Enjoying my mini-vacation from work--due to needs of the department, I am in the middle of 4 days away from the office. It's felt good to chill out a bit. T cooked all weekend--he made chili and nachos Saturday night and then chicken and waffles for Mother's Day.
Speaking of mothers, I am hoping Mother Nature finally has her season's squared away! This is why Spring is my least favorite of all. It is so temperamental. My yard behind the house looks like an African savanna, between the tall grass and the trees filling out. Mowing is a multi-day affair, and trying to get it done between work and the raindrops is a challenge! The rhubarb is getting high, so I baked an apple pie with rhubarb, yum! The pie filling T canned in 2015 is holding up well, but we've not got much left. With the craziness in our weather here so far this year, I wasn't sure if the fruit trees would be shocked like 2016 and we'd not see much in the way of fruit nubs. THAT is not a problem! Look at all of those little apples!
I think the orchard is going to be productive if we can keep the critters from knocking all of the fruit down before we get a chance to pick it and use it. Hoping to have lots to post on that as the year goes on. The newer apple trees the mister planted are starting to make little apples, too. I am anxious to taste my first "Arkansas Black" and see if the hype is warranted. It is supposed to be an excellent baking choice. Also a first this year, the 2 Bosc Pear trees have pears coming in. I love fresh pears.
A few of my herbs came through the winter months beautifully!
Aside from mowing and tending to the yard, I've also been taking advantage of the colder temps and hitting the stacks of stamps and paper. It has been a year of collecting supplies--probably in part to having a job again, part to T being in school and not seeing what comes in the mail, and part the fact that so many of the older stamps and supplies from my favorite stamp company are being discontinued. It was hard to keep up during tax season, but I'm catching up! You can see my cards either on Instagram (jilouise1) or from time to time, on here.
Hope everyone had a wonderful Mother's day weekend!
My fruit trees have never done well, but I have no idea how to care for them, you'll have to give me a lesson.
ReplyDeleteWe shall see if they do as well as 2015. If so, you will have to help me make some jams and jellies :) With T in school, they aren't as watched as they could be this year, but the father-in-law did spray everything once the buds dropped. Fingers crossed!
DeleteHow clever to give Nichole's beautiful card a neutral palate. Lovely choice of stencil and dies together. And the sweet bird is the perfect finish! We grow summer fruit trees, and I envy your pears and apples, something that doesn't grow well in our valley. Nothing better on God's earth than fresh tree picked fruit!
ReplyDeleteSurprisingly, we have 4 mature apple trees, like 50+ years mature, that still produce. It has been one of my favorite parts of our property. Waiting for the new trees to grow has been quite the exercise in patience. Sadly, my potted Meyer lemon didn't survive the trip north from Georgia in 2014. I hope you have a wonderful summer! (Thanks for the kind words on my card, too!)
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