Sometimes The Rain Takes Things

into places we would never look

Can you tell what it is hiding under water?

Tractor Man's square nosed shovel was left toooo close to rising water.

Recovered and on higher ground now.

Jumping Into Spring

with all feet in our neck of the woods.

Flexing those winter slow muscles, 

joyfully playing in the dirt,

and tracking down jobs.

 Things are going swimmingly

even with all the sh**.

ABDUCTED

by life

by spring

by circumstance

Happy April!

Colors

On A Spring-Like Day

the bees come out to play.

The early garden is plowed

and sweaters are shed.

Onion sets are planted, three kinds in short rows.  As these sprout and begin to grow later onions will be planted to satisfy our green onion hunger. In the mean time, fresh garlic will do for cooking with a tiny bit in salads.

For those still deep in snow...spring is on its way.

Springing

Good to see bees on the first jonquils

of spring.

The Blanket Moss begins to grow in the waterways.

Spring is close if not here.

Cherry Dream

Sunday's Whirligig 

wearing snow
trees' boughs hung
in the woodlands
with no room
for blooms

memories of
seventy springs
the cherry awakened
promised
Spring will come again

Just Before Christmas

while making our rounds, we noticed the spring holding pond level had dropped.  A varmint had made his own path way.  The water was running under our over flow pipe instead of through it.

This job called for the Kubota King.  He did some digging in the levee and removed the culvert.

He dammed the exit to allow the water to fill to its maximum capacity.  We (I supervised) worked on moving rocks while the pond filled. 

These large rocks will turn most rain water away from the spring holding pond.

Time to break the dam

The water leaves swiftly flushing the holding pond.

The water follows the steam bed to the big spring pond.

The rocks under the ones to the right are ones my grandfather laid around an old oak barrel over the spring outlet.  Back then the water was carried by hand to the house.  The ones you see were added by Dad when the house was plumbed for water.  Now a submersible pump carries more than enough water to two houses with plenty left for the creek.  Although there are several bubbling springs within this area the main spring is inside the rock barrel.

After the pond flushed itself  Hubby did every thing in reverse.  Culvert installed at correct level to maintain the level we perfer.  Dirt placed and packed on culvert while keeping it level to drain.  Less than two hours the pond filled to the lip of the pipe and flows merrily on its way.

Once again crystal clear water at the correct level for the pump.  Gotta love tractors.  This used to be done by hand!  A spring that pumps hundreds of gallons a minute is simply a natural above ground well with sweet water from deep within Mother Earth.

Water Gardens Greet Spring

The water fall in my garden

The hostas are taking off

Variegated Hosta

Ajuga ground cover

Wild ferns

All plants have appreciated the many rains...so have the weeds.  Much work ahead but a wonderful place to listen, to enjoy singing birds and running water.  Spring has arrived.

Sunday Walk

You know I have to get my fix with an extended walk.  We had snow, sleet and rain Saturday with a killing frost Sunday morning and highs in the sixties during Sunday afternoon.

The tulips are wide open.

Grape hyacinths peek through grass.

The dogs played.

Along the creek I found the my first favorite large rock

and my second.

After a morning of laundry, dishes and dreary house hold chores, this was my reward. I did pay for it. I had to dig my shoe out of wetland and acquired a few scratches. Carrying a shoe, bleeding from briers, I walked to share my find with Marcy.  She thought the prize was well worth the trials.

The wild violets are beginning to bloom.

I believe Spring may have made it.

Spring

Gratefully enjoying the arrival of spring

My Memory Art

Show My Face

Random 5 Friday...A Day Late

A Rural Journal

One:  Spring is taking a toe hold on the farm.  Today it is sleeting and snowing.

Two:  Andrew and Hubby are in Nashville.  Andrew and his band are playing for the "powers that be" to see if they have what it takes. They are having a great time.

Three: The farm dogs are quite happy with the change in weather as are we all.

Four:  Daughter is still not walking from her car wreck but improves every day.  This has been a long haul for all...since November.  I imagine we are all equally ready for things to return to "normal".

Five:  My creativity seems to have atrophied but it will return. This week I have read "Shoot The Moon" and "77 Shadow Street", both very good and very different.

Arkansas Lobster

 Crawdad

Crayfish

 or mudbugs

no matter the name an interesting creature to watch

Safely back in his hiding spot after harvesting some moss.

These are underwater.  

The light spot you see to the right is the fresh water entering the spring.