Hitched!

What a weekend! Family and friends arrived from far and wide to celebrate the union of my daughter and her beau.  The weather was typical New England fickle early Spring, everything went mostly as planned although we had to move the ceremony inside instead of out on the hill sloping down to the water,  because BRRRRR.   We all had a wonderful night under the big top, dancing our fool heads off thanks to a DJ who knew how to read the room, enticing young and old  to join in the fun.   I’ll share more photos when we have the professional shots but here’s a sneak peek.

At around 2 am after everyone had retired for the night… three of us came down with the nasty stomach bug (norovirus) that’s been going around the midwest and northeast.  It was ugly.  Then a day later, it hit the rest of us here on the farm.   Oddly.. and thankfully.. this particular outbreak did not spread to our guests.  Amen for that…. and the miracle that it didn’t hit us just 12 hours sooner.  We are all feeling better after two days of being mostly in bed if not in the bathroom.   Fun times!

Yesterday before the rain I headed out into the woods to hunt the tiny spring blooms I look for each year – they are the message sent from mother nature that indeed the growing season has arrived, if a little  fickle with a bit of back and forth. Winter has been reluctant to loosen it’s Grip!  That old saying is very true though –  if you don’t like the weather in New England, wait a minute or two…   Tonight we expect more heavy rain and some wind.  Having already lost a few of the towering pines at the front of our property, I hope we don’t lose more of them. They were planted at least 50 years ago in rows, so we have a literal pine forest out there that is aging.

The tiny blooms along the trail out behind the farm fields here….

Long spur violet

nightcap

Trout Lily

And so far in the garden on the hill  we have planted the potato trenches and the garlic is thriving… the warmer days make outside chores more enjoyable and my soul is lifted, face to the …. well not the sun very much lately, but I remain hopeful! LOL.

The Mr. rarely takes time off but this year upon his 60th birthday I told him I’m going on a few adventures whether he comes with me or not. It’s time we expand our horizons at least a little bit and do more of what brings us pleasure instead of nose to the grindstone 24/7.  We’re taking a few days to explore a bit of southern Maine in mid May and I’ll report on that then. I’m excited for a happy change of scenery, a little adventure –  I hope you find time to do the same in whatever way is enjoyable for you –

A delicious salad recipe I haven’t seen before…

This Blackberry Avocado Arugula salad makes the most of fresh produce with cucumber, avocado, hazelnuts, vegan feta and a lime mint vinaigrette!

Till soon –