March Musings

It’s a rainy, cold March day after a period of beautiful sunshine and bright 60 degree weather. I’m really enjoying Virginia’s spring – it’s a long, soft spring, unlike the “on/off” of New York weather. In New York, it can go from cold and wet 40 degree weather to 80 and sunny in a matter of just two weeks, and feel like there is no spring. Here, the spring feels soft, long and gentle, like the autumn was. I will like this weather if this is the usual!

I’ve been working like crazy on the perennial garden. It is a huge tract of land between the edge of the woods and the driveway that we left bare. Originally we thought we would plant wildflowers there. I don’t know how it morphed into a perennial garden, but now it has become a formal garden, with paths and walkways and edging. I’ve been collecting rocks from all over the property and using them to edge the driveway and the garden. Over the winter I ordered a ton of plants – peony garden, shade gardens, a hummingbird garden collection, and about two dozens various perennials, including poppies, climbing roses, and many more. I am feeling the pressure as the emails start to come in announcing that the plants are on their way. We picked up two truckloads of horse manure from Arabians Destiny, a wonderful Arabian horse farm here in Virgina, and now I am working that into the soil too, hoping against hope that some of it will break down into this sandy clay soil before the plants arrive. We have to purchase two arbors, one for each entrance into the garden, and a nice bench. I also want to get a solar fountain and more. But all of this is going to have to be one day at a time. I think that my garden is going to be my lifelong project!

I have so many ideas and wishes for this farm….we put in the orchard, and John has started planning the chicken coop. I would love to have this farm producing vegetables, fruit, and chickens for meat and eggs, and perhaps some sheep or goats for meat and fiber. My sister Ann has said that if I raise sheep she will take the wool, as she has always wanted to spin and weave on her own, and knowing her she will use it! I wish I could be outside working on the farm every day. Even as a little girl, I wanted to be outside in the sunshine and fresh air as much as possible. I just love rolling up my sleeves and getting my hands dirty in the garden. My body feels like a truck ran over it from lifting rocks all week, but I’ve got to imagine that this is a better “full body workout” than if I did my videos in front of the TV in the basement. And from my office, the view that is shaping up from the perennial garden is spectacular!

But now back to work….to pay for the solar powered fountain I want to buy too…