3/24/26  Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, “I will try again tomorrow.”

 Mostly clear, 23 degrees.  Sun and clouds today, a light WNW wind, high of 40.  Cloudy tonight, snow showers after midnight, a brisk SE breeze, low of 29.

Morning rain, some wet snow may mix in, afternoon and overnight rain showers.  A strong SW breeze, high 51, low 31.  Sunshine Friday, a strong NWN breeze, high 34, low 11. Partly cloudy Saturday, a strong NW breeze, high 29, low 12.  Partly cloudy Sunday, stiff SW breeze, a high of 39, a low of 27.  Mostly cloudy Monday, a strong SW breeze, high 48, low 27. Snow showers next Wednesday morning become rain showers, back to snow and rain Wednesday night.  An ENE breeze, high 35, low 28.  Rain/ freezing rain next Thursday, a NE breeze, high 40, low 27.   Snow to rain Good Friday, a NE breeze, high 40, low 27.  Partly cloudy Saturday the 4th, a north breeze, high 42, low 25.  Snow to rain on Easter, afternoon rain becomes an evening mix, overnight snow showers.  A stiff west breeze, a high of 44, low 33.  Morning rain/snow showers on the 6th, cloudy the 7th, morning rain/snow showers the 8th.  NW breezes, highs about 47, lows about 27.

    More plants were moved to the second greenhouse,  More seedlings were transplanted, more seeds were planted.  The fall mum order was updated.  One color no longer available, Bekah had to go through the book and find another variety that had orange. It was agreed to delay the order to the last week in May because some varieties wouldn't be ready the third week.  In March Bekah was scheduling bloons for September. 

    Bailey nursery called to ask if Bekah wanted to change the delivery date.  Bekah  confirmed the third week in April.  I suspect the record breaking warmth much of the country is  seeing is making some nurseries want to change delivery dates.  We've had below average but April is looking average.  Our other large nursery order comes the first week in May.

     Some good news– The amount of overwintering habitat occupied by monarch butterflies in central Mexico increased 64% from last year, according to the annual census released today by World Wildlife Fund-Mexicoand partners. The butterflies were found covering an area of 7.24 acres, which means the eastern monarch population that migrates between Canada and Mexico each year showed an improvement from last winter’s area of 4.42 acres. While an increase is great news, the numbers in Mexico are still well below historic norms.  For several years Country Junction has encouraged our customers  to provide habitat for the monarchs.  We carry milkweed and other butterfly favorites for your pollinator garden.  We grow swamp milkweed and the orange butterfly weed.  The butterflies like them as well as the common milkweed and they are less likely to invade farm fields and pastures.  Milkweed plants need to be marked well,  They don't show life until the end of May.  Some years they have shown life so late I thought they were dead.Milkweed is the only plant Monarch butterflies lay their eggs on.  When the eggs hatch they eat milkweed leaves,  the only ones they are designed to eat.

   May your day be blessed, Sally

 3/24/26  Perseverance yields rewards.

 Clear, calm, 16 degrees.  Some clouds this afternoon, a WNW breeze, high 41.  Partly cloudy tonight, low of 26.  Mostly cloudy tomorrow, a strong west breeze, high 43, low 28. Rain/snow Thursday, a SW breeze, high 46, low 30. Sunshine Friday, a NW wind, high 34, low 10.  Mostly sunny Saturday, a NW breeze, high 30, low 15.  Partly cloudy Sunday, a brisk west breeze, high 37 low 24.  Cloudy Monday, a strong SW breeze, high 45, low 27. Partly cloudy next Tuesday, a stiff NW breeze, high 40, low 23. Partly cloudy next Wednesday, a NE breeze, high 39, low 27.  Rain/snow Thursday the 2ed, a NE breeze, high 40, low 26. Partly cloudy on Good Friday, a NE breeze, high 39, low 26.  Snow to rain Saturday the 4th, an east breeze, a high of 42, a low of 28.  Partly cloudy Easter Sunday, a brisk SW breeze, high 45, low 32.  Rain/snow Monday the 6th, a brisk NW breeze, high 47, low 35.  Mostly cloudy, Tuesday the 7th, a stiff NW breeze, a high of 49, a low of 32.

      Sunshine and warmer temperatures will melt some of the snow. It is a heavy icy snow.  It snowed all day yesterday but we only got an inch or so more.   Jay and Bekah were given some wood.  This is the first week boxes of plants haven't come.  The snow was all melted.  Time to  think about getting that wood.  When Sunday's 1-3 inches of snow changed to eight or nine their plans changed.  Jay is cleaning my truck off.   We didn't put it in the garage because this time of the year the 1-3 inches of snow melts quickly.snow melts quickly. 

     I threw some sunflower seeds on the snow.  The evening grosbeaks prefer to eat off the ground.  With seeds on the ground  the finches won't have to compete with the grosbeaks at the feeders.  Last week we only had ten or so grosbeaks at the feeders.  When it snowed Sunday the whole flock came back.

     There are still  trays of seedlings in the house.  Jay and Bekah are going to move some more plants from the first greenhouse to the second today.  Friday and Saturday's temperatures look too cold for even the pansies to go in a coldframe.  It will be the 1st before nights stay in the high twenties.  After they are moved they'll start on the trays in the house.

    May your day be blessed, Saly

 3/23/26  Time is the only currency you spend without knowing the balance.  Use it wisely.

Eight inches of snow.  Snow  flurries today.  25 degrees now, 32 for today's high with strong NE breezes.  Some clearing overnight, a north breeze, a low of 16.  Mostly sunny tomorrow, a NW breeze, high 41, low 26.  Mostly cloudy Wednesday, strong west breeze, high 43, low 31. Morning rain/snow showers Thursday, a brisk SW breeze, high 47, low 28. Partly cloudy Friday, a strong NW breeze, high 33, low 10.  Sunshine Saturday, a NW breeze, high 31, low 17. Partly cloudy  Sunday, a WSW breeze, high 39, low 24.  Partly cloudy next Monday, a strong west breeze, high 41, low 22.  Partly cloudy next Tuesday, a brisk NW breeze, high 37, low 22.  Cloudy next Wednesday, Apei 1st, a NW breeze, high 42, low 28.  Morning snow showers the 2ed and 3rd, NW breezes, high 44, lows 27.  Partly cloudy Saturday the 4th, a NW breeze, high 45, low 30.  Mostly cloudy on Easter, a NW breeze, high 46, low 33.  Rain./snow showers , a brisk NW breeze, hgh 48, low 32 Monday the 6th..  

    Winter has returned.    There won't even be any thawing today.  On the plus side we need every bit of moisture we can get.  The snow is sticky, it is sticking to the greenhouse making a layer of insulation.  Tomorrow when the sun shines it will slide off, banking the bottom.  A good thing with all the NW breezes in the forecast.  Planting will continue inside the greenhouse, spring cleaning will continue in the house.  On the calendar spring is already here.  In the real world it will arrive April 1st.  Even the first week in April there will be some back sliding with morning snow flurries.

    May your day be blessed, Sally

 3/22/26   5th Sunday in Lent  I will extol the Lord at all times; his praise will always be on my lips.  Psalm 34:1

  1-3 inches of snow today with a brisk east breeze, high 31, low 25.  cloudy tomorrow, a strong NE breeze, high 34, low 18.  A chilly week with temperatures running 5 or more degrees below average.  The temperatures the week of the 29th are what we expect this week to be.

    Yesterday was a good day in the greenhouse, they finished moving plants and got caught up transplanting.  I cleaned Bekahh's milk refrigerator, it was a mess.  She had broken a jar of milk on a cold day, the milk froze before she could get it cleaned up.  Between getting caught up in the greenhouse and a clean refrigerator Bekah ws a happy lady!

   As I have reflected on the grace the Lord has always given me  I pray that He will help me respond to others and to life's challenges with a loving spirit, with kindness and a cheerful heart.  May your day be blessed, Sally

 3/21/26  No one knows what he can do until he tries.

About 4 inches of snow.  Cloudy, 30 degrees.  Cloudy today, a strong NNW breeze, high 39, low tonight 24.  Snow forecast for tomorrow has dropped to 1-3 inches with a west breeze, a high of 31, low 25.  Cloudy Monday, a strong NNE breeze, high 34, low 16. Sunshine Tuesday, a NW breeze, high 41, low 24.  Partly cloudy Wednesday, a west breeze, high 39, low 18.  Snow showers Thursday, 1-3 inches of snow Thursday night.  A west breeze, high of 39, low 31.  Partly cloudy Friday, light NW wind, high 35, low 13. Partly cloudy next Saturday, a WNW breeze, high 32, low 15.  Partly cloudy next Sunday and Monday, brisk  SW breezes, highs 42, lows about  26.  Mostly cloudy next Tuesday, partly cloudy Wednesday April 1st.  Brisk NW breezes, highs about 42, lows 26 and 29.  Morning snow showers Thursday, April 2ed, a brisk NW breeze, high 44, low 29.  Partly cloudy Friday the 3rd, a brisk NW breeze, high 47. low 31.  Morning snow showers Saturday, April 4th, a NW breeze, high 49, low 32.

    This weekend is Open House for the maple syrup people.  Not much sap will be running and it won't run much all week.  It will be the first week in April before there is a good run.  An updated spring weather forecast was posted yesterday.  Instead of a warm April,  April, May and June are forecast to be cooler than average.  There was no precipitation forecast.  Last summer was a poor year for hay production.  Many farmers don't have the hay reserve they usually do.  Grass grows in cool temperatures.  Hopefully the weather isn't so cool that pasture turnout is delayed.  I'm as concerned about the lack of moisture as I am the cool forecast.

     Bekah and Jay got their steps in yesterday!  They don't have little red wagons, they have green ones that hold three plant trays. Three trays at a time plants were moved. The second greenhouse now has lots of plants in it and there is room in the first greenhouse for the plants that like it warm to grow.

The next big move will be when it is time for the tomatoes to be transplanted.  Pansies will go in the hoop house, petunias in the cold frames.  Maybe containers of pansies can go outside for Easter but It looks like the ground may still be frozen.

    The sun is trying to break through.  It doesn't take much sun for the thermostat to stop turning the propane furnace on.  May your day be blessed.  Sally

 3/20/26  In all things it is better to hope than to despair.  Look for the silver lining.

 Clear, sunshine, 24 degrees.  Clouds are forecast to move in late morning, afternoon showers will mix with snow early evening, some snow showers late evening.  A SW breeze, a high of 43, tonight's low 31.  Morning clouds/afternoon sun tomorrow, a strong NW breeze, high 23.3-9 inches of snow Sunday and Sunday night, east breezes, high 34, low 23. A strong NE breeze Monday, high 30, low 21. Partly cloudy Tuesday, a stiff NW breeze, high 37, low 20.  PM rain/snow showers Wednesday, a stiff west breeze, high 38, low 17.  Partly cloudy Thursday morning, 1-3 inches of snow Thursday PM.  A stiff WSW breeze, high 38, low 31. Snow showers next Friday morning, perhaps some sun Friday afternoon, a WNW wind, high 38, low 14.  Sunshine next Saturday, a brisk WNW breeze, high 32, low 10.  Partly cloudy Sunday the 29th, a stiff west breeze, high 38, low 19.  Partly cloudy Monday the 30th, a west breeze, high 37, low 23.  Rain/snow Tuesday the 31st, a brisk SW breeze, high 39, low 26.  The first of April the warm temperatures the rest of the nation is having begin to get here.  A high of 43 April 1st to 50 on Friday the 3rd.

   It was so cold and raw all day yesterday Bekah didn't start the furnace in the second greenhouse.  This morning's sun is warming it up nicely,  she'll let the sun bring it up to temperature, she'll start the furnace as the clouds move in.  I always planned to move into the cold frames on April 1st.  Bekah has been spoiled since she took over, the weather has allowed her to move March 25.  She moved into the back room on the 18th last year.  This year it will be the 31st.  It is forecast to be warm enough to move plants this afternoon.  It's up to 33 now.

   I chased two cats out of my kitchen garden this morning.  I need to get the water pistol I got for Christmas loaded and ready.  I yelled and threw a glass of water at them this morning.  One was hiding under the Christmas tree, Time to get rid of it.  The tree, not the cat.

   Sunday's snow will slide off the greenhouses and pile up around the bottom, keeping out the cold.

   May your day be blessed, Sally

   

 3/19/26 Spring officially begins tomorrow at 10:46 a.m. here in the eastern part of the country.

Clouds, calm, 17 degrees.  Some sun this morning, cloudy this afternoon and tonight.  A stiff SSE breeze, high 37, low 27.  Partly cloudy tomorrow morning, PM rain/snow, a SW breeze, high 42, low 29.  Mostly cloudy Saturday, a stiff NW breeze, high 40, low 24.  Snow showers Sunday, 3-5 inches of snow Sunday night.  A SE breeze, high 38, low 27.  Snow showers Monday, a stiff north breeze, high 33, low 20.  Sunshine Tuesday, a NW breeze, high 40, low 22. Partly cloudy next Wednesday, a strong west breeze, high 40. low 20.  Partly cloudy next Thursday morning, PM showers, a strong SW breeze, high 42, low 33. Snow showers next Friday morning, a west wind, high 41, low 17. Partly cloudy next Saturday, a brisk NW breeze, high 32, low 17.  Some snow showers Sunday, the 29th, a stiff SW breeze, high 37, low 14. Partly cloudy Monday the 36th, a stiff WNW breeze, high 36, low 21.  Partly cloudy Tuesday the 31st, a brisk west breeze, high 40, low 27.  Mostly cloudy Wednesday the 1st, a SW breeze, high 43, low 29.

    Propane delivery came this morning, just in time.  The tanks were getting low.  The cold temperatures and constant breezes have caused the furnace to run pretty steady, even with the wood stove helping.  Spring arrives tomorrow but it doesn't bring much relief from the chill.  The forecasters were right when they said our temperatures were going to run about five degrees below average.

    We weren't very happy with UPS yesterday.  On the boxes it says, "this side up" in big bold letters.  The boxes were on their sides, the driver said that standing them on their sides was the only way he had room in his truck.  The shipping department said to load them like that.  Soil was all over the plants but none were damaged.  They spent the day setting the plants right and watering them.  Today they will start transplanting them.

    The second greenhouse will be started today.  Over the next few days the violas, pansies, petunias and other plants that grow better in cooler temperatures will be moved to it.  Tomatoes and peppers will stay where they are, they like it warm.  Most of yesterday's shipment will stay in the warm greenhouse for a while.

    May your day be blessed, Sally