An exciting day!

That's right.  Exciting!  My seeds have arrived from Baker Creek!  I have laid them all out on the bed and shown them off like a proud parent.  I have taken them out of the envelope in which they were shipped and oohed and aah-ed over them.  I have stroked them and fondled them.  The anticipation is palpable.  I can taste spring on the wind and I can barely stand it.  I want to go out and turn the ground.  I want to build my fence for my chickens which I have yet to order.  My hands shake when I think about building some raised beds for strawberries and lettuce.  AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!  I can't stand it.

I did not grow up with these cold winters.  I grew up in Okinawa and Hawai'i and California.  Kentucky has made me appreciate spring in a way I never thought was possible.  But the winters are going to kill me.  I spent the first twenty years of my life moving every other year.  For the last fifteen, I have managed to stay in one state.  As a BRAT, I get the itch every now and then to just pull up stakes and move.  But it is never so strong as when winter is in full swing.  And it just gets worse as spring nears and I am teased by temperatures in the 50's and sunshine and the smell of rain on warm asphalt.  I know it is almost here.  I can feel it in my bones.  But it takes so damn long.  It's like long slow burn of an ache.  I need the sun!

Spring is coming and it's time to leave hibernation

I finally found a job in September and all farming was put on hold.  Especially since my dog took this new opportunity to eat all my chickens within two days of my return to work.  The little bleepity bleep knew I wasn't there to stop him, know it was him, I don't know.  He's a dog, so I don't pretend to know why he does anything.
I am determined to get things started right this spring so I can successfully part-time farm with a minimum of fuss.  So, as soon as the ground is thawed enough, I'll build a fence around a large enough area to comfortably hold my new chickens when I order them.  This year, I'll pay the extra to have them sexed.  I had so many roosters last time I was lucky I ever saw an egg.
I am ordering heirloom seeds this year too.  I love the variety.  So far, I've racked up a $114 wishlist.  But, I figure if I can learn to save the seeds, I will gain that back by not having to order as many seeds next year.  It also occurred to me that I probably spent close to that last year buying seeds and seedlings at the garden stores and didn't have nearly as much fun picking some interesting varieties.
 Now, I need to build some raised beds for strawberries and onions and artichokes and.... I need to prune the fruit trees before they start to wake up, gather netting, and find covers for the apples.  It's not going to be easy this year now that I'm back at work, but I think I can do it.  I just have to remind myself that 30 minutes in the garden after work will result in an awesome harvest.  And, a little work in the morning on the weekend before heading out for day off jaunts will pay back in multitudinous ways.  If only I can find the willpower to work before play.  Or learn to love the work as play.