Are we there yet?

Today is May 6th, and the sun is finally poking out late this afternoon after two miserable days of rain, especially today's torrent. Earlier in the week I was marveling (if that's the right word to express my mood) at waking to several mornings' frosts. We must live in a cold pocket of Zone 4 where we are; April 15th, the average last frost date for Thurston County, is long gone. The weather of the last couple days feels like we're maybe in mid-April, though.

On the good side, Paul amended our garden space with the big heap of the winter's old hay and manure plus three yards of mushroom compost and tilled it in well with a rented John Deere. He also, after taking pity on me and my whining about hours' worth of weeding making barely a dent in our raised garden area, tilled the weeds for me. I was delighted!

We don't have our seeds yet but are, I think, pretty certain of what we'll look for this year. We know our biggest challenge will be using the produce we plant AND staying on top of the weeds, two tasks that got away from us last summer. The thought of fresh beans, corn, tomatoes and broccoli, though, make my mouth water and I want to do well by our garden this year to help those plants thrive!

I'd like to believe I've seen the last of the April-like rain for now...I know I will regret that statement come late-August when our place feels like it sits on Mars instead of in South Thurston County.

At least the cattle have decided to make an appearance this afternoon after sheltering in the dry barn all day!

Sheila and T-Bone partially reflected in today's Skookumchuck Pond. Thank you, 7-hour deluge.

Thrilled to finally be outside, Annabel takes a break from playing in and on her food to gaze at her mother.