My World

Well things are temporarily looking up here. Still no job on the horizon for hubby, but he's still dutifully looking.  And I still worry about him near non-stop. AND I REALLY WISH IT WOULD STOP RAINING. I am in Eastern Washington and we are supposed to be on the edge of a high dessert so this near constant wet weather is NOT supposed to the be the norm here. Seattle yes, Eastern Washington - No.  It's so hard to see that the snow is finally gone and not be able to do a dang thing outside cause we have a freakin moat around our house, not kidding - 3-4 inches of standing water surrounds our house and the sump pump runs near non-stop....

First sign of spring, the birds return and wonder why the heck I stopped feeding them...

So while we wait for it to stop raining. We are progressing in our quest to become more self sufficient, and are expanding the garden yet again this year, despite last years disappointing harvest. We learned from the experience and are hoping for a better year this year. We are NOT investing in hanging tomato plants this year. The ones we had in the ground out produced the hanging ones. Instead of trying to start lots of our plants indoors early we are planting from seed as its just to difficult to harden the little things before they are tossed out in our infinitely harsh conditions. It's too cold, too windy, too hot and and too wet all at once, I think each area must present its own unique challenges to gardening - but ours seems especially difficult at times... 

The seeds we are using this year are ummm....what's the name for them? When there aren't hybrid seeds and you can save the seeds you produce and use them the next season? Anyhow those. I try to keep on top of what's going on in the government and the world (although i try not to fixate on it) and the things I have been hearing are not good. The stuff I have been hearing is that FDA has been making moves to take complete control of the country's food supply, even the seeds we buy to use in our own private gardens all in the name of safety. True to what I have been hearing I noticed a spike in the prices of those "non-hybrid" seeds. So our mission this year along with producing a fruitful garden will also be to save seeds. My friends - if I could ask to do one thing this year it would be grow a garden, learn to can your produce and save it. I do NOT like what is happening in the world lately and I am concerned for everyone. 

I took this picture in Jan? or Feb? Can't remember now, but it was a cold morning on my way work.

We have a pie cherry tree, a McIntosh Apple tree waiting to go in the ground (whenever the ground DRAINS A BIT), and sugar plum tree and Jonathan Apple that a neighbor promised us starts off of. We are adding to our chicken flock, we are thinking and additional 3 hens and we were going to pick up meat birds this years but Hubby thinks we should wait till next year considering the amount of chicken meat we already have in the freezer... 

OH we are also going to redo my herb garden, it looked pretty sad last year so we are saving a couple of plants of spearmint, peppermint, chocolate mint, lemon balm, oregano, marjoram, and dill - tilling everything else under and replanting those while added some more goodies - but that's a different post.

This is our new GSD pup Diesel. He's a bit of freak. LOL!

Yup, all teeth and puppy!

But also very cuddly in true German Shepherd fashion he loves his mom (that's my legs he parked his ass on incase you're wondering - all 106 pounds of him!)

I am also looking forward to bringing Patrick back to my place and am trying to make arrangements to get my stocks finished the last roof cap on the horse shed, I may even pick up a gate for the shed... I am thinking about taking Patrick down to the trainer for bit this summer, he still needs some work, and my back is never going to able to handle a fall or frisky bucking session from a green broke horse. Don't get me wrong I'm not stupid I know there are ways I could, if not prevent him from bucking at least strongly even the odds, but I would like him more finished and feel like I have done him a disservice by not having it done by now. 

I wish I could say I am planning to take him to a show or two this year but it would be too big of a draw on our limited temporary resources if I started showing again. Besides I feel like I have fallen so far behind everyone else that I would never catch up again. The level of competition on my old show circuit has increased substantially in my absence and its one of those things were I (A) don't want to spend the money to start over again and (B) don't feel like playing catch up to everyone else. Perhaps if I brought Pat down the trainer I could have him re-evaluated, I could be wrong but that's how I feel. 

I am taking Roper to a DockDogs competition this weekend - wish him luck! We aren't out win anything he's only been in the water ONCE this season as the ice just came off the lakes so this just basically for practice, training, and fun. There is a competition closer to us later in the summer that I think i will take him to as well. It's just a TAD cheaper than horse shows (sarcasm there incase you missed it) and a lot of fun, so I its something that will continue to do for now. I would love to see if our new pup Diesel can jump. He has alot of toy drive and he likes the water, the thing is that he's a beef-cake, and not the most athletic thing I have ever seen but who knows maybe he'll surprise me this summer...

See what happens when I'm bored?

That's all I got for now...