Lessons Learned... so far.

The photo from yesterday morning is on the left. The photo from THIS morning is on the right. Just for comparison. And it's still snowing! 36 hours straight, now!

Today marked one week of work here on the ranch and in the greenhouse.

Here's what I've learned during my first week on the ranch!

* Those who work in glass houses, should wear sunscreen. Unless it's dumping snow.

* Patience is a virtue, especially when you're working with seedlings. Just like a watched pot never boils, watched seeds don't germinate. Just check their water levels and leave them alone. They're working on their own timeline!

* Don't walk on the rough wood floors in the bunkhouse without at least thick socks on.

* Snowboots are a necessity in Wyoming, even in April. Too bad mine are in California. My hiking boots are doing a good job, though!

* Being off the grid (i.e. without cell phone service) is a really good thing. It's amazing what you can see when you're not constantly glued to a cell phone!

* If you're not 100% positive that something is gluten free, ASK!

* People in Wyoming move at a much slower pace than Californians.

* Cooking dinner for one person is no longer fun now that I'm married. I can't wait for Jason to come back!

* Skype rocks.

* My husband flops around like a fish on a line while he sleeps. Even though I'm sleeping soundly without him, I'd rather be tired than lonely.

Happy Friday! And an interesting fact I just found out - this area is one of the top ice climbing areas in the United States. Apparently, Hawkeye is the place where people come for help when there's an accident climbing ice. (And no - that didn't happen today. Chad just walked in the kitchen and told me that story, so I thought I'd share.)

And for some totally unrelated food for thought, I read Donald Miller's blog this morning and was really struck by it! It's a short read. Let me know what you think!

Buddy hiding from the snow outside of the laundry/storage building.

The first bloom from a seedling started on the ranch opened up!

I trudged up to the mailbox after lunch as I do everyday. Here's the main road!

It's Snowing, its Dumping, the old man is...

I'm not sure how to finish that rhyme in the title. I was trying to be cute and use, "It's Raining, It's Pouring, the old man is snoring..." But the old man has to be doing something that rhymes with dumping, and well, humping is not appropriate. Thoughts?

So, I know... I keep posting about plants and snow.

But that's what I've got going on right now, and you know, I'm not at all bored by it! (You'd think after three years of college in Michigan, that I wouldn't get so excited about snow!)

Indy isn't bored of it either. He loves the snow! Check out this short video of him from this morning before several more inches fell.



Speaking of inches of snow, we're in a winter storm. We've had about 4 inches of accumulation since this morning, and are expecting another ten or so between tonight and tomorrow. WOW!

Heidi and her two kids (ages 3 and 1 1/2) bundled up and sledded down to see Indy and I (and to help me answer the question of what color flowers had been planted in what hanging basket). Her son and daughter are too precious, and were totally bundled up in snow outfits as only young kids can be. They looked like the Michelin man!

Indy thought they were pretty cute too. :)

And Indy was pretty cute... We've had so much snow that some has even accumulated on the ceiling of the greenhouse (usually it just melts right off of the glass). It started to drop off the ceiling in great big clumps, making a booming kind of a sound which scared the crap (not literally) out of Indy. He spent the last hour or two of the day huddled under the planting table where I was working. Poor little guy.

Still missing Jason while staying warm and dry (mostly) in Wyoming!

Worms and Snow

I love it when I'm digging in the soil and I keep finding worms. I love worms! They're an indication that something is going right in your soil. If your soil is also loamy (not sandy or muddy) it's also a very good sign that your soil is a welcome home for plant roots and worms. :) I found a lot of worms today when I was turning and preparing two more raised boxes. When I had turned and watered, turned and watered and finally got the loamy, wormy soil I was waiting for, I planted rows of 3 kinds of lettuce, dill, fennel, marjoram, chervil, oregano and mint - all from seeds. I transplanted a few hundred small flower seedlings today, too.

And while I worked in the greenhouse? First I had some beautiful morning sun, only appreciable from inside the greenhouse since it was so darn cold out this morning. We woke up to ice! Then, after lunch, the snow started - and is still going.

By the way... lunch today? So good. Mark (Chef #2) is pretty awesome, too.

And can I also mention that I married a very special man? He thinks I'm prettiest when I'm wearing work clothes, boots (not the sexy kind) and no makeup every day.

Enjoy some pictures of snow from the greenhouse!

Indy loves the snow and really wanted to go out and check it out!