Irises everywhere --April 2012

Sunday Sunday

Both animals brought us "gifts" yesterday. KK brought a fat mouse down from the barn area and ate it after showing it off and playing with it for a while. Then Skeeter came to the front yard carrying a young rabbit. I know that sounds rough, but that's nature out here. Today is a gorgeous day. The sun is out and the air is just a little chilly, around 55 degrees when I went outside to pick some chocolate mint for garnish on the breakfast plates. We're serving our "trademark" Appaloosa to our guests this morning -- orange juice and Whirlwind winery's Honey Apple wine. Today will be a good day to rake leaves and clean out some of the gardens, and maybe hike at Roman Nose State Park. On Friday, Andy and a group of friends, local citizens, and school officials and teachers held a day of instruction (don't tell the kids they were being taught anything!) and fun at RNSP for Watonga middle school students. He had Kaci Cronkhite tell some of the history of her family and the park, and Larry Roman Nose shared some of his family history in the area. Travis LIndley, park manager, had arranged for some park rangers to talk about the Park's plants and animals, and another park ranger taught about stewardship and got the kids to help pick up trash. Then the kids got to ride paddle boats and play miniature golf after lunch. This was a really good joint effort among Friends of Roman Nose Association, the Park, the school district, and the Country Store at the Park. The weather cooperated-- it was a little cool but not rainy. I hoope to get some photographs to post, but check out the Watonga Republican next issue for some photos and maybe a story.

Mid-April

The last "average" frost here is April 10, or so I've been told, but this year the last day of below 30 degree temperatures was mid-March. So, morel mushroom hunting season has come and gone and as of now the trees have all leafed out, irises are in bloom,and we are getting daytime temperatures in the 70's with chilly (50's) overnights. Spinach, mesclun, arugula, parsley, cilantro, basil and snow peas are growing (good salad mix). Flowers are blooming all around the property. Andy has had to mow the yard a couple of times already. I'm constantly working on raking up leaves from the flower beds.