April 2021- Almost "Normal"

 Things are looking up at the Retreat.  The local nursery owner in town told me today that "we're over the cold temperatures" when I was in her shop looking at herbs and vegetables for the garden.  The redbud trees  starting budding out about ten days ago and haven't yet hit their peak. The daytime temperatures are now steadily in the 50's 60's and 70's, and if we get some rain in the next week to ten days it will be a good time to go hunting for morel mushrooms out in the woods!  Around the house, colors are starting to pop (mostly redbuds and bulbs).  I haven't seen any buds on any of the irises that are all around the property. I've posted a few pics on our facebook pages (Linda Barrett or Chaparral Retreat and Guesthouse).  

We had a new baby lamb born about a week ago and he is too cute.  We now have eight sheep. The kids are ready to sell off a couple of the rams we have and maybe even a female or two.  We have still not been able to teach Sadie (our mini-Aussie) to herd them -- Sadie would rather run and play in the woods. We have five laying hens and a rooster and they are all healthy and happy.

Drew and Jenna have already planted some vegetables in the garden and started some seedlings in the house for summer veggies.  I finally got our seed potatoes in the ground.  The walk up to the garden is uphill so I get some good exercise going up there to water, weed, and plant new things.  I have lettuces planted in large pots outside of the kitchen and we are able to harvest some for dinner already.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed that we don't have a bad year for grasshoppers. 

We have gotten our COVID vaccinations and have stayed safe and well over the past fifteen months. We are ready to open one room of the bed & breakfast and see how that goes.  We are getting more and more calls from musicians who want to know if we are going to continue our House Concerts, and we are ready to say "YES!" Check out the Oklahoma House Concerts page for updates on when and where!

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