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

     

 4/13/26  Be not angry that you can't make others as you wish them to be since you cannot make yourself be the person you want to be.

Rain ending about nine, cloudy with showers later in the day.  A strong SSW breeze, high 53.  Tonight's low 47.  Mostly cloudy tomorrow, a WNW breeze, high 63, low 45.  Some sun Wednesday morning, PM showers. a light NE breeze, high 57, low 45.  Showers Thursday, a SE breeze, high 52, low 45.  Sunshine early Friday, a brisk NW breeze, PM showers.  High 66, low 43.  Partly cloudy Saturday, a stiff SE breeze, high 66, low 46.  Rain Sunday a stiff SW breeze, high 58, low 37.  Morning showers Next Monday, partly cloudy later.  A strong NW breeze, high 49 low 30.  Partly cloudy next Tuesday, a stiff NW breeze, high 51, low 34. Mostly cloudy next Wednesday, a brisk SW breeze, high 54, low 41.  Showers next Thursday, Friday and the weekend of the 25th and 26th.  Brisk WNW breezes, highs in the mid fifties, lows in the upper thirties.

   Our pastor pastors two churches, our country church and a big church in Bangor.  The churches have a joint youth group.  The big church bought the youth group tickets to the Mercy Me concert.  The youth group  is earning money to pay the church back.  Yesterday they sold sundaes after church at the Bangor church.  I think everyone who attended church bought a sundae!  The sundaes were sold by donation, the kids made over 700 dollars, so much support for the kids, I was impressed.   I was impressed by Annabelle too.  She was the one greeting people as they came.  She was so gracious and thoughtful to each person, a little child or a senior.  All of the kids did well, decorating and setting up, serving, and cleaning the hall  afterwards.

    We got a half inch of rain last night.  There are puddles!  Our sump is pumping water out of the cellar.  The little stream that runs into our old dirt and rock  cellar finally has water in it.  I'm sure the pansies in the church box appreciated the rain.  Next time I go to Corinth I'll put some compost around each plant and mulch them.  I didn't want to mulch them Saturday.  I wanted the bare soil to soak up all the rain and warmth.

   It may be raining out but Bekah has to water.  At least there is water to each greenhouse.  And a lightweight 100 foot collapsible hose to water with.

   May your day be blessed, Sally

 4/10/26  Our focus should be outward, not inward.  Giving, not receiving.

Sunshine, 35 degrees.  Sun and clouds today, a strong south breeze, high 61.  Rain tonight, a brisk SE breeze, low 39.  Partly cloudy tomorrow, a strong NW wind, high 48, low 32.  Sunshine Sunday, a  WNW breeze, high 55, low 38.  Rain Monday, a SW breeze, high 51, low 48.  Partly cloudy Tuesday, a north breeze, high 64, low 43.  Rain Wednesday, a SE breeze, high 55, low 46.  Showers Thursday, a SW breeze, high 62, low 43.  Partly cloudy Friday, NW breeze, high 64, low 44.  Showers next weekend. A stiff south breeze Saturday, high 59, low 38.  A stiff WNW breeze Sunday, high 51, low 37.  Fog and clouds Monday the 20th, a stiff NW breeze, high 48, low 34. Partly cloudy on the 21st, a brisk NW breeze, high 52,low 40. Partly cloudy Wednesday the 22ed, a brisk SW breeze, high 58,low 40. Some showers the next two days.

     The hoses are hooked up.  Winter winds and ice had made one of the plastic walls of the calibrachoa house into ribbons of plastic.  It is now a new airtight plastic wall.  A new routine has been added to the day.  Open the east door of the calibrachoa house when it starts to warm up, open the west door if it is a warm sunny day.  Remember to close the doors before sunset.  No one has seen a woodchuck but the bottom third of the doors is blocked to make sure one doesn't think it should prune those flowers.

  It was mostly a south breeze yesterday but the wind came up in the afternoon.  Just when I was taking outdated milk out to the hens.  I slide the bucket handles on the walker handles.  A gust took a bucket right off the handle.  I was not quick enough to catch it.  I'd made butter so I could give them buttermilk.

But that was supposed to be today's treat.

   The wind dried up the yard.  The pine tree is old but it still produces lots of cones.  I think I'll ask the kids to pick them up.  Not only do they make good kindling wood but they are great to put in the bottoms of large flower containers.  

   May your day be blessed, Sally

 4/9/26  Love is what makes life so precious and so worth celebrating.

Sunshine, 28 degrees and calm.  Sunshine today, a south wind, high 53.  a few clouds tonight, a light south wind, low 33.  Cloudy tomorrow, a stiff south breeze, high 60, low 40.  Partly cloudy Saturday, a NW wind, high 49, low 311.Mostly cloudy Sunday, a WNW breeze, high 56, low 38.  Light rain Monday, a stiff SW breeze, high 56, low 52.  Partly cloudy Tuesday, a NW breeze, high 65, low 45.  Showers Wednesday, NE breeze, high 56, low 44.  AM showers Thursday, partly cloudy later, a SW breeze, high 59, low 43.  Partly cloudy next Friday and Saturday, highs about 60, lows 41 and 35.  Partly cloudy next Sunday and Monday, brisk NW breezes, highs 52, lows 34 and 38. Partly cloudy Tuesday the 21st, a brisk SW breeze, high 56, low 41.  Morning showers Wednesday the 22ed, a SW breeze, high 57, low 42.  Rain Thursday the 23rd, a NW breeze, high 54, low 39.

    The kitchen garden is alive with birds.  Mostly finches and evening grosbeaks.  The cardinals mostly come early before the rush and in the evening at dusk.  It is late for grosbeaks to still be here.  Usually by now they have gone back to the north woods.

    Bekah is warming up cream for me to make butter.  Butter gets made whenever there is enough cream.  Taking care of milk is like laundry and dishes, a daily task.

    The Coast of Maine order came yesterday.  It is warm enough to set up the store.  But it is also warm enough to set up the hoses.  That comes first, life is much easier with water where we need it.  Today the calibrachoas will get moved to the calibrachoa house, an unheated greenhouse where they will thrive with lots of room and cool temperatures.  They may decide to run an electric heater Saturday night. They are a week late getting moved so they are second on the list, behind the hoses.  They are almost as hardy as pansies but April weather has been late getting here.

    May your day be blessed, Sally