Spring on the farm!

Well, I have been back from Tennessee almost a week. I miss Betsie's boys so much. I am beginning to feel like I have caught up here at work. I had at least 15 repairs waiting for me in the shop and that is only from 5 days. Kathy here at the office did a great job of doing repairs for most of the time. The best part about leaving and coming back home is that everyone said that they missed me and really appreciate me more now. Also, everything turned very green while I was gone. There are no more pockets of snow in the shade of the barn and there are a billion daffodils blooming around the pond. It is breathtaking! Definately a reward for the looooonnngggg cold winter.
I am excited to get the garden all planted this weekend. I started a bunch of seeds in the house about 3 weeks ago and they are ready to go outside. I think I will wait a bit on the tomatoes still. Kind of cold at night. We bought about 10 fruit trees and will get them in this weekend too.
My ultimate goal is to use the 15 acres to be as self sufficient as possible. That means that next year I will maybe get some chickens, maybe a cow or two and who knows what else. Last night I saw two elk up on the ridge. That is really good meat so they better not come on my property if they know what is good for them. I could fill my freezer with pheasant, wild turkeys and dear right now if I wanted. They are everywhere. I am glad my garden has a nice 8' high fence around it.
Mandy and Natalie are counting down the days to the end of the school year. Mandy is more excited about cousin J coming. Natalie has her job back at the daycare now that she is finished with track.
Michael and Aubree are so much fun to have around. Michael is always doing a "project" on the property. He was out building a jump for his Mt. bike on Monday evening. Dean, David and Michael planted 13 quakies down by the spring below the pond. It will be our own little sacred grove.
David flew to Colorado so he could help Lucy drive back to Spokane for the summer. She has a roommate and an apartment near Valley Hospital. She is at our house most of the time though and we really like her being around. She is very comfortable around us as far as we can see. She hasn't been spooked yet.
Well that is about it for now. Thank heavens for sunshine!!!!!!