Northern Lights

I confess that on Friday evening when the Northern Lights were supposed to be amazing I looked out my north window, saw the sky looked faintly lighter than usual, and then I went to bed.  After seeing all of the amazing photos on FB the next day and reading one person’s advice to just take a picture because your eye can’t see all the colors that will be captured by a camera, I decided to try it on Saturday night.

It was meh.  I liked the pictures, but it was nothing brilliant.  I also realized that I need to take a night and learn how to use my big girl camera at night.  I’ve never done that, so I had to revert to my cell phone.  Good thing it’s a smart phone and knows how to do night photography.

Just as I was getting ready to quit, I saw the brighter green.

I decided that I might as well go back up to the windmill if I had stayed up this late (it was well after eleven o’clock by this time).  I’m so glad I did.

It didn’t last long before the brilliant colors began to fade again.

I’m ready to go chase Northern Lights now. I mean, as long as I don’t have to leave my farm.

The Quickening Moon

It’s a full moon today–the quickening moon.

setting behind the barn (LilyAnn and Joy in the doorway)

It’s the time of year when the spring is ready to gift us with new life.

I’ve gotten a handful of eggs now–all from the leghorns and this Easter egg chicken

Pretzel is due in two weeks; she is making an udder

I love seeing the moon set this time of year when it looks so close.

Not that you can really tell it in the pictures, but it does look huge as it sets right now.

Aphrodite by the door; Sidney to the left

And the days are getting longer.  The sun rises as the moon sets.

looking at the fields to the east of my farm

And I’m especially celebrating today because in the mailbox is my very last farm payment.

The flag is up for my last payment to be delivered.

It’s been fourteen years.  I had two loans–one for twenty years; one for thirty years.  And today I made the last farm payment.

My windmill and a sunset from 2021

from 2021 with my farm sign and windmill and loading chute

Eden Hills is all mine (except the loans for last summer).  So much for celebrating.

Good Weather Hodge Podge Post

Monday I couldn’t help myself.  I had to stop and take a couple of pictures as I was leaving for work.

The moon was still high up in the sky, and the sunrise was chasing it.

By the time I got my car backed out of the garage, it was getting more colorful.

It’s still warm–record warm–which does not bode well.  But it is starting to dry up the barnyard.

Still a bit muddy by the salt block, but that doesn’t stop Dolly

Perdita

I still have a huge mud pit right where I come out of the birds’ pen and bring their grain from.  That still makes it a challenge.

I’m not sure if I mentioned that my hydrant froze again when we were cold.  It has finally thawed, so that also makes chores a little easier.

I also got to the point of finishing the old hay in the loft.  But when I got down to the last two bales, I woke someone up.

This little one is still cute.  I hope it finds a new sleeping place.

Even though it is just wrong, I can’t help but enjoy the warm, sunny weather.

It makes for beautiful sunsets too.