Thursday, Feb. 19

We been having such fabulous late winter/early spring weather here in central Missouri. The snow is nearly all gone but the slick sticky mud is here. I have to wear shoes that won't pull off or I lose them to the mud. My slip-on garden
shoes just won't do out there right now.

The little chickens are now permanently out of the house and in the bird house. I've been working on this for several days. First just a few hours, then longer each day. Yesterday I locked them in the bird house all day then put them in a cage for the night. I can't let Mrs. G(guinea)to them or she will attack them and teach her 3 kids to do the same. But I'm hoping that a few days of solitary confinment in a small cage will have taught her to leave them alone. Her kids don't have the sense or inclination to bother them on their own. Today will tell if all will get along as I'll turn everyone lose this morning and watch how things go. The bunnies are out too and the cavies are now back out in the utility room in the large cage the chickens were in.

I bought a bag of 40 assorted gladiolus bulbs at WalMart the other day. They have some of those beautiful Mystery Day dahlias for very reasonable prices again this year. I don't know if I'll buy more of them but if Lenjo's catalog comes and she doesn't have them I may. My one clump got really large last year and I don't plan to divide it at all. I'll just get more and let it grow larger.

I'm ordering a Clapp's Favorite pear and a Fuji Apple trees as well as some boysenberries, a Patio Blueberry & Sweet Shrub from Henry Fields to add to our orchard and vineyard. I've never had much success with blueberries before but thought maybe if I raise one in a large pot maybe I can do better. The Duchess pear I got a few years ago was suppose to be self pollinating but now are not generally be listed as such. Only time will tell but there will be a pollinator out there now with the new one in case it is needed. If we don't get pears this year on the Duchess I'll know it needs a pollinator as it is 4 years old now. Last year it had lots of blooms but no fruit.

We have just a few daffodils poking thru the soil. I also have noticed some tulips, hyacinths, and other early spring bloomers popping thru in pots. No tulips thru tho at the cafe' but some of what I think are daffs up a 1/2" or so. I'm so eager to see how those beds do this spring. I know there will be more to plant and some to replace but over all I think it will do well. I sure hope so.

I got to work several hours at the cafe' yesterday washing dishes. They had gotten all the weekend dishes, pots, pans, etc done but had been really busy Monday and Tuesday so there was a full day of work there for me. When I left there wasn't more than a couple small items we had found hiding from us. It was nice to know the owners can walk in to a totally clean kitchen this morning. If they are busy today I may or may not have lots of dirty dishes to greet me tomorrow. They do try to keep up but there is a limit to how much they can get done and that is what I am there for.

The parakeets are talking up a storm right now. There are lots wild birds on the feeders this morning. They so enjoy the company of the wild birds.

GOD bless and keep each and all of you.