3 /16/26   Resilience grows from observation, preparation, and the patience to ride out the storms that inevitably come.

Thick clouds, 33 degrees.  Rain starting at nine, a half inch forecast.    A SSE wind today, high of 51.  Another half inch of rain forecast tonight, low of 47, a high wind warning.  25 t0 30moh south winds with gusts over fifty.  Partly cloudy tomorrow, 54 degrees in the morning with a strong, gusty WSW wind.                                     a morning high of 54,  afternoon highs in the forties, overnight low of 14.  Mostly sunny Wednesday, a brisk WNW breeze, high 31, low 19.  Cloudy Thursday, a strong SE breeze, high 38, low 28.  Partly cloudy Friday, a SW breeze, high 42, low 25.  Snow showers Saturday, 1-3 inches Saturday night.  A brisk NW breeze, high 37, low 22.  Snow showers Sunday morning, a stiff NW breeze, high 37, low 22. Partly cloudy next Monday, a strong NW breeze, high 37, low 17. Mostly sunny next Tuesday, a NW breeze, high 37, low 20.  Partly cloudy next Wednesday, west breeze, a high of 40, a low of 24.  Rain/snow the next five days with stiff breezes from the NW and north. Highs from 36 to 45, lows 21 to 28.  Temperatures are forecast to be five degrees below average for the last two weeks of March.  We are in a moderate drought.

    Tomorrow is the day Jay and Bekah start the second greenhouse.  The weather forecast for Tuesday and Wednesday nights is saying that waiting until Thursday will save a lot of propane.  This week's shipment isn't scheduled until Thursday but last week's shipment came a day early.  It will mean extra work but they have decided to go with the forecast and start the furnace Thursday morning.  They will open the shipment in the first greenhouse.  If all goes well they will move to the second greenhouse Friday.  Despite a few days of record breaking warmth March will be a more expensive month than usual for greenhouses across Maine. Country Junction is staying right on schedule.  They will start transplanting peppers this weekend,  marigold seeds will go on the heat mats where the peppers are now.  All the plants in the greenhouse are thriving, it is lush and green in there and smells like spring.

     The rain today and tonight is welcome.  This storm is following the pattern of so many of our storms, the forecast rain total has dropped from an inch and a half to an inch.  Most of this winter's storm the snow totals have been under the forecast.  We went into the winter dry.  People were having problems with their wells, the hay crop was below average.  We are saving every scrap of plain cardboard that we can so that we can mulch everything with cardboard covered with  hay or straw.  No such thing as wasted hay this year!

    Our spring chick order went in.  A few green/blue egg layers for fun but mostly the hybrid egg layers.  With the cost of feed we need to buy the birds that lay the most eggs.  The chicks all cost the same.

    May your day be blessed, Sally