Homesick

One thing I have realized after entering the work world that there are things I miss terribly at home......things I used to do.........like taking walks with Sophie in the early mornings. But I appreciate things more also. I also realized, after today, that there are some things I do not like about my new job....................I love my workplace, the ones who work with me, and what I do..............however, it is the most unglamourous job ever. It does me no good to wear makeup,..........I get coated in grease from cooking over the grill...........and I have to wear a hairnet..........yuck. Today, I walked in from work and my son commented on how good I smelt..............puzzled........(he has never said that to me in my lifetime).......I said...........thanks, but I am not wearing cologne...........he said, "you smell like a hamburger".............sigh..........

This is the most pretty time of year. The grounds are covered in wildflowers of every color and plant form. Sophie and I take long walks now in the afternoon, and the fragrance is just wonderful. I am greeted with cheery wildflowers that are on each side of our road drive way. What a wonderful way to be welcomed home in the afternoon!
The blue bonnets have mixed in with all of the yellow wildflowers, as well with the purple prairie aster.

The red Indian blanket flower pulls my eyes away from the abundant yellow daisies. They grow in large clumps and I find myself wanting to pick bouquets to bring inside.

A cold front has moved into Texas and I wore my sweater while I watered my vegetable garden last night. I am also picking bouquets of onion..........

and radishes.................they are from the Hometown Seed company, who graciously sent me seed to plant in my garden. Everything this company sent to me has now sprouted, on time, just as their instructions state. These radishes are so wonderful tasting. As it is, I am still keeping up with my gardening and my embroidery..............however, I have slowed my stitch work down quite a bit. I have gotten to know the "regular customers" at the diner..........not by their face, I never see them, but by their orders. I don't have to ask what kind of jelly one might want, or do they want one or two pieces of toast. I now have a feel for the kitchen I work in , and it is almost like a home kitchen to me now. The lunch hours are hectic and stressful, ..................it's like a whole bunch of black birds coming in to eat at one, tiny bird feeder, and it's a miracle that they all get a few grains to eat................... I look up after the rush and find that it is almost 2 in the day and everyone has been fed and sent along their way. So for you who have asked, yes, I still love my job..............yes, I am exhausted on some days..............but coming home, lifts me up. How about you? Do you work and miss doing some things at home? What do you like to do best when you get home? I would love to hear.

The Juggling Act Is Over

As many of you know I have 4 blogs..........that's right, 4. And as many of you have thought(and it's ok if you have)..................that is probably about 3 too many.................and now in my struggle to make a living and a life all at the same time..............4 blogs is getting to be too much for me to keep up with. I am going to blog my recipes and thoughts about farm life here on Eggs In My Pocket............discontinuing My Country Kitchen blog and Pleasant Prairie Farm blog. I am going to keep Yesteryear Embroideries blog as a gallery of sorts of what I am working on in embroidery and as a link to my Etsy shop. I really love to blog, but in my less spare time, find it hard to write on 4 blogs and to comment to everyone...............and I am sure it is troublesome for you to hop from one blog to another. I find that sometimes I like to just get on my blog and jot down a thought or two for that day............do you do the same? There might be times when I blog every day on just something that happened and then it might take me a week to come out of blogging block. Anyhow, I will have every thing sorted and simplified by the weekend, letting everyone know on my other blogs where to find what I am blogging about. What about you? Have you done more than one blog and then found yourself wanting to stop juggling and to make things more simple and more enjoyable? I will try to catch up with all of you and stop by to say hi at your blogs by this weekend.

It's wet when.............

In the early morning hours.................before the sun is awake and smiling it's warm smile across the land.............a strange, loud , sound can be heard..........coming from every direction...........it almost sounds like creaky old rocking chairs..............being slowly rocked...........back and forth..............but no..............it comes from this cute little creature. The rain toad. I placed him in an old enamel dish pan and he patiently let me take his photo...........he's photogenic..........don't you think?? Best of all...........when one hear can hear the croaks of these toads.............it can only mean one thing.............

Rain...........and lots of it.
It has been raining cats and dogs...............well, toads...... here in our area. The sky has been full of dark, smoke colored, clouds and the air has once again turned chilly.

My newly sprouted garden has been drenched and I can't wait to see how fast it will now grow with Mother Nature's help.

Boo has grown impatient with me splashing in the mud and wants to go inside to her favorite spot by the window for a nap. I think we might get more rain tomorrow. How about you? What has Mother Nature brought your way? I hope it is good and I would love to hear!

Blooming and Sprouting

Cooking at the little diner has been a wonderful experience. It's exhausting work and I find myself extremely tired by the time the sun sets in the sky. Even though I have a good bit of day time left to my day............it is hard to get everything accomplished...........like gardening and embroidering and blogging. I have designated different days for the flower gardens, the vegetable gardens and the greenhouse. I have done the same with my on-line Etsy shop for my embroidery.I am trying to keep up with my blogs at least once a week and hope to stop by and say hi to all of you who visit. Since becoming acquainted with Hometown Seed Company, I have been planting the seeds they have sent to me.

I have already planted the early spring seeds, such as radishes, carrots, beets, cabbage, Swiss chard, romaine lettuce, spinach, and Lincoln peas (pictured above.) To my delight, they have all sprouted and are growing well. I also have onions(planted last fall) that are being harvested now and I planted the greenhouse tomato plant out into the garden. It is covered in green tomatoes.
Out on the prairie grounds the wildflowers are all springing up and showing off their brilliant colors. I can smell their fragrance in the wind.

The Blue Bonnets I planted last fall, have also made their appearance. I hope by now that all of you, from all of your little corners of the world are seeing spring like weather? Or are some of you still experiencing snow? Have you started your gardens? I would love to hear.

Happy Easter Dear Blogging Friends!