.  I may even cover them Monday night.  Bekah's forecast says it will drop to 23 at 3AM. 
   The soil temperature was 49 degrees, warmer than we expected.  Johnny's is sending us Alisca Craig onion plants.  People like to get them planted so they can have cucumber and sweet onion sandwiches when the cucumbers are ready.
   In the greenhouse all but the cherry tomatoes are transplanted.  They pruned all the blossoms off the flowers but they are reblooming so it is beautiful in the greenhouses.  The propane company filled the propane tanks Wednesday.  So the greenhouses are all set for next week's cold. The wood stove is still burning nights.

   May your day be blessed, Sal

4/17/26  In the spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt.

Thin clouds, 47 degrees.  Last night's thunderstorms gave us about a third of an inch more of rain.  Partly cloudy this afternoon, mostly clear tonight.  A NNE breeze, high 63, low 41. Partly cloudy tomorrow, a SE breeze, high 64, low 42.  Rain Sunday, a SW breeze, high 46, low 30. Partly cloudy Monday and Tuesday, NW breezes.  Monday's high 43, low 25.  Tuesday's high 46, low 31.  Mostly cloudy Wednesday, a SW breeze, high 48, low 34.  Partly cloudy Thursday, a brisk NW breeze, high 51, low 35.  Mostly cloudy next Friday, a NE breeze, high 5, low 38. Some sun next Saturday morning, PM showers, a NE breeze, high 54, low 40.  Mostly cloudy Sunday the 26th, an ENE breeze, high 54, low 41.  Some showers every day but Wednesday the week of the 27th, NE breezes, highs about 55, lows in the low forties.

   We got the delivery dates  for the Bailey order, Wednesday and Thursday..  It has never been split into two orders before.  Probably the fruit trees one day, the shrubs the other day.

   We opened the box of onions.  The box says Alisha Crang which is the variety we ordered.  The plant tags say Redwings. There are red lines in the white stems   A very nice large red onion that grows well in the north and is a good keeper.  But not the large sweet white onion we are known for.  Bekah sent Johnny's picture late yesterday.  We haven't heard back.

   Today is "make butter" day but with the pleasant afternoon forecast I hope to spend much of the afternoon outside.  May your day be blessed, Sally

 4/16/26  Flowers don’t worry about how they’re going to bloom. They just open up and turn toward the light and that makes them beautiful.

Showers ending, cloudy today, rain this evening, some overnight showers.  A SE breeze, high 53, low 46.  Partly cloudy tomorrow, a NE breeze, high 68, low 42.  Partly cloudy Saturday, a strong SE breeze, high 62, low 43.  Rain Sunday, a SW breeze, high 51, low 33.  Partly cloudy Monday, a strong NW breeze, high 42, low 26.  Sunshine Tuesday, a NW breeze, high 46, low 33.  Showers Wednesday, a SW breeze, high 48, low 35.  Partly cloudy next Thursday, a stiff NW breeze, high 51, low 35. Showers next Saturday morning, snow may mix in, NE breeze, high 50, low 38.  Partly cloudy next Sunday morning, PM showers, a NE breeze, high 53, low 40.  Partly cloudy the week of the 27th, brisk north breezes, highs in the mid  fifties, lows 40.

   Fog and mist,  "Rainy" forecast is wet but not adding more than a tenth of an inch or so to the total.  The dampness is dissolving that expensive fertilizer, it could be a drying wind.  Always something to be thankful for!

   Many of the pine grosbeaks have gone north. Around twenty now instead of fifty plus.   There are still some  sunflower seeds in the feeders at the end of the day.  There are a few blackbirds around, not as many as some years.  We have quite a few purple house finches mixed in with the goldfinches.  The swallows came back yesterday.  Peepers started 3-4 days ago.    It seems like a late spring but they are right on time.

    Onion plants are supposed to be shipped when it is time to plant them.  Our onion plants came yesterday.  Someone somewhere thinks it is planting time.

I just gave Bekah the soil thermometer.  Maybe the soil is warmer than we think.  The soil may be warm enough for onion plants  in raised beds.

   May your day be blessed, Sally

4/15/26 A man of words and not of deeds is like a garden full of weeds.Cloudy, drizzle this morning.  A NE breeze today, high 59.  Showers after midnight, low 45.  Showers tomorrow, a SE breeze, high 52, low 46.  Showers Friday morning, then partly cloudy. A NE breeze, high 65, low 41.  Mostly cloudy Saturday, a stiff SE breeze, high 63, lw 43.  Rain Sunday, a SW breeze, high 50, low 35.  Partly cloudy Monday, a strong NW breeze, high 43, low 26.  Sunshine Tuesday, a west breeze, high 48, low 36. Mostly cloudy next Wednesday and Thursday, brisk WNW breezes, highs about 52, lows about 36. Partly cloudy next Friday, abrisk NW breeze, high 51, lo 37.  Some sun the weeknd of the 25th and 26th, north breezes, highs about 54, lows about 40. Partly cloudy the week of the 27th, NW breezes, highs 57, lows about 40.

    Another third of an inch of rain last night.  Lots of puddles, the sump pump is running more.  There are hints of green everywhere.  The beginning of tick season.  We are planting lots of herbs whose strong fragrance overwhelms tick's Haller's organ causing them to stay away. Their Haller's organ is what they use to find us.   Lavender, lemongrass, rosemary, catnip. mints and sage are the herbs we are growing..  Mums also act as a repellent but we only have fall mums.  They like woodpiles, in fact any place that provides damp shelter.  We keep the grass mowed, tall grass is one of their favorite places.  I have lots of peppermint already planted around our picnic table.. These same herbs repel skunks and mosquitos.  

    I finally got my peonies cleaned out yesterday.  They are already showing tiny red sprouts.

    May your day be blessed, Sally

    

4/14/26  If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant; if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome.

Another inch of rain!  Thank you Lord!  Sun and clouds this morning giving way to clouds this afternoon.  A NW breeze, high 65.  Rain early tonight, an east breeze, low 45.  Partly cloudy Wednesday morning, PM showers, a light east breeze, high 57, low 45.  Showers Thursday, a SE breeze, high 54, low 49.  Showers Friday, a NE breeze, high 66, low 43.  Partly cloudy Saturday, a brisk SE breeze, high 63, low 44.  Showers Saturday night and Sunday.  A south breeze Sunday, high 54, low 39.  Partly cloudy Monday and next Tuesday, stiff NW breezes, highs 42, lows in the upper twenties.  Partly cloudy next Wednesday,  NW breeze, high 50, low 34.  Mostly cloudy next Thursday and Friday, brisk north breezes, highs abot 54, lows about 39.  Showers Saturday the 25th, a NE breeze, high 54, low 40.  Partly cloudy Sunday the 26th, a NEN breeze, high 56, low 39. Some clouds the 27th and 28th, NE breezes, highs 54, lows 40.

   A beautiful day.  This is the day to start yard work.  There are some things I can do besides cleaning all the flower beds.  I'll give the insects a few more warm days to hatch.  There is spilled hay around the barn.  I'll put down fresh cardboard anyplace I think bamboo might try to grow and pile hay on it.  There 

aren't enough hours in the day to get everything checked off the greenhouse list.  Shipment confirmations have come in for the Bailey nursery order and some of the small nursery orders.  All for the third week in April.  Onion plants, potatoes and more small orders come the fourth week.  Jay will get the onions and potatoes planted as fast as he can.  The Prides Corner order and berries come the first week in May.  That is Open Greenhouse Week, the official start to the 2026 season.

    May your day be blessed, Sally