Peach Blossom

Wild Plums

~ delicious jelly...

Spike didn't make too long in captivity, but he sure was fun while he lasted.

Indian Paintbrush

Indian Paintbrush

Mustang Grapes in the making

At long last, Phillip now owns a tractor. It'll pay for itself in no time. He already has a side job mowing the neighbor's pasture. We've mowed our own pasture, and plowed more land for a bigger garden. For several years, Phillip has been researching agri-business, farmer's markets, and farming in general as a means to supplement our income. The Lord has found favor in his endeavors and continues to bless his efforts.

Not only that, it's our passion; something we both enjoy and want to do together as a family. I have put my cooking business to the side and putting my focus into the farm. It's what brings me the most joy. We are now searching for a few implements to make planting easier and more efficient, and a box blade to finally grate our driveway.

I think Phillip said our rows are 200 feet.

He'll plow and disc the rest of the land to the fence which is all the land to the left of this picture. Additionally, we lease the 16 acres to the east of us where we'll begin to cultivate and plant, as well. We've got about 20 acres of plantable land, total, if we really wanted to plant that much.

Saturday morning, we set out on a tractor quest. Phillip had been doing his homework for months and knew what he was looking for. He'd already looked at two, but wanted me to go with him so I could help make a decision. I'm always game for a ride, especially since I knew where we were going and I'd get some fabulous pictures along the way. Spring time in Texas is, by far, the prettiest of our seasons.

There's just something about the country that draws me in. I'm pretty sure it's the peacefulness and solitude I so deeply covet. I remember Phillip's Mom saying that being at the ranch in Llano "clears the cobwebs". It's really so true. Our lives are so cluttered with stuff that, honestly, has no meaning; especially no eternal meaning. I can't live off fluff for very long, truthfully. I'm just not wired that way.

Someday, I would LOVE to have a collection of barn photos and publish them.

Spring blessings from the country ~

Broccoli

Why am I posting a picture of a broccoli plant?

Well....let me just say that by tomorrow morning this photo may very well be the only memory I have of the eighteen plants I put in the ground several weeks ago. Over the course of about two weeks, the wild bunnies have been nibbling our promising vegetation as a midnight snack, it seems. As it stands this evening, I have two left.

I'm kinda sad.

We've never planted broccoli out here before.

Obviously, Peter and his family are glad we did.

More Images of Spring

I'm still so delighted to have discovered Dogwood trees out here! They're SO beautiful!

The hens are laying again; another sure sign of a new season.

I never tire of taking shots of baby pine cones. They make spectacular photos.

Unidentified Orange Goo

The other day, when Phillip and I were inspecting the Dogwoods, I spotted this orange goo on a cedar limb. It's a jelly-type substance that is very shiny. At first I thought it might be sap but dismissed that notion as I my thoughts filtered through all sorts of fungus or the possibility of insect eggs. If anybody happens to know what this is, I'd be so thrilled if you'd leave a comment.

Take a walk outdoors sometime soon.

There are treasures awaiting.

We just have to slow down to see them.

Indian Paintbrush

The Indian Paintbrush is considered a Texas wildflower. We are blessed with many on our property. ~They grow well in really bad soil. :) ~ We've now spotted our first; a sure sign that Spring is definitely just around the corner.

Dogwood Bloom

Back in September, we had our property logged. That just means we sold the timber and a logging company came and cut down every tree they wanted and hauled it off to the lumber yard. In the process, there's a lot of damage to trees and bushes so we had to clearly mark specific places we didn't want demolished. I had an inkling that a certain clump of trees was something, just didn't know what. You'd think since I live in East Texas, I'd know what a Dogwood tree looks like, but I didn't. I just marked it because it looked like something.

Later, as a friend and I were walking the property, she identified the little clump. Needless to say I was delighted. It ends up that we have at least three Dogwood trees. I'm sure there's more if we could get through the debris. Phillip and I went walking last night and I checked on the Dogwoods....

I'm grateful the Lord is showing me His beauty in the midst of what is now an unsightly mess. It'll take years for us to get the place piled up and burned. What we really need is a bulldozer, but at this point we don't even own a tractor.

Springtime in East Texas

Spring is a beautiful time of year here in East Texas. I could take my camera out every day and get new images of the beauty all around me. It's always exciting for me to take an array of shots, load 'em on the computer, and see what comes up. I'm not a professional by any stretch of the imagination so it's very much a surprise most of the time. Several days ago, our wild plums were in bloom......

They are so beautiful at this stage.

Capturing the insects is just icing on the cake. :)

Blessings to you ~ Angela