Trip to Palm Springs

The kids and I had a week vacation in Palm Springs! We accompanied Marshal who sat through thirty some hours of lectures in the conference rooms of a resort hotel. The three of us along for the ride, rented a car and explored the desert. We tried to reenact Mom's memories of sixty years ago. Palm Springs has changed since then. Imagine that. This was the closest we got to the downtown Desert Museum and candy apples on Palm Avenue. We toured the two oldest homes in Palm Springs, one wood frame and the other adobe, both relocated to the village green, and I bought the kids ice creams at the old-fashioned candy store.

Spring is here!

Lilac buds reaching through the weathered boards.

Gabe spent the day enjoying the sun. I didn't have the heart to call him in. He coaxed Lydia out early for baseball, soccer, chicken herding, sorting the household trash for me, rope swinging from the willow, and much more.


Tigey content in the warm afternoon too.

Planted herb starts and primroses in every pot I had last week to protect them from freezing or drying out in their little black starter packs while I was gone. Couldn't wait to have something alive and growing!

Updates

Marshal surprised me this weekend with installing the dishwasher! I brought home another Ikea chandelier, and he had that up and working last night. He is pleased with his growing abilities. This house will make him a plumber and an electrician yet!
Weeping Willow is turning green! Today was the first "felt" Spring day, warm with delicious sunshine.
Marshal finished measuring out the garden beds and mowed the grass this weekend too.

Two Cakes

Mom made delicious cakes. Dad made vanilla and mint chip ice cream.
On the weekend, I was able to join Luke for an early celebration with Mom and Dad. Mom made us a fabulous dinner as well. I'm behind the camera. Dad got a photo of me though.

Timely Reminder and Promise

Genesis 9:14And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud: 15And I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh. 16And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth.

My neighbor, Sue, told me this was a place of beautiful rainbows. We've seen two in the space of a week. Both times, one end of the arc touches down right in the middle of the pasture in front of the house.

Around the Homestead

Chicken Herder
Irresistible shot of Silky-doo, our rooster.

Marshal's past time of late - pruning old orchard trees, apple and pear. Unfortunately, he took a fall from the top most rung of the ladder with the dead branch to the left. He walked away looking like he'd been whipped and some cracked ribs, but blessedly not critically hurt. He was back in the tree, not letting it beat him.
Marshal began to stake out the location for garden beds. He is enjoying the time change, added daylight in the evening. He made some progress tonight with measured 4x8 beds and a corn and squash site.

Lydia today, happy with her continuous self-serve dish of yogurt. When it comes to yogurt, she is all about unlimited refills.

Backsplash and Eggshell

Mom and I read in a poultry magazine about drying and pulverizing eggshells in the blender for the garden soil. Our hens have stepped up in production. They all laid an egg today, seven. Yahoo! Last week, Gabe found a self made nest (chicken made, that is) on the top straw bale in the hen house, sixteen eggs - the mother lode! That was a surprise and a relief to know our hens were laying well after all! We had no idea how long they had been laying up there! All the eggs were still fresh for good eating. We learned how to water test them - sink or float, and I double tested them before use by breaking them individually on a plate for appearance and smell. They must have not been more than a couple weeks worth of laying, and outside has been a cold storage zone. No, not yet feeling springtime warmth, but there is spring green on the willow!
Pretty pastels. The shells are strong. Gabe says the chickens are eating the oyster shell. I'm counting on the recycled precious minerals for the soil and ultimately for fresh garden herbs and vegetables!
Filled the blender twice.
About a cup and a half of powder to add to my jar.

Note in all above photos that I am also showing off my new back splash! Cousins Steve and Gary and Marshal measured and cut, nailed and glued, Saturday before last. The pre-primed mdf bead board does not yet have the final coat, but is new and fresh, relative perfection. When I stood at the sink, doing the dishes, everything felt new and fresh!