And it RAINED....

Image by Robert Crum via Flickr

 We went away for the weekend, we traveled 4 hours south to Ashland to visit good friends we had not seen in awhile. On the return trip we stopped in Cottage Grove to buy onion starts at Territorial Seed.We were out of luck with the onions,the lady at the counter said both the Big Daddies and the Walla Walla Sweets were sold out for the year.Bummer,those are two good onions,now to find some others.Our last stop was in Eugene to have birthday dinner with friends.
 Visiting with friends was a welcomed break and a pleasure but the trip home was a drive through thick heavy rain that followed us all the way home. Normally the drive through the Willamette Valley this time of year is a spring time treat.The valley floor is bright green rolling land with soft hills in the distance calling to come explore.All along the way we saw spring lambs huddled close to their Mama's in the rain. I love the valley and wish we still lived there,it always feels like home.
  Once home we unpacked the car.We arrived looking a bit like the Beverly Hill Billies with 2 bikes and a patio lounge chair I had bought for $2 at a yard sale tied to the roof of the car.The boys take their bikes were ever we go and ALWAYS have stops planned for bike riding ; this trips stop was the skate park in Talent a tiny blip on the map and only 3 miles from our friends house in Ashland. Our goal is to stop at every skate park in Oregon an adventuresome goal leading us off the beaten path at times.
  When we go out of town just for a weekend we leave the hens with full feed and water bins locked tight in the coop and run.So far in the years we have had chickens this has been just fine.We collect the eggs on our return and all is well.This trip not so much. After unpacking I went out to the coop in the pouring rain to check on the chickens.It was full on dark by then and it took me a minute to realize some how the chickens had gotten out of their coop,all of them, not just the 2 that escape all of the time.Where were they? Camped out on the highest point of the coop roof huddled together,wet, soggy and not looking too happy. I tried to reach them,Chance tried to reach them no luck.Chance decided they would just have to stay and weather the storm out the best they could.Poor chickens.... It was a long night with little sleep for me.The wind was banging all sorts of things around.I kept thinking I heard footsteps in the attic,it was really the rose trellis out our window banging but it was creepy.Then I'd be awake listening to the wind knowing my chickens were out in that mess. I had visions of the chickens flying away like the witch on her bike in the Wizard of Oz, once landed the girls looking at each other with a look that reads " I don't think we are in Oregon anymore,Zeph." (Zeph is our rooster.)
 This morning the rain has let up and we have our spring lake at one end of the back yard.I have 7 VERY wet flat looking chickens,pissed but safe. Weathering the storm out earned them a big scoop of cracked corn to help them bring up their temperatures and maybe dry out. 

Our friend in Eugene asked us what we had been planting and I realized we have a nice sized list and thought maybe I should share it here with all of you.
  3-Bluberries
  15- Strawberries
  1- Italian Prune tree
  2- Kiwi  one male one female
  1- Black Current
  1- Joseph's Coat climbing Rose
  3- Kinds of Lettuces
  2- kinds of Swiss Chard
  1- bed of Beets
  1- bed of Carrots
  12- red Onion starts
  3- Ruhbarb
  4- Raspberries
  2-Marionberries
  1- Gravenstein Apple

Seed Starts-
  Cabbage
  2-kinds Tomatoes
  Jimmy Nardello Peppers
  Red Bell Peppers

I was worried we were a bit behind in our planting until I rattled off our list.There's more to do but for now we are waiting for the weather and soil to warm up before it will be time for the next round of plantings. I still have potatoes chitting on the window sill. The rain is here for the week so I may have full blown potato plants to plant at this rate.Oh well these things happen.
  Rois