Yesterday Tom fixed up the feed shed. In the process he removed old, falling-down shelves and put it these new ones. It is a huge improvement. Plus he patched all of the holes inside and out where rodents might be getting in. So that is a huge improvement as well.
I did all of the animal chores this morning. After I noticed these lilies blooming on Bumble’s grave.
Then I worked on the garden. I planted rutabaga seeds and transplanted Delicata squash and dill weed starts. I started sunflower seed and put up pea fencing. I then went to check on the bees. I did an inspection last week, and my bee mentor thought everything seemed OK. But I need to make sure they have feed available.
Since I was in the orchard I thought I should check the trees there. I noticed bamboo shoots spreading in front of one of my favorite Asian pear trees. So I will need to remove them.
I decided to check the cherry trees. Almost every year we never get any cherries, the birds eat them all. This year there are tons of cherries on the trees. So maybe the birds will leave some for us.
I continue to be impressed with how many apples are on our trees. It is scary.
There are also tons of plums as well.
This is the dogwood in our front yard.
And the blueberries are loaded too!
I then made Viking Honey Nut Cake. I used a homemade Swerve “honey” but otherwise followed the recipe. I ended up baking it quite a bit longer than the recipe called for, but here it is out of the oven. It is actually quite yummy.
Then I attended online the first day of my 30th medical school graduation anniversary. It started with a cocktail mixing.
The cocktail was good. There was only one other classmate at my virtual table from 1991. But then the program began with an address from Paul Ramsey.
There were distinguished alumni awards that was interrupted by technical difficulties, and it was over. They did have taped presentations by UW professors. The first was by Keith Jerome, MD, PhD, Head, Virology Division, UW Laboratory Medicine and Pathology about viral pandemics with COVID featured heavily. He discussed the initial CDC failures,
the viral testing via the UW flu study identifying the first cases in the US,
the ability Seattle had to initially flatten the curve due to the early testing capabilities,
the emerging variants of concern in the last 8 weeks here,
and the challenges ahead.
I look forward to the rest of the reunion, hopefully without technical difficulties. So I felt like I had a successful day.
That’s great that Tom was able to get the feed shed fixed up!
Those yellow lilies are really lovely! Do they come up every year?
I’m concerned about that bamboo you have. It can be difficult to get rid of. Have you had it before? We were plagued with it in the back yard of the parsonage we lived in, in Sunnyside,WA. The former pastor’s wife thought it would be nice to have it! We fought that stuff for a long time. It kept coming up all over the yard! Do you have a method for getting rid of it?
I have no idea what your Swerve “honey” is. Can you explain it please?
Your fruit trees are really “going to town” this year. I hope you get lots of cherries, too. Do you ever thin your apples?
That’s really nice that you’re able to watch your reunion online. Is it just for this weekend?
It was very nice for Tom to fix it up. This is the first time I believe I have seen these lilies. In the past the llamas would reach over the fence and eat them before blooming. We have had bamboo that was planted in the orchard before we moved here. We like it. We transplanted some to our hillside for privacy from the neighbors. And Tom recently had been selling it for good money. We just need to stay on top of it so it doesn’t take over. Fortunately the goats love to eat it. Swerve is a sugar substitute. The “honey” is it boiked with water and xantham gum. It didn’t thicken like I would have liked but the cake is good. I hope I get cherries too! We haven’t thinned our apples but probably should. The reunion was just this weekend. I just finished up. Only 6 people came from our class of 160. So that was disappointing.
Those lilies sure look like iris to me! 😉 Can you share a recipe for the Viking Honey Nut Cake? It sounds good! My 40th high school reunion was postponed a year because of COVID, and then cancelled altogether. I’m not all that excited about reunions, but that was kind of sad….
You are right! They are irises. My mistake. The recipe is at https://m.imgur.com/FK5PmJN. I like the online reunion as it is much less of a commitment but sadly not many people came.
Hi Donna! Sounds like you still love being down on the farm!!! Good for you!!!!
I do still love farming.