Celebration and seeds!

      We had a very exciting weekend this past weekend! The girls came for a visit, and we celebrated my in-laws 50th. wedding anniversary! The celebration was a surprise to the happy couple, and boy, were they surprised! Everything turned out very nice, and we got to visit with family members we don't get to see very often.

      I also started the rest of the tomato and eggplant seeds. I see no growth yet from the other seeds, but it takes 7-14 days for germination. I really should have started them sooner so they'll be bigger going into the ground! I just hope they germinate! I also need to get outside and do the work mentioned before on the raised beds! Today it isn't raining, but the wind is quite gusty! It's rained a lot here and been windy and cold, so I couldn't get anything done outside. I hope to do something today since the temps are supposed to be in the mid-50's. Then it's supposed to turn cold with possible snow flurries this weekend. The weather usually changes before then, so we'll see.

      My co-op order should be here by this weekend and I'm so excited to see what all I get! I kept adding to the order since January, so it will be quite a few items. Some weeks I have grocery money left over, so I save that and will pay for the order with the savings. I haven't been able to save any grocery money in the past two weeks, since it seems prices just keep going up! The order will help with that since buying in bulk is cheaper, and I'll save money in the long run. I've really been trying to be more frugal with food and have had very little to give to the dogs. They wait every morning for me to throw out something, but I only have a few crumbs for them. Good for us, bad for the dogs. They have their dog food, so they're not starving!

      Hope the weather is nice where you live! Just be thankful for moisture instead of drought! Have a good week! Blessings from Bama!

Layla and Yasmine love to swing!

Layla isn't afraid to let Delilah eat from her hand!

Yasmine is feeding Daisey from a cup.

So young and in love!

These photos hold many memories for the happy couple!

The wedding day. The two photos above are passport photos. They met and married in Germany!

The lovely cake.

The surprised couple and their son.

These glasses are too cute!

A framed puzzle put together by their daughter in only two days. Helen has visited the castle in Germany before.

The rest of the seeds I wanted to start.

A keeper recipe for baked chicken Parmesan!

I finished the job!

      How good it does feel to finally have the two empty beds filled with dirt and ready to plant! I got it done just before the rain set in! I don't care for these dreary, cloudy, rainy days; and I appreciate the sun so much more after days like this! At least we're not under fifteen inches of snow! I don't know what I'd do if we were! Go out and make snow angels, for one! I love the snow and think it is so pretty, but after a long winter of it, I guess it does get old. At least I can be inside and get inside tasks accomplished. The girls are coming tomorrow, so I've got a day to get ready for them. I missed them last weekend, so I'm looking forward to them being here.

      I got some of my seeds started! That's another plus for being inside! I ran out of t-labels, so I didn't plant the rest. I will go to WM this weekend and pick up some while I'm there. I don't like to make special trips just for one or two things. I'm so excited to see the first seedlings appear, but it probably won't be for 7-14 days!

      The weather is affecting the hens laying! Today I only got one egg! So much for cream brulee! It takes four large egg yolks! It's that, or no eggs for breakfast in the morning. I like eggs for breakfast, so I may have to buy some eggs for the cream brulee. I'm surprised I have any eggs! Nine hens just don't add up to one egg! How are ya'lls hens doing?

      I'm curious to see what next week's weather brings. I have other jobs in the raised beds that need to be done. They won't be as extensive as removing and replacing dirt, although that is what I'd like to do. I'm just going to skim off the top layer and replace it with manure and leaves. Hopefully, that will break down into nice compost for future veggies. I would also like to plant some early spring veggies. I will think on that and let you know next week. Hope ya'll have a great weekend! Blessings from Bama!

This was a new dish I tried this week: cheese and bean stuffed burritos with taco seasoned meat sauce on top.

Filling the cells with seed starting mix.

The finished bed, yay!

Peppers planted.

I need to skim off the top and put in some good stuff.

This bed still has garlic and some beets. When I harvest them, I'll skim off the topsoil and replace it with manure and leaves. The bed above it has some turnips, so when I harvest them, I'll do the same.

Next day, I planted tomato seeds.