Making peace with the rain

This is the year the rain just won't stop in my part of Oregon.
It's also now official: May 2010 is going into Oregon's weather books as the third wettest May on record.

Today is June 2nd, our 18th consecutive day of rain, and here is what I saw when I went outside this morning...

A sodden sky:

Soggy animals:


Saturated soil:

So much rain on the leaves that the branches are bending down toward the ground:

Mud that no amount of straw can conquer:

The goat boys refuse to come out:

Even the strawberries are hanging their heads in dismay:

There's no place left for all this water to go, so it just stands around, looking bored:

It's no secret why Oregon is so green:





Peace, rain:

I'm not going to complain about you any more. I have to believe you'll quit when you're finished.

And at least you're a warm rain:

The really nice things she does for me

My mom enjoying an Oregon downpour

It has been an indoor weekend at my house. Not only is this the 4th wettest May on record in my part of NW Oregon, my husband and I came down with nasty colds after our recent flight home from Ireland and we're not moving very much.

As I sit here on my bed, wishing for my headache to go away, I find myself thinking about my animals, my garden, and how lucky I am to have the mom that I do.

Now this may seem like an illogical statement or a non sequitur to you, but to me it makes perfect sense. You see, even though I am a really big girl now, my mom still takes care of me. Taking care of me these days, also means sometimes taking care of my animals.

If you have animals, you know how hard it can be to get away from home for more than a day. If you have a farm, it's that difficult times a thousand.

My mom, though, has never failed to offer her unlimited support and help. She loves our life here on Critter Farm and enjoys being out here, I think, almost as much as we do. Even so, when she had to have emergency shoulder surgery six days before Jim's and my departure for Ireland, I knew this would prevent her from doing her normal farm visits.

I couldn't have been more wrong, though. Despite her own healing, she visited our farm every few days while we were gone to see that all was in order. She regularly checked in with our farm sitter to make sure all animals were well cared for. She even made sure that all the eggs were tallied for me:

(My mom totally *gets* my obsession for maintaining my daily egg count chart, how lucky can I be?!)

Knowing I would be worried about my animals, she sent me regular updates (with pictures of my babies) while I was gone:

This one had the caption "Hurry, we are waiting for you!":

It was out of the question that Roxy, our farm pup, would go anywhere but to her house. Roxy *loves* it there. From Roxy I received a "Hi Mom!" attached to this photo:

Pete and Reggie sent me their greetings, too:

Dolly, ever the curious, had to come in for a closer look at my mom:

My step dad adores Roxy, too, and took her for a walk with their pup, Wolfi, every single day:

When we got back home, I found she was able to keep all my seedlings alive that I had had to leave unplanted before I left. I thought for sure they were goners, but they are thriving:

An incredible dinner was waiting for us in the refrigerator:

Sweet smelling, fresh flowers were on the table:

And a sweet note was next to my bed. Though I am still wondering why the word "sweetheart" is in quotation marks. (ha, ha):

Knowing my mom was here, watching over things while we were gone, was such a comforting feeling for me. I just knew in my heart that everything was safe and all would be well until we returned.

I'm so looking forward to the weather drying up, the sun shining just a bit, and my mom coming back out to the farm for a day of hanging with me and my critters.

It's pretty clear she loves them a lot:

They think she's pretty awesome, too:


Thank you again - so much - mom. ♥ ♥ ♥

(P.S. Dinner was INCREDIBLE!):

I got home from Ireland and found...

Things don't stop growing when you're on vacation.

After just two weeks away, were amazed to find...
ridiculously long grass:

hip-high comfrey:

raspberries that have set fruit already:

the grapes are growing well:

the chives are sprawling:

the garlic is looking good (There are 3 different varieties growing in this photo. From left to right they are: Music, Chinese Pink and Oregon Blue. I am again in awe at the way the Music variety grows and produces):

peas that are plugging along (despite flooding rains, high winds and unseasonably cold spring weather):

the potatoes I planted the day before we left are sprouting:

my columbine is in full bloom:

the irises are, too:


the hostas in front look like they've been fed steroids:

Everything is, quite simply, thriving:

And the weeds...yes, the weeds are doing very well, too:

I also found donkeys and llamas curious at my return:

Goats who needed some good hugs:

Chickens thrilled to be out free-ranging again:

All is well here:

I am happy to be home.

Postcard from the Emerald Isle

Really

having

a

wonderful

time -

Sure

wish

you

were

here!

Love,
Danni