Spring is dragg’in it’s damn heels thats for sure. One week we get sunlight and temperature over 20, then back comes the winter cold. Most of my seedlings are confused as hell. I’m amazed that the sunflowers even sprouted. I’m not upset that they have, quite the opposite really. I’m encouraged by their attitude as they seem to be sticking it to the weather by coming to life no matter the climate challenges.

Despite the dodgy weather, all the signs of Spring are here; golden canaola fields, little blue flowers in the garden, and veggies coming alive. Along with the good signs of Spring there are the bad, the unwanted increase in pest bird activity making a mess of the garden and digging up all our efforts of recently planted seedlings. Pest control plan A has been initiated.

Out at the block, JB has been busy installing the irrigation set up which is a real pearler of a system and eventually will be completely automatic, saving us the worry and time watering it come summer. With the work JB and I have done we have almost 9 full rows with only one more that we plan to dig up for this seasons crop. Our spuds have finally popped up out of the soil and JB’s fruit tree’s are starting to flower, although the Walnut tree I planted a few months ago is still just a large stick standing straight like a lonesome fence post. JB is convinced it’s doomed and I’ve been jibbed. I still have faith.

Just like he has faith that his current art installation of ‘Odd MacDonald’ scarecrow will protect our plot from the blackbirds. I think the slug gun might be more effective. The damn scarecrow ‘thing’ freaks me out when I’m working out in the garden. It’s unsettlingly realistic in the corner of your eye, makes me kinda jumpy.

On a completely unrelated topic, our order of Paines incense arrived from the US along with our little log cabin burner, which in my most ‘manly’ voice I say is the cutest little thing I’ve purchased. Look at the incense smoke coming out of the chimney, so cute! Next thing I’ll be buying little Dick Proenneke figurines.