The beautiful spring weather has finally arrived in Northwest Arkansas. We are so thankful to see the sunshine!
We have had so much rain I was beginning to wonder if we’d ever see the sun again.
The horses and cattle are enjoying the green grass for grazing. In between baseball and softball practice, our children are getting outside to take advantage of longer days.
Spring is a special season. Time to “clean up” around the farm and ready equipment for the first cutting of hay. Another bottle calf has arrived on the scene. Cuddles the bull calf has more attention than he probably knows what to do with. The kids have been taking turns feeding him. There is always a great debate on who’s turn it is to scoop the poop in his pen.
Our hen house has become a wayward home for spent hens and we are down to one lonely gal. There is a great household debate about whether to invest in a new crop of chicks or not. I’m certain my husband will appear out of nowhere with some this spring. Nobody likes being without fresh eggs. Stay tuned.
The season hasn’t really snuck up on me, all the signs were there – flowers coming up, grass turning green and more daylight. However, I am running behind. Every year I vow to downsize our garden. This year it’s going to have to happen – merely because I haven’t gotten a plan together. We will till it up this weekend and use the space to plant only the family favorites. The fence rows have been sprayed and it’s time to think about new vegetables and new flowers. I’m excited to see how it will all turn out.
One of my favorite parts of the season is watching the perennials resurrect themselves from the ground. I have been busy puttering around in flower beds pulling weeds and making room for new mulch. And probably just a “few new things.” I have managed to stay out of the local nurseries but I don’t think I can be held back much longer.
Our children are in the last quarter for this school year. Annual achievement testing will be over soon. Summer is just around the corner. We are excited about some new farm and business projects in the works. In the meantime, I’m looking forward to a few good baseball and softball games, riding horses and fishing some crappie out of our pond. There is nothing more fun than watching the farm come back to life and getting outside to watch our kids do their “thing.”
Last night, I made pizzas for a house full of children, our own and some extras. We ended our meal with popsicles. This is the stuff I look forward to and it makes me feel hopeful. Muddy kids, late nights and all the good stuff that comes with spring and summertime. I’m looking forward to all the charms of spring and summer, hope you are too, neighbor.
Jody Harris is a freelance communications specialist, gardener, ranch wife and mother of four. She and her family raise Angus beef cattle and other critters on their northwest Arkansas ranch. She is a graduate of Missouri State University. To contact Jody, go to ozarksfn.com and click on ‘Contact Us.’
