Spring rain

Oh my, what a glorious rain fell last night and today.....over an inch!  I just went out to take a few photos, and the lawn squished when I walked on it!  The rain has delayed our farming but we're not complaining.  Last year the moisture outlook was so bleak.  The memory is still fresh.  We are so very very lucky this year, to have a plentiful amount........so far!

Yesterday I dug the rest of the carrots that over wintered in the garden.  I left them outside, hoping that Mother Nature would do the washing for me!

Lots of carrots!  They are as sweet as candy.  I've been giving them away as I get them washed and bagged.  

The rain clouds have moved on to the east.  The dark clouds made a beautiful backdrop to the green wheat, the red barn and everything else.

A full to running over rain gauge.  This doesn't happen very often,

The clouds were so pretty as they headed away to the east.

I thought this was a particularly ominous looking cloud to the north, over the shop.

I love this contrast between the green wheat and the dark rain filled clouds.

The sweet cherry tree is starting to swell buds.

The chickens were out enjoying the muddy yard, hoping to find a worm, or just picking at the mis-shapen carrots that went over their fence.

What a beautiful rooster we have.  He's so handsome and stately.

Look how much bigger he is than the hens.

I discovered this little apricot tree growing in the garden.  I couldn't just dig it up, so I planted it in the chicken yard!  It is my hope that is will grow up and provide some shade and drop fruit for the chickens to pick at.

A close up look at my handsome man!  I don't have a name for him.  Suggestions?

Here he is crowing.  He has a big, hearty crow!

The dwarf forsythia is blooming like mad.  And look at how much the wheat is growing!  So beautiful with all the winter and spring moisture.

Dwarf forsythia blooming like mad!

It's so bright a cheery.

I thought this was so pretty.  The wheat is lush and green, growing like crazy with the ample moisture and a shot of fertilizer that we applied a few days ago.