Texas Sunset - right outside my studio window!

12 X 16 Oil on canvas mounted on board

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Wow - you wouldn't know it today that it's Springtime in Texas. The thermometer is supposed to drop into the 30's tonight. Guess I'll be out covering tomatoes, although I'm pretty sure they'll be OK - they've been out for a while now and are pretty hardy.
We have been working around the clock for the past couple weeks changing up the way we garden. We have built 4 raised beds in the "little" garden and filled them with a wonderful mixture of compost made from leaves, grass, and assorted manures. Never thought I could be so excited about varieties of poop!
The  big garden has had a layer of alpaca poop spread on it and the potatoes and English peas have survived the reoccurring frosts fairly well. In addition I have finished planting the corn, black eyed peas, purple hulls and green beans. The onions planted last fall from seed are beginning to make bulbs and the cows are getting chopped beets almost daily, although they don't really need it as we actually HAVE GRASS!
Abbey's 2 calves are getting quite big and since it's almost time to let her have a 2 month rest, I'll be listing them for sale soon. She is due to calve in July which means I'll be without fresh milk starting mid-May. Hopefully my tummy will understand...
More farm reports: The 14 chicks that hatched in the incubator 6 weeks go are all doing well and it looks like half are roosters - following the odds. Guess we'll be eating stewed chicken here in a couple months...
I have also ordered 10 turkeys from the feed store (it was the fewest I could get). I cannot imagine containing 10 turkeys, so I expect I will sell at least 6 of them on Craig's List. Ideally I would like to keep 2 for breeding and eat the rest. Turkeys are unpredictable, though, so we'll just go with the flow on this endeavor.
Oh, I almost forgot the most exciting news of all: I CAUGHT A BEE SWARM! Our bees had been acting restless for several days. I was heading out to the corral to check on something and when I walked under the cedar elm, I heard a loud buzzing and I wondered briefly why the bees were around a tree with no blossoms...? I look up and saw a hug football-sized wad of bees about 15 feet up. WOW! I ran to get Mike to bring me a ladder, a box and a saw while I hurriedly donned my beekeeping garb and mixed some sugar water spray. As it turned out, I really didn't need to be so cautious. While they flew madly around me as I sawed off the limb they were clinging to, none landed on me or even tried to sting. It was unnerving at first and I was shaking all over, but it was exhilarating, too!
We called our friends, fellow beekeepers, and offered the swarm to them, as they had lost theirs due to cold this past winter. PLUS they are our alpaca poop providers and I feel we are still getting the best end of the deal! Boy, this has been a busy Spring!
Leviticus 26:5

Your threshing will continue until grape harvest and the grape harvest will continue until planting, and you will eat all the food you want and live in safety in your land.

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