(n.) the smell of earth after rain.
There is actually scientific proof behind this word to describe how when rain drops hit the earths surface, they gives off that earthly smell. How tiny bubbles form as they hit the porous earth trapping gasses and the scent from chemicals released by plants and bacteria in the soil. These tiny bubbles make their way to the surface, breaking and releasing the gases trapped inside. Thus, petrichor, literally the scent of the earth after rain.
But there is so much more to it than the science behind it. It’s not just a scent or a smell. It’s something deep within the body that awakens in one’s soul. That deep breath of damp air that reminds a person that they are grounded, that they are one with nature, that they are alive.
I have smelt enough wet earth lately to know.
It seems we have skipped from the cold, long winter into what I can only describe as a monsoon kind of spring. The kind where the skies open wide, and the flood gates release and the rains falls….for days and days and days on end. Days when the sun peeks it’s head through the cloud cover are coveted days. They come and are gone all too quickly.
While things have started to kind of dry up in the in between days, I still feel as though any time I find to be outside, seems to come with clouds and rain drops. It’s awfully hard to plan and plant a garden when you can’t step foot in it without sinking. Our lawn had started to look like maybe we were saving it for pasture land, it had been too wet to get out the lawnmower.
Since then the sun has come out, we have now had two rounds with the lawn mower, and the best part, we got to seed our garden! We were so fortunate to be able to enjoy a beautiful May long weekend, and have a couple days off together to smash out some of our plans! After rototilling the garden a couple times over, picking out seven or more wheelbarrow loads of weeds and picking out rows and pairings, our seeds are in the ground. We switched things up this year and gave our garden rows a quarter turn, so they now run North to South. This way as the sun crosses the sky during the period of the day from the East to West, it will always shine down between the rows keeping the soil nice and warm. We are so excited to see how Garden 2017 turns out! We are feeling hopeful!
We moved things around a little as well with our potatoes as we have given up on the potato box method. We tilled up a new area and planted six rows of three different varieties of potatoes: Kennenbec, Sangre and Yukon Gold of course for Dan. All the old farmers at work say the Sangre potatoes are the way to go as they store the best over the winter months. Here’s hoping we get a bountiful enough harvest to test this out!
Beside the new potato patch Dan also tilled me up a circle where I will plant my sunflowers this year. Of course it was an idea I found while browsing Pinterest. You grow sunflowers in a circle and as they reach up slowly tie them to lean together. This creates a little sunflower fort and it will be the perfect summer reading spot! I added some hollyhock seeds around the edges as well as some wild flower mixes. I am eager to see if this will be a Pinterest win or fail…I have faith!
Through out the weekend while we were around the yard and house, we took the opportunity to let the donkey boys out of their pen and let them have free roam of the yard. They loved it and it filled my heart with so much joy to watch them run around the yard bucking and I kid you not, grinning from big ear to ear! The dogs I think also enjoyed having the company and everyone got along so well. At the end of the day, a little scoop of sweet feed and the boys were back in their pen for the night. I can’t wait to get in the rest of the fencing and let the boys free range out in the pasture.
The three little pigs took advantage of the sun and warmth too, out sunbathing in their yard and lounging under the trees. We took the sod we dug out from my new sunflower garden and placed it inside the pig pen. The boys loved munching on fresh grass and seemed quite content! I just absolutely love how our little farm is growing into the homestead we dreamed of, and we just continue to grow. My heart couldn’t be happier, it’s already almost bursting!
With all the warm weather and sun, we finally got our baby chickies moved outside into the Pickup Palace Coop. The Littles as we call them, are loving it and even ventured outside over the weekend. I just love watching them grow, seeing as their colours come in and seeing peeks of their personalities coming through. I just love the little cheeks on the Amercaunas!
And of course we can’t forget about our big ladies and George. We did have a sad day here on the farm as we said goodbye to one of our big Gold Cochin mommas. They were the first chickens we had here on the farm and they lived a wonderful three years here with us. The others are doing well and enjoying the sunshine and being back out on the grass. They are so funny to watch and coop sits is one of my favourite evening past times.
I was able to get a little work done in my flower beds, and got my gladiola bulbs and zinnia bulbs planted before the big rain came again. While there is still lots of weeding to be done, the flowers are in the ground and the waiting game begins. I have some pictures in my mind of how the beds will look this year, but we will see as the summer goes. I really wish I had paid more attention when my Momma was out in her garden. I have a lot to live up to! It also appears as though our berry bushes have survived the winter and my Haskap bush is even in flower. We are excited for our own berries this year and adding a little more variety to berry row!
We had two new wines that we were busy 
bottling over the weekend as well. One was a White Zinfandel and the other, which I am most excited about, is a Melon Berry Merlot. Hello Sangria! I had fun creating new labels and we filled yet another shelf out in our “wine” room off of the garage.
We’ve been staying busy, busy here on the farm and making good use of our time with the sun. It feels great to have accomplished so much and to have so much to look forward to this summer. I can’t wait to see where it takes us.
This girl is pretty excited for a little mini holiday as well…back to Ontario! It has been much to long since I have been home to see family and it is much overdue. I get to spend a whole ten days and am looking forward to every minute of it!
Until I return…..
