Spring time...come on, spring time....

Seriously. We've had so much rain in the last year, well, it boggles the mind...the creek that I didn't even know existed on my back neighbor's property (its a gazillion acres, so sue me), was overflowing and then some yesterday. It has calmed down today, but mercy Maud...I looked at the ten day forecast for my zip code...Rain every third/fourth day for the next week and a half. Now, that may not be bad, if I didn't desperately need to get to tilling/plowing out there in the garden patches. But nooOOOOooooOOOOO.

I think rain catchment systems are in order. Which will require gutters. Drat. Need to get on that, too, doggone it. Anyone know anyone in my area with leftover guttering they want to get rid of? And some 55 gallon drums to put underneath? Please?

Okay, okay. Probably not. Figured it was a long-shot (I'll check Home Depot and see how much $$ we're looking at here). But you never know! Besides, that water could come in very very handy in August....not to mention July and September!

We've already plotted out what is going to be planted where...and started putting in our orders for this, that, and the other. Last year's planting of 72 Roma Tomato plants was a success *and* a failure. Success in that they grew, blossomed, and fruited very well. Fruits per plant were a nice, respectable number. But the fruits themselves were so small (length of my thumb) that I didn't get nearly the amount of finished "product" (ketchup, spaghetti sauce, salsa, tomato vegetable soup) put up as I would have liked. This year, I am considering going with heirloom Oxheart types. Bigger, meatier, and good for canning/processing, sauces, and salsas. As well as good for the occasional slicing. More jalapeno plants this year, as well as some sweet bells, bananas, etc. Got to have a little variety. We're planning on doing a much smaller potato patch this year, mixing the potatoes in with peanuts, doing a sweet/dent (field) corn patch as well, and breaking new ground that we will (please God!) get some pigs on...they will till it up, eat the weeds, and fertilize it all at the same time...Now...to get the fencing (at least $300)...etc...ugh.

I really need to get some serious feed bins. We're talking about tonnage here, not just the occasional bag of stuff. Of course, for prudent preparations, I also need to stock up on dog food, as well, and chicken feed, but hey, one thing at a time! LOL.

We're going to be buying some more chicks for raising as laying hens. El Husbando wants (and I agree) that we need to make sure we have some genetic diversity, and by getting a few more "girls" now, from another source, we'll be introducing some good, new genetics. Hopefully, we can get a few more chicks hatched out from under "Big Momma", once things warm up a bit...

Speaking of chicks...I will have to update all of you about Peep, and the adventures thereof. There's been an all-nighter, a total disregard for curfew, etc. But that will wait til tomorrow. :-) Got to have sunlight for good pictures. JoAnn, if you are reading this, tell your boys that Peep was an excellent name, because this doggone chick was SO LOUD, until just recently...it was really ridiculous. Fortunately, the very loud peeping has finally ceased...thank goodness. Considering that Peep is now...let's see...almost 4 mos old, well, it is high time things got quieted down a bit...

For now, folks, what is going on in your neck of the woods? Are you eagerly anticipating spring? Enjoying the wet grayness of late winter? Hoping, like I am, that the rains lay off for a little while...give me a 2 week window, Lord, just so I can get things dried out, El Husbando onto the tractor and behind the tiller, and the work DONE. PLEASE?!?!?

Regardless of where you are, and what you're doing, have a safe night. Sit someplace warm, sip something comforting (be it hot tea with honey, a glass of iced tea, some nice Maker's Mark Kentucky Bourbon, or a couple of fingers of homemade brandy)...and enjoy these 'do little' days of February...