Spring Planting Completed!

                       In the fields I have a blackberry patch that has been in the works a couple of years and I believe this will be the year it produces.  
 

                Last fall I had my bushhogger mow a path right through the middle of my patch because I could not reach what berries I had last year, so a row on the left and right will make it much easier to gather the berries.  Might make it easier for bear and deer to get them, too, so we'll see what happens.

We had our blackberry winter, now getting rain and the blooms are proliferous!

                          Looking forward to harvest!

          Grosbeaks are here!

    First time growing individual lettuce heads "Tom Thumb".  I really like this soft butter lettuce and their compact heads.  This will be grown from now on!

                            Another patch of lettuce just starting and my tomato seedlings that were started indoors are now in their cages.

                        The pasture is in bloom with thistles, the goldfinches will be here soon.

       Up at the house, Minka has arrived again this year and is staying longer.  Last night I saw her playing with a gray squirrel.  She is so tiny compared to the grays.

     I dug up a plant a few years ago, I still don't know what it is, but I just saw this and it had never had this before! Looks a lot like a Jack in the Pulpit, but it's not.  Nice surprise.

                        Iris are starting to bloom.

EASIEST CATCH EVER!

 

Monday morning I get a call at 9:30, my postal girl, frantic and I have to come over to 176, the chow is standing in the road! I jump in the car and by time I got one road over, he/she was up at the lumberyard, which I didn't even know existed.  I met Ed, the owner of this small sawmill and he showed me around and led me to where the chow has been hiding for over a month.

 

     What a great little business!  Ed gave me a lot of info, talked to me for over an hour.  He moved here decades ago from Upstate NY. His great uncle hand made the elaborate mahogany staircases for the houses of the owners of Jackson and Perkins (who I thought were from CA) but no they were from NY.  He has the old wood planes with his uncle's name on them.  A lot of neat history, but let's talk chows!!

   Although the more I looked around and saw the live edge wood pieces, my mind began to go to my farmhouse table that needs a new tabletop and asked Ed if he would make one for me.  

   There she was (calling it a she because of her size) behind the tractor and a lot of junk.  I planned to come back with rotisserie chicken and make friends.

     I did come back with the hot chicken and she took a hike across the road, which has been scaring my mail girl because people go 80 miles an hour down this road.  She goes across the street to a lady named Dixie who was feeding her on the porch. I talked to Dixie, told her I was going to place a trap and not to feed her anymore.  Animal Control was having their attitude as usual, so I contacted a professional friend in trapping, Michelle and we were going to meet for her to give me a trap, but day before Animal Control actually dropped off a trap at Ed's request. They loaded it with cat food and she would not go in all day.  I came at 3:30 that afternoon with the rotisserie chicken, here she comes down the road, nose in the air.  Two minutes later we hear a snap, she's in the trap!! LOL All we could do is laugh at how easy that was. Animal Control came out and took her to the shelter.

                 She's a little black beauty with copper eyes, about 35-40 pounds, tiny for a chow.  I am naming her Empress Velvet.

                     She freaked at first when the trap shut, but calmed down fairly quickly. She was not happy though.  I went to the shelter to visit her today. She was growling at the staff, so they are letting her decompress, but I brought her that chicken and hand fed her, she was a good girl, I got to pet her lips.  I will go each day until I can take her for a walk.  I had known about her for over a month hoping someone would lure her with food and call animal control, but that never happened. As usual, I had to step up and get the job done.  Can't say I was happy about that, but at least she is safe now. Just a matter of time that one of those cars or something else would get her. Everyone in the area thought she was a bear cub.

Laurens, SC

     This week I went to a small, rural town to Roses Unlimited to buy some roses and Linda told me to check out the old Main Street area to go to a really neat nursery, which I did.  Right across the street from the nursery was an old cemetery, which I had to check out. 
 

                        Nothing takes you back in time more than an old Southern cemetery.  Oakland in Atlanta so far has been the best, but I have yet to go to Asheville's and plan on doing so.  

                         This guy had to be important as he dominated the landscape.

                                                 Weeping Willows?

                        This section reminded me of New Orleans.

                          My favorite . . . faux bois!

     Photos of the rose and nursery portion on MyTinyFarmhouse.  

The Church at Easter

            The Caverns, Pelham TN.  
 

       Concert in a cave.  New meaning to down under.

      The Church.

Happy Easter - Happy Spring

     Simple, understated Easter mantle.
 

    Hand painted in 1883, beautiful spring scenes.

    Written on the back of each.

   Akebono Japanese tulips planted this fall from Baker Creek.  GORGEOUS!!

   I am now a tulip fan!