I have been AWOL around here, but I have a good reason.

It has turned very mild and calm in the weather department and I have been working outdoors in what I have to admit is a bit of a frenetic pace. I put it down to historical weather knowledge, because we quite often have had late Spring snowstorms over the years, and I see this as a window to get ahead of the yard and garden curve, just in case. Never mind that all this outdoor activity is slowly healing my cabin fever. Thank goodness, because I had a pretty bad case.

You can't tell from this picture, but all around Hen's Rest, I raked 12 tarp loads of leaves, pine needles, cedar seed casings, branches, pine cones, rotting wood, and rocks. It took me four days. Then I started in with the last gasp of leaves that had blown onto the fence. I hope it's the last gasp anyway.

It's my own fault. I hadn't cleared it all out for at least three years, maybe more. I have learned my lesson. It will have to be a yearly cleanup like everything else.

I also cleared out the east flower bed. I took out everything but the daffodils and two ferns. Then I planted clover. I am officially giving up on that area for any other kinds of flowers. Nothing thrives there. Never has in 13 years. I'm officially giving up on the idea.

I went to the feed store yesterday and spent WAY too much money on a new watering can, to set up my little fountain area. The other two I had were completely rusted out and went into the garbage. But... this is a real sign of Spring to me. Pretty soon, the birds and squirrels and deer will be getting drinks here. I also moved the little bird bath up here so I can watch them take baths... I hope anyway.

I had cooking and baking to do during all this time and I kept playing hooky and going outside. For DAYS. But I literally ran out of things to eat, so I made myself stay in the kitchen today.

Keto 'bread'. So many ingredients! Yikes.

It took a lot of discipline to stay indoors today... because, well just LOOK at what it's like out there!

Imagine 67 degrees.

Yeah...

Anyway, at least I have food to eat now.

Oh, one more thing... the power company has contracted with someone to replace all our wooden power poles with metal ones. Two men came yesterday and dug the hole. They said the other crew would be here on Tuesday to set the new pole.

Right where I usually park my car. Though the new pole will be set farther to the right of the old one, giving me a little more room, which will be nice.

Wait till you see the pole setting guys. They have the BIG trucks.

Stay tuned.