Winter Storm Rocky at YJ Acres

James and the Assistant returned to school today for the first time in a week.  Last Wednesday, I picked up the Assistant early when I picked up her sister from preschool.  As of last night, here's the view from our back porch:

And from Q's bedroom.  It may be hard to see, but there are individual icicles for each of the buds on these eager-for-spring trees.  We'll see what buds survived as the ice and snow thaw.

We had over two feet of snow, meaning several inches of precipitation, praise God!  

Now to see what the next week brings!

Until next time, remember, this is not paradise.  It's Purgatory Ranch.

Winter Storm Q at YJ Acres

8 am

8 am

9 am

9 am

Noon

Noon

the next morning

the next morning

An afternoon in the snow

Fun in the snow!

Unexpected Visitor!

Why our patio was chosen as the place of decease is beyond me?!

Until next time, remember, this is not paradise.  It's Purgatory Ranch.

Rain!

Almost .6"

Dew and rain, bless the Lord!
Lightning and clouds, bless the Lord!

Orchard

View from the north/northeast

View from the south/southwest

the lone cherry bush, to the east of the driveway

And, lest I forget:

			(SOUTH)
	Peach		Gala apple		Winesap semidwarf apple
(driveway)	Redskin Peach		Jonathan apple		x
	Honeycrisp apple		Cortland apple		Honeycrisp apple
			Macintosh
			(NORTH)

Spring...

... always tries to come a little early.

Go back to sleep, little bulbs!
The girls, Mom, and I planted hundreds of bulbs last fall.
I look forward to seeing what grows... but not yet!

Site of the future herb garden

a work in progress
but progress is better than nothing!

What are we going to do with this ugly guy?

We should have watered our cover crop a little more last fall.
This is the consequence of a pregnant momma who can't face 100+ heat!

Until next time, remember, this is not paradise.  It's Purgatory Ranch.

katie z.

Fire!

Intentional, fortunately!

The gap in the trees pictured below may not seem like much to you, but multiply it by 10 for the various gaps in our tree break, and you'll understand how startling it is to have such a gap after six months without it.  James and Nathan took out our diseased pine trees, adding them to our ever-increasing burn pile.

On Saturday, the men were finally free and the weather cooperative enough to call for a burn permit.  And burn they did!

We even took care of the Christmas tree!

The pile burned down further, and the men were diligent in supervision, so there are only two stumps left.

Well done!

Until next time, remember, this is not paradise.  It's Pugatory Ranch.