Dancing with Spring

Monday Mosaics (be sure to pop over to Judith's Lavender Cottage) will pretty much sum up the week's activities, for it was a busy one, while hopes for a quiet week are fading. Most exciting this week, a visit with an childhood chum tomorrow. I am so excited to catch up then forge a new, lasting friendship.

Wednesday we will be emptying out the kitchen cupboards in preparation for a new granite counter top, under counter lighting, and a new tile back splash. The counter top will be installed Thursday with the plumber, electrician, and tile layer to follow. The kitchen will be out of order for a few days, so I suppose I should do some meal planning.

Spring continues her April dance. Last week we had a skiff snow along with rain that began the greening of the landscape. Wanting to take advantage of the spring moisture, the Head Gardener applied the weed and feed to both the front pasture and the lawn the day before. We seeded the pasture last year with new grass that seemed to grow slowly. Hopefully this year we will see more grass. It will be a month or more before the horses get to graze in the front pasture. The neighbors keep asking us where they are.



Right now the lawn still looks pretty brown. The irrigation pumps have been turned on, so unless we get more rain, the sprinkler system will take over.

Onions and Garlic: Planted

Three rows of onions: Red, White, and Yellow.

We planted onions and garlic late yesterday after all of the Easter Day activities, sunrise service at 6:30 with kids followed with lunch and an Easter Egg hunt in the yard.

 We have 3 varieties of garlic, so it will be interesting to see what sort of garlic harvest we have. 

The last 3 little hens were moved from the office brooder to the makeshift pen in the coop. Two young ladies are trying out their wings, which means that more permanent accommodations are necessary. 

I spent time brushing POP while he ate his supper. What a shaggy pony he is. I don't know if it his bred, POA, age or if he has Cushing's disease that makes him grow lots of hair or he just needs to keep warm in the winter. I'll keep brushing him out every few days then when it warm I'll have have him shaved for summer.

I picked a rather large handful of daffodils last week as the weather reports predicted freezing temperatures, snow and rain. We had little of any of it. I love my daffodils and enjoy looking at them in the otherwise dull landscape this time of year. Rather than watch them whither and freeze, I brought some in. 

They looked so pretty on the table for Easter dinner.

I took my parting shot last Friday on the iPhone of the Eastern Red Buds at the University of Northern Colorado, my Alma Mater, celebrating its 125th year. Established in 1889 as the State Normal School, in 1911 it was renamed Colorado State College, from which I graduated in 1970 mid- year in March with a BA in English and Speech, certified to teach high school English and Speech.  April 30th of that year just weeks after I graduated, the college became a university: The University of Northern Colorado. Always known for its school of Education, the university now has a world renown school of performing arts, business, and many other other degrees. A small university of around 11-12,000 students annually, it is located in quiet, peaceful Greeley where students from all over the world come to earn their 4 year degrees and advanced degrees as well. 

In 1989 I returned to the university to earn my Masters in English literature, returning again in 1994 to teach college composition and finally retiring in 2013. Now on Fridays I end my week tutoring for two hours in the Writing Center, helping students conquer their writing problems. I owe much to UNC. Happy Anniversary. 

My own Red Bud is waking slowly. I check her each day to make sure that she lives, and she does. Soon, hopefully, I can post a glorious photo of her.

Thanks so much for taking time to stop by. If you didn't notice, I have added an email link so that you can subscribe to email notifications of new posts. Let me know how it works for you--if it does work. 

Here's hoping for rain and sunshine in your week.