2/4/26 It seems like everything sleeps in winter, but it’s really a time of renewal and reflection.

Clouds, calm, 12 degrees.  Overcast today, high 31, a NNW breeze. Clear this evening, cloudy overnight, low 12.  Morning clouds/afternoon sun tomorrow, a brisk NW breeze, high 27.Night time low -3.  Partly cloudy Friday, a light NNE breeze, high 22, low 6.  Cloudy Saturday, a brisk north breeze, high 25, low -2.  Sunshine Sunday,, a strong NW breeze, high 10, low -5.  Sunshine Monday, a NW breeze, high 20, low -1.  Sunshine Tuesday, a NW breeze, high 28, low 9.  Partly cloudy next Wednesday, high 31, low 15. PM snow showers next Thursday, a NW breeze, high 32, low 18. Partly cloudy next Friday, a NW breeze, high 33, low 20.  2-6 inches of snow Saturday the 14th, a north breeze, high 34, low 22.  Rain/snow Sunday the 15th, a brisk NNW breeze, high 37, low 22.  Snow showers the next three days, brisk NW breezes, highs in the low to mid thirties, lows in the upper teens.

     Yesterday emails started coming in, "order changes"  So far there are no cancellations, just postponements.  Some flower plugs but mostly herb plugs coming in a week or two later than Bekah ordered.  Even the big top of the line greenhouses struggle to keep the temperatures steady when it is so cold.  Cloudy weather slows down our plants.   The big greenhouses often have lights to supplement the sun but I don't think lights are the same as sunshine.  Seeds we start in the greenhouse seem to come faster than the ones we start under the lights.

     Jay has been cleaning the greenhouses.  They were cleaned and sanitized last fall.  But then they were used for making Christmas wreaths and tree sales.  He is checking for leaks.  Sometimes ice will slice the plastic.  And making sure no mice thought the greenhouse was a good winter home.

     We have so many birds this year.  I don't think I'm exaggerating when I say we have a hundred finches early in the morning.  The little birds and the cardinals get up before the doves, grosbeaks or bluejays.  There were five male cardinals in the kitchen garden this morning and I could see flashes of red by Jay's greenhouse feeders.  All we feed is black oil sunflower seeds.  We can't afford to feed any other kind.  As it is, we are spending more on seed than we planned.

     May your day be blessed, Sally