getting antsy for spring

 The weather here lately has been phenomenal. Beautiful blue skies, warm temperatures, plants starting to stir to life, warm saturated sunsets reflecting off the pond, baby calves in the pasture. People can't stay inside. It's funny how everyone thinks they're coping with winter & are fine until the sun breaks out; then we're all giddy & cheerful, smiling at people on the street, chatting it up at the checkout ("Beautiful weather lately, eh?"), a compulsion to be outside, tooling around. I saw these strawberries at the grocery store, and even though the only fruits on my list were apples & bananas (sigh--winter fruit--bleh!), I couldn't resist. They were delicious, not white inside & styrofoamy like most winter berries. Spring is on the way! (Somewhere anyway.) I have to admit, I feel pretty lucky to be here when I talk to any of my family & hear that the kids had yet another day of school canceled & are dealing with single digits. (Ahem, they could come out here & experience some balmy weather...) 'cause we sure have been!

We spent our Saturday just basking in the sun. I'd forgotten how busy the farm can be when it's nice out; and it filled my little heart with joy to be a part of it:). There's something about the orderly rows of berry plants, the seas of red-stemmed blueberries, the pollen-y orchards of hazelnuts, cruising around in an slightly dented, muddy truck that feels perfectly right. This is where I'm meant to be, I know it.

All the farmers were out in their fields, pounding posts, spraying, scouting. The caneberries (that's a general term for blackberries, marionberries, boysenberries) are pushing out buds, & the hazelnut orchards are a magical green world of floating pollen. It's so exciting! Dar's baby blackberry plants appear to have escaped the cold weather we had in December, so we should still have berries in a few years.

Like I said, everyone was out. 

 Aren't these photos of the boys hilarious? This is pretty typical; they love being close & together; I've never known a family quite like them. I'm so thankful to be part of them now.