What a beautiful day

after a really stormy evening last night. We had quite the thunderstorms barrel through--our first really big Spring storm that wasn't snow (let's put it this way--if I'd been playing the "Gary England Drinking Game," I would have passed out after the first thirty minutes). I was so proud of Maggie--she barely noticed all the ruckus. She had a bit of wiggling at one point when the thunder and lightning increased a little, but she did really well. I didn't have to drug her or anything.

Today has turned out to be absolutely gorgeous. The sun is hot but the breeze is mild and cool and still has a tint of cool and rain to it. Days like these make me wish I was out on the farm again. Lately my mind has taken to wishing I could move out to my grandparents' place, up on a little hill with a pond below. I wouldn't need much, just a little place for me and Maggie and a little space for a garden. There are wild berry bushes and fruit and nut trees back into the property, and I could go looking for poke salad (for those of you who were not lucky enough to grow up in the backwoods, "poke salad" is a weed that grows wild around things like dead wood and such--it's really quite good). I'd love to go "off the grid" and power the place with solar and wind power. It would be heaven.

Then I realize that I still have to make a living, and that while I do pretty well right now, I couldn't get a job that pays as much any closer to the farm, so I'd have an hour commute both ways if I did move. And even with my present salary, I couldn't afford to build anything, so it's really only a dream.

I just need to win the damn lottery--of course, that would mean I would have to PLAY the lottery, but
still . . . .

So I read my books, play with my plants, and dream and hope for a day when it might happen--who knows . . . .

Meanwhile, my seedlings are coming along fairly well. This is one of the two 8-ball zucchini I've started:


Not the best picture, but oh well. I've put everything outside today since it's so beautiful out, very little wind and very warm. I noticed this morning that I have itty, bitty lettuce sprouting up--this weather is really good for it right now. In the next couple of weeks I need to start buying stuff to plant tomatoes and other stuff in. That means hauling all that up the stairs--YAY!

I was lucky enough to be able to attend Missy's baby shower at my old job this week. It was weird going back--the place seemed different, somehow. It was good to see everyone, and my old boss seemed genuinely glad I was there (I think he may miss me just a little bit). We're planning to get together for lunch soon, but April is a horribly busy month for him, so it will probably be May before we can do that. Missy only has about six weeks left, and I think she's getting a little anxious (yes, you are--I can tell!). But she got a lot of really cute things and some practical stuff, too, so all in all she had a good haul.

The best and funniest thing at the shower (as well as a truly sad statement about our educational system) was the cake. It was meant to say "Welcome Baby" but instead said "Weclome Babby." I guess Albertson's should make sure their job candidates can spell before they hire them for the bakery.

My market had the most beautiful red and yellow peppers this week for 69 cents apiece, and since they're usually they're more like $2 apiece, so I had to buy some. As the weather gets warmer, I want to eat better, so this was a plus for me. Last night I was cooking them with some squash and onions (basically ratatouille without the eggplant), and when I cut open the red pepper I found this:


Isn't this strange? I've never seen anything like it before.

And one last Spring photo--I took this when I went back for Missy's shower--I love tulips: