We're back.

A promise, or a tease? Frost-hit plum blossoms

Going away is hard, especially in the spring when there's so much change afoot in the outdoor world. Our vacation was great. We really miss our friends, and especially miss their children (two-legged and four-), as friends don't change nearly as much as kids do. Tom's show was a lot of fun.

Our chickens were left in the able, egg-loving hands of our next-door neighbor. He just thinks our girls are "so neat," especially when they run out to greet him. The plant seedlings were left in the equally capable plant-loving hands of my mother-in-law, who also looked after the kitties. The plants are huge! Yikes.

The highlight for me came when we visited my friend Catharine's farm. She and I assembled a piece of her wood-fired bread oven (I can't get away from construction for too long you see) and then later she and I stuck our hands in her old compost heap and took deep sniffs of big handfuls. Yes. Only gardeners do that.

It's just great to be home. But our chore list is now REALLY long.