The neglected Cherry trees that are bordering the orchard are starting to bloom.
We didn't get many actual cherries last year and they were very small, but the blossoms are at least very beautiful and so .. 'Spring-y'.

As are the catkins of the weeping Birch tree in Doug's yard:

Inspired by nature and the spring-like weather of last weekend, we worked on setting up two raised beds with the old pallets I showed in last post.



I'd started pulling of boards with a crowbar and a hammer, which was a pain, so we tried a saw to cut them out, but the best way to do it was of course also the most simple, and the most 'Paul Bunyan', just slam them to smithereens with a hammer!
We (James) did have to pry some off the hard way though, because we had to close of the gaps on the front and the back to keep the soil in.

                                   

After filling them up with soil, I laid out a drip-hose in each of them. I'd bought a 50' hose, which was exactly enough for 2 beds (cut in half). They're not hooked up yet (probably the coming weekend's project), but I can now plant in exactly the right spots and avoid damaging the tender seedlings by having to finagle the hose in later.

I also mickey moused a (cheap) trellis together from bamboo stakes. I think I'll add a few more cross-stakes but it's a start ..
Hopefully the Snow Peas I planted there in the back will start climbing up the trellis and in a few weeks I'll add Pole Beans and Tomatoes.
I also planted Broccoli and strawberries and the two pots hold carrots and leek.

The strawberries came from the strawberry-pot I bought last year at Walmart which I re-planted with herbs this time. It's standing right outside my door on the porch, which I think is the best place for herbs, right next to the kitchen.

       

 

I'm so excited! I can see the beds from my window and keep walking over to look at them, I'm so proud of growing (some of) my own food!

Of course I had also hoped to get my own chickens this year but since that plan has been put on the back-burner for now (too much traveling still going on), I made an effort to buy at least the best eggs I could afford, from, even more import, the best treated chickens!
So, I bought me some 'Happy Eggs' which I found at my local Freddy's ...

Cage free/free ranged, Pasture raised and they came in such a fun colorful carton! What could be wrong?
Well .. I googled them (of course I did) and guess what:

Happy Egg Co. is currently the subject of a lawsuit. The Organic Consumers Association is suing Happy Egg Co. for false, deceptive and misleading advertising claims related to the use of the term “pasture raised.” Interested consumers can access the legal complaint to learn more about the allegations.
I also found an article from PETA, with pictures, which made me cry ... where did we go so wrong? Who do we think we are?

Any-who. Happy Eggs are out.
Finally it dawned on me that, duhhh, why not find a local farmer who's selling eggs?
Wait a minute, I know one, even better, I used to walk by one every other week or so, when I was still walking. Farmer John!



This is the hen house and the vegetable garden ..

These lucky chickens have free roam around the house and gardens.

Yes! These are the REAL Happy Eggs! All different sizes and colors and fresh as can be!

Now THIS makes ME happy!

Talking about happy, a miracle has happened .. knock on wood .. but overnight, yes, literary over-night .. my heel was healed!
I still can't believe it and I'm still holding my breath, but I woke up last Saturday, got out of bed .. and didn't have any pain at all!
Beats me what happened! There's a few things that might have (happened), one of which is that I aggravated said heel so badly the day before (by just walking on it), to the extent that it was so painful I wanted to chop it off ..  but maybe, just maybe something got actually re-aligned or un-tangled (Baxter's nerve?) and snapped back into place?

                                                                 

Or maybe my in-soles, which felt like they did more bad than good, actually finally did work, maybe I just had to get used to them? Or maybe the massaging and electrocuting worked their magic?
Whatever it was, I'm (practically) pain-free for a whole week now! Yahoo!!
There's a little sensitivity every now and than, but I haven't walked normal on that foot for 5(!) months so yeah, my whole foot has to get used to 'normal' again, but so far so good ...

                   

Talking about happy! Funny thing is I'm now almost more careful to walk on it than when it was hurting .. thinking please, please let it not come back!
I'll give it a little more time but I hope that soon I'll be picking up my daily walks again!

Since the weather was so nice (74F!!) and we now have an hour longer light in the evening, we decided it was the perfect time to start our BBQ season!

                                    

                                    We dusted off the Barbie and threw on a huge T-bone.

Accompanied by a Baked Potato and a fresh spring salad we ate like Kings once again, and it was delicious!
Only thing missing .. our boy ...

  

                                                                  

Always right there when we fired up that BBQ  .. We miss him so!