As I sit here the lightening is flashing, the rain is coming down, the wind howls and there's a threat of hail ... spring has arrived and with it the last salute of winter.  The states to the north are getting more SNOW ! Some days are warm, bringing us sunshine and flowers, then WHAM it's 40 degrees for a high. We have on some of our property cows that belong to someone else. He's brought a fresh batch this week and as young ones will do, they are testing the fence lines. I found some on the wrong side and had to show them where they belong.

Last week we began preparation for a small garden behind the house. Paul built some boxes for raised beds and constructed a bin for leaves to make compost. We purchased some seed starter kits and Alexis had fun planting and watering the seeds.  We now have many small seedlings growing on a table in the great room. On warm sunny days I move the table outside to catch the sun. We have cucumbers, watermelon, peas, green beans, summer squash, zucchini, cantaloupe, corn and pumpkins.

A bright spot in my day today, 3/28, was a box in the mail. A return of my entry to the Spin Off in the Virginia Classic. I was anxious to see the results as this was my first spin off entry. I quickly opened the box and the first thing I saw was RED !!!  A 2nd place ribbon for Dreamweaver. I am  so pleased. As I looked over the judges score card I was encouraged to learn that his fleece qualities were some of the higher scores.  It was MY preparation of the fleece, the skirting, picking and removal of some guard hairs and vegetation that was the lower scores. I'm sure if I had been much more experienced in these matters, it would have been a BLUE Ribbon in that box. We learn as we go...it's what life's about.

The days are longer and it's getting warmer.  Some days are warmer than others, but I think for the most par the winter has gone... but what do I know.

The Orchard Grass seed we spread down last month is starting to pop up out of the ground and little tiny leaves are evident.  This will be nice to have that bare spot out front filled in. It's where they put our leaching field, so nothing has grown there since the house was built... well at least nothing we WANTED to grow there.

I spent some time outside today, March 17, digging up some weeds that persisted and relocating some rocks... yes we have rocks, lots of them.  I've decided that the larger ones will be piled on the outside of the fence as a digging deterrent. Of course there is no fence there yet so we will probably end up relocating them a couple of times before all is said and done. Who needs to go to a gym, we have plenty of weights to lift around here.

While I was out there, the dogs were chasing something in the grass. I turned around and saw Eddie, our miniature dachshund, with a snake in his mouth and he was shaking it back and forth like a rag. I yelled, he dropped it... needless to say... the snake soon was kissing the back of my shovel.  I know there are good snakes and bad snakes... I don't know which kind this was, but now it's dead and I won't see it again.