Expecting Cold

[The Cook]

The weather ;people are predicting a low of 26°F here in the Blue Ridge Mountain Foothills in NC. Trees and strawberries are blooming Thankfully I have not planted anything yet. Procrastination pays off. We had another one of these 10 years ago. Four days of below freezing then.

[George Shirley]

We're having an odd spring too. Had to get up last night and get another blanket. Generally we are in the seventies most of the time in early April but we've been hop scotching with weather. Hit 80F late afternoon, get down to low sixties by daylight next day. I prefer 80 myself, old bones and thin blood don't go well with any temp lower than that.

Woke up this morning, looked like rain and we need it. Here it is approaching noon and the sun is shining. Will get out there a little later and water again.

The blueberries have small berries now and we shall see if we get a small crop on these new bushes. The fig tree has lots of baby figs coming on and the pear tree out front has at least 30 pears on it. At least that's what Miz Anne tells me, I tend to fall over backwards when I look up so she has to keep a hand on me when I do look up. Mostly due to strokes from years ago according to the doctors. I'll take their word, would lay on the ground to look up at the tree but the fire ants prevent that.

The dwarf Barbados cherries are loaded with tiny fruit and blooms, might be able to harvest enough to make a half pint of jelly. The winter chard and kale are still going strong too. Harvested an entire dehydrator of herbs yesterday, twelve trays worth. We give bags of herbs to our extended family at Christmas and everyone, so far, seems to like it. Plus we cook a lot with our own herbs. I think we've finally beat the herbicide poisoning from last year, everything seems to be growing well now.

George

[Frank]

Here in northern DE, I cut the grass for the first time Monday and now it is covered with snow.

Weather happens.