Monday, April 19, 2010

Spring Yard Work



This is one of those times where spending a whole weekend outside doing yard work is a luxury. With the sun shining, warm days, toes defrosting and the green, green, green of all things growing, hours spent outside are so invigorating.


The spring kick-off for for our yard work comes when the irrigation water has been turned back on. The irrigation district does this in early April every year.


The water splits off and flows by gravity to our house from a water box just up the hill from us. Amazingly, it's the same water that irrigates the pear and cherry tree orchards down the road from us.


This is the pear orchard down the hill from us, which is in full blossom right now.


Thankfully our irrigation needs are much smaller than that of a working orchard, but still leads to the arduous task of checking that all the sprinkler lines are intact and functioning properly. Hubby uses orange flags to mark which sprinkler heads need maintenance.


All the sunshine, warmth and running water has also lead us to start in on our very new vegetable garden. Hubby carved out a plot by the grape vines. This will be our first vegetable garden at the house. In previous summers, we relied on the Farmer's Market while we busied ourselves with other projects.


Lucy supervised the entire project.


As sprinkler lines were being checked and rearranged, I considered dusting off the old rocking chairs for the porch. But as you can see, we didn't quite get around to that.

But rumor has it that we'll have seventy degree temperatures this week, so I'm sure we'll get them out soon.

37 comments :

  1. We Norwegians love American movies, and personally I love to look at houses and iteriors when I watch these movies. And looking at your lovely and interesting blog is almost like watching a nice family film. When you even add pictures of a cowboy hat now and then, it really like it!
    You show me a style I do not see anywhere here in Norway. I just love it! Have a nice spring.
    Greetings from Norway, Europe (- which has been "paralized" a few days now, since a vulcano on Iceland sent ash into the air and stopped all flights in the north of Europe!)

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  2. Yes we are first in line to the water towers at our country home too but its available all year round which is good. Mind you Australia is suffering from a drought at the moment so we never take it for granted! Your porch looks like a lovely spot to stay a while in the sun!
    alicia

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  3. How gleamingly beautiful is your white verandah and green door! I am unbelievably envious of you going into Spring, it is my favourite season, the blossom is so pretty and then you have the fruit to look forward to. We are headed down the track to bare trees and wood fires Ugh!!!!

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  4. Trina, I always love your posts. Being a person who pines to live a country life, it is so lovely to see the blossoms and here tales of what`s going on in the country. Love that front door too!

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  5. Your spring clean-up just looks and seems blissful!

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  6. A vegie patch - that'll be great! I just planted some leeks in my patch today. It's so rewarding.
    Lucy is such a cutie, she looks like a good supervisor. Your verandah looks like a wonderful place to sit :)

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  7. Okay - as always, your house and photographs are beautiful. But that Lucy, man...! She takes the price!! Just what I needed this morning - a picture of Lucy smiling widely for the camera! Thanks to you both, dears!

    xoox,
    -maria

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  8. spring is such a great time of year. it's autumn here and all of the sites i consult for are looking forward to finally shutting off irrigation soon! :)

    looks like fab weather. julesxx

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  9. The Rites of Spring . . . it's always fun to see those rites from one year to the next -- your rockers will soon be on the porch -- and what lovely times you'll spend in them.

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  10. I'm looking forward to the posts about your successful vegie patch! I love hearing about how things are run in the country. Quite often they are simpler and yet make more sense than how we do things in urban areas. And Lucy is looking as gorgeous as ever! Rxx

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  11. I LOVE the colour of your door - maybe because it is the same as ours? Have a look, if you like:

    http://belles-choses.blogspot.com/2009/02/coming-home.html

    Unfortunately we don't have such a gorgeous porch.

    Wonderful trees, too.

    Have a great week,
    Angelika

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  12. What a beautiful day for you!
    Enjoy your week

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  13. Looks like you were really busy this weekend. In my opinion, that is the best kind of busy one can have. I just love getting outside and working in the spring. Carla

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  14. spent the whole weekend doing the same thing...it is a luxury for sure!

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  15. Beautiful yard and love the look of the orchard. I know it will look fabulous. Love the porch. Hugs, Marty

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  16. Lucy looks like a great supervisor. The pear trees - yummy and so beautiful.

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  17. Hi Trina,

    So much to love in this post. Spring! LOVE the pear orchard! The water we get in our house is also from the orange groves. It's an archaic system that was put in place at the turn of the century and doesn't look like it can be undone.

    Love that you are starting your own veggie garden too. Just think of all the goodies you will be making.

    ~janet

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  18. It is that time of year and Spring is calling. I love the feeling of wanting to get outside and dig in the dirt. I posted a little post yesterday on my To Do list for sprucing up my front porch which is about a tenth of yours. I have a little Calif Suburbia ranch but by golly I have a porch big enough for two chairs and a table and a lamp. Love sitting out there for coffee and listening to the fountain. I can only imagine what a wonderful experience it is sitting on your farmhouse porch and looking at all your property. Looks ideal to me. I still have more to do on my porch and hopefully it will be worth taking a pict or two for my blog, I will be back to see your porch all done up for the Spring, Happy Monday,Kathysue

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  19. You have been busy! We are doing the same here in Michigan. I just love Spring!

    Wishing you many vibrant veggies from your garden!!

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  20. Trina...your weekend was a perfect one I see! The veggie patch next to the grapevines is brilliant! It will look so beautiful when all the plants and vines are doing their thing.
    And Lucy looks so happy, what a smile! She loves when you all hang outside together doesn't she?!?
    So glad you had such a fun, out of doors weekend!

    Here's to 80*... :)
    Jessica xxoo

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  21. I love this post! It just shouts out "Spring!". The pictures are beautiful!

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  22. So happy you are enjoying your time outdoors! What will you plant in your vegetable garden? How delightful....takes me back to summers back home when my mother had a huge garden and harvested fresh fruit and veggies all summer long. Someday I'll have a garden of my own...

    -Gail

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  23. This past weekend I also spent some time puttering around the yard for the first time this spring. It's such a wonderful feeling. Fills me with energy and my mind starts dreaming up "projects".

    The orchard in full blooms looks heavenly, wish I could walk among the trees myself.

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  24. Just beautiful ~ it makes my quest to live in the country more determined! We'll be there soon ~
    It must be so calming to look out onto the orchards everyday and be able to roam free through them.
    Good luck with your garden - I've been working in mine all day. I love that good tired feeling you get when you've spent the whole day working outside. :)

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  25. Wishing you wonderful warm days of digging in the dirt, sweeping in the sunshine and evenings of back rubs too!
    Lisa

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  26. That door sure is gorgeous. Love that green!

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  27. I cannot begin to tell you how much I would love to be able to walk through your neighbour's pear orchard. Is there any more beautiful sight than spring blossoms - thank you for this truly gorgeous image. Leigh

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  28. Lovely spring photos. We`re still waiting for the fruittrees to start blossom, I guess we`ll have to wait a few more weeks, lovely to watch your beautiful spring photos while I am waiting for it!

    Have a nice day:)

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  29. Woohoo! Warm weather and all that goes with it! yay! Hope you can get everything done.

    Great shot of Lucy! She looks happy! Give her a hug from me!

    Hugs,
    Maryann

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  30. what a breathtaking view of the orchard. your photography is beautiful! verbena cottage

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  31. What a happy front porch -I LOVE the green front door and the boots just waiting to do some gardening!

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  32. Great to see the weather on the improve in your neck of the woods Trina. It really does galvanize you into action when you can feel the sun warming you all the way through.
    Millie ^_^

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  33. What a gorgeous porch!! I love porches (absolutely) lol
    Your home looks so inviting..and so is your blog.
    Lovely!

    Deborah :)

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  34. Had to say it, "I love Lucy" :)

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  35. Love the first picture.

    http://mainstreetsisters.blogspot.com/

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Thank you for leaving your thoughts. Kind regards, Catherine

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