The glories of Spring

We were delighted that the bulbs planted in the autumn did come to life in late April after the snow had finally left for Siberia. Are you like we are, forgetting what you planted until they show themselves? Though the Spring show is unfashionably late she does hang around a bit and only dropped her last petals in the end of May. This is the rose and lily bed near the chapel. I promise more flower picture from here when the roses become more visible.

After chapel this morning (in June) we picked the first ones

of the summer for the altar. We missed going to

the chapel this winter. Maybe this year we can get it

sorted for a path and an electric cable for heat and light.

Now we are into the middle of July and days are disappearing much too quickly.

Ian has accomplished project upon project but the list seems endless.

Today was a dreaming day. We walked the land and thought about the jobs remaining and what we wanted to do for the future around our house, creating a garden. Tomorrow our neighbor hopefully will come to help with the digging of the septic system. It is a hand dug project. I actually helped Ian get the second one ton cement ring in place on top of the first one that he and Angis, our builder, dug last Autumn. Trust me, my help was minimal but we did do it together. Ian is doubting that we can get this system in place before winter but I am praying for daily miracles. Join me?

We are pleased with the growth of our animals, especially the young ones. We now have a German Merino ram on our registered farm. Ian sheared the 4 ewes and the ram last week.  In his younger years as a contract shepherd dealing with 20,000 sheep he had electric blades and was fast. This year it was hand blades and a whole new process but he ‘done good.’

I've been fleeced!

We have the lambs to do, at the end of the summer. Most of the sheep were docile but there was one, Freckle Face, the leader of the herd who was not pleased with the whole process. I think if you interviewed them today they would say, it is better without those wool coats on hot and humid summer days.

Our gardens both flower and veg are doing well. The sweet corn has tasseled nicely and ears are beginning to form. Our 200 Broccoli plants are shaping up nicely.

 

This is where I drop in the fact that my eating habits are quite extreme now. I eat primarily raw green vegetables along with red, yellow, green sweet peppers and tomatoes add to that salmon and tuna. Why? To move into a Ph balanced lifestyle and hoping to get rid of the diabetes, certainly it has helped. I have cut my sugars in half and dropping the weight. As the weight goes the energy is rising.

 

We had an interesting day yesterday. We were invited to join our neighbors at the closest cemetery for the yearly remembrance and blessing of the dear departed.Our neighbors are relatives of the original owners of our farm. The lady, Inga who sold it to us was visiting her aunt and we had a lovely reunion. After the event we returned for a lovely meal and conversation, translated by Artis, Inga’s youngest son. Kaspars, who worked for us last summer is in full time employment and couldn’t join the rest of the family. Though this type of event is not part of our faith practices we go to show respect and involvement in the culture. During the meal we were able to plant of few seeds of the gospel and pray for more such opportunities. They are lovely people and we are blessed to have them as neighbors and friends.

 

As we sat eating I looked out the window and there were our turkeys, Ben and Betty with their 3 children nipping away at Nina’s flowers. Ian jumped up and herded them back home. Now we must do turkey checks through out the day. Nina and her son Uldis expressed no concern over the turkey present except that they cross the road and could be hit. Not the best way to have a turkey dinner.