Gardening day!

Sometimes I think gardening is even better for me than yoga.

I walk out the back door, and suddenly my thoughts slow down, and I breathe more deeply. I use my body differently doing yard chores than I do for housework, so it's good exercise. And once I get into a project, I don't want to stop. An hour and a half can fly by just like in yoga class. Plus my garden looks better when I'm finished!

The boys and I spent a nice long time outside today, cleaning up the leaves, toys and junk that was blown across the yard during the week's stormy winds. Even the playhouse roof was blown off! But today it was sunny, calm, and beautiful, and I would have spent all day outside if I hadn't had other things to do, too.

I love that my littlest is big enough now to hang out with me, happily, while I work. He played in the playhouse, chased his ball, and took every chance I offered for a wagon ride. He had to take turns with the loads of leaves I carted across the yard to mulch the bare ground which will eventually be garden. I raked a LOT of leaves, and hoed and pulled weeds from every low spot that had pooled rain. The big boys helped pull weeds, too, throwing them into the giant hole they dug in the fall. We plan to cover them with soil after the sun cooks them a bit, and even out the ground again for a garden patch. Right next to the chicken coop!

We still have some things to do in the house before we'll be ready to pick up our chicks from the feed store, but we're getting closer! They'll need to stay in a brooder in the house for a month or so while they grow feathers and the weather warms up outside.

The area behind the garage where UberDad and the boys will build the coop is level and ready. It's supposed to rain again this weekend, but hopefully they can start building the weekend after. In the meantime, the boys and I have more work to do to get our spring garden going. I have seeds waiting patiently, hardening in the fridge.