After all winter with very little snow or cold, a big winter storm is upon us. Well, they say it’s a storm, but it’s really just snow. It’s snowed all day, and we have about seven inches on the ground now and it’s supposed to dump another six or seven on us overnight and tomorrow. We do need it to cut down the fire danger and to add some moisture to the parched ground. But, after having sunny days near 60 degrees F, it doesn’t make one real happy. Yes, I know it will melt soon but still…

It’s hard to look at little baby seedlings, then look outside to see heavy snow falling!

I got the last of our tomato seeds planted yesterday. Now there are flats all over the living room! We had to put up a second plastic greenhouse to have a place to put the germinating peppers so the tomatoes could go up behind the wood stove for heat. Whew, I’m glad that’s done. Now, on to petunias and snapdragons, both of which take their sweet time growing. I love the double snapdragons like Madame Butterfly so I’m planting a bunch to tuck around the flower beds this spring.

We now have five flats of tomatoes planted, just waiting to pop up.

On such gray days, it’s perfect to take a nap or wash clothes. Will’s taking the nap and I’m washing clothes in our trusty old wringer washer.

This gray, snowy day is perfect to get the laundry done up.

We had shocking and sad news last week. Our friend, who was volunteering at a Ruby’s Pantry, was severely injured when a big steel bread rack fell on him, causing head trauma and a broken neck. He’s in Duluth right now, on life support and it doesn’t look good. Please add him to your prayers. We love this couple! I hate to see things like this happen to such good people. — Jackie

40 COMMENTS

  1. Will continue to pray for your friend’s family 🙏
    We planted our tomatoes and the first ones out of the ground were the Atkinson. Last year they were a big producer. Tanana and Canon Ball beginning to peak out at us and they are good producers too. 100% germination! Looking forward to working out in the garden this year….

  2. Prayers for your friend and family. so sorry this happened.
    snow is pretty, as this time of year, one knows(hopes) it wont last for weeks!
    petunias, snap dragons ah the real promise of spring.
    love seeing the wringer at work. hose ,tubs I used to help my aunt;’ Watch your fingers!’ because of course, the wringer was so facinating to young finger, on laundry days. seems new style washers just don’t wring(spin) dry enough. have a good day Looking at the snow.

    • You know, I’ve used a wringer washer all my life and with 8 kids. And I’ve never gotten my fingers or other body parts in one, nor have any of my kids. I sure lectured a lot though!!!
      My old Maytag gets my clothes much cleaner with much less water than when I use a “modern” machine.

  4. Sending prayers for your friend and his family. Praying for healing and recovery from his injuries. The snow sure is disheartening when it has been nice and warm. The moisture is always welcome, but warm weather is much nicer. We have been below freezing several nights this week, so I have been covering the containers I have planted with plants up. Its just lettuce, spinach, and radishes so they are pretty tolerant. My rhubarb is up but this year is tolerating the cold well so far. Last year it froze which is so unusual. I love your wringer washer. I had one many years ago when I was first married. I would like to have one again but I don’t have a good place for one and they are very hard to find in good working order. Sending prayers for a blessed week.

    • Thanks for your prayers. I’m very sorry to say our friend passed away. I’m sure his family needs those prayers now.

      We’re grateful for the snow but it is a bit disheartening after a period of fifties. I’m sure it’ll melt away soon.

  5. Jackie and Will, so sorry about your good friends. Our friends are family to us and I know your pain and worry. Good thoughts and prayers are going up.

    • Thank you for your prayers. He passed away quietly but I’m sure his family needs your prayers now.

    • Thanks so much Katherine. He passed away due to the severity of his injuries but his family is sure in need of prayers.

  8. Definitely saying prayers right now for him. God has a plan that we don’t always understand but hoping for the best.

    • As our friend passed away, it is hard to understand why prayers aren’t answered sometimes. I felt that way when my late husband, Bob, died of a sudden brain bleed. But, we’re not meant to understand God’s ways. But we do know he’s always there to comfort us.

    • As he was in ours. Unfortunately, he passed away during the night due to his severe injuries. Our prayers are with his family right now.

  12. We are getting some of the same unsettled weather. Had planned on putting in the potatoes and onions but am thinking it might be smart to wait a couple weeks.

    • You’re probably very wise. Right now, we have 18″ of snow on the ground and I’m supposed to get an apple tree in the mail tomorrow.

  13. I wouldn’t trade my wringer washer for anything on the market! I LOVE it! It’s actually much faster than conventional and nothing cleans clothes better. ❤

    • That’s for sure. My last one lasted 40 years and I got that used! You can’t say that with modern appliances. My sister’s 5 year old fridge bit the dust just last week!!

  14. So sorry to hear of your friend’s accident.
    Here in the Gulf Coast part of Texas the Bluebonnets are blooming. We received 2.5 inches of rain last week after 6 weeks of no rain at all. My potatoes and tomatoes went into the ground February 15th. Our weather has been cool with lows in mid to upper 40s at night and days in the 60s, 70s and 80s. I have cherry tomatoes already. My other tomato plants are blooming.
    My red and white potato bushes are about 2′ tall. The green beans, wax beans, and lima beans are up along with carrots, red beats, cabbages, lettuce, radishes, and mustard greens. The pepper plants are already putting peppers on. Since last summer was so unbearable with the temperatures being above 100 degrees all summer long and no rain, I’m trying to get plants in the ground a little earlier this year.

    • Wow, Connie, that sounds so wonderful. Especially when we’re looking at 18″ of white out the window!! Ugh. But we did need it. Enjoy your plants a whole bunch.

    • Thank you so much. Unfortunately, he died due to the severity of his injuries, so his wife and family need your prayers right now.

  16. Praying for your friend’s full recovery. Miracles happen.

    We had an unusually warm and precipitation-free February, for a while it seemed that the groundhog was on target. March has disabused us of that fantasy. It’s been colder and much snowier than February, last weekend we got a couple of feet of snow that we managed to move out of the way with much effort and many sore muscles. We’re hoping April brings nicer weather, I am so ready for the sun.

    • Thank you for your prayers. Yes, miracles do sometimes happen. Unfortunately, our friend was not the recipient of such a miracle. He passed away during the night. His family does need your prayers however.

  17. Prayers for your friend. That sounded like a terrible accident.
    If I had somewhere to keep it, I would love to have a washing machine like pictured. They are a lot of work but I think they wash clothes better than an electric machine. I would love a wash house.
    Still snowing and cold weather here. I hope we have a good growing season this year. Canned a lot last year and planning on canning more this year. Way things are going and getting worse need all the food that we can put up. Just need to find a place to store jars. My house is small and not much room.

    • It was a horrible accident. We were so shocked. Our friend passed away, due to the severity of his injuries. I’m sure his family needs your prayers to help them get through the following weeks.
      Looking at the world situation, putting lots of food by makes tons of sense. It’s amazing how much you use up when you absolutely can not go the store.

  19. We ended up with about 24 inches…yikes. Very sorry to hear about your friend’s accident. Sure hope he recovers completely. Pryo

    • I’m sorry to say our friend passed away during the night. It was sure tough on all of his family and we, his friends.
      We got 18″ and are still cleaning up from it.

  20. Hi Jackie- sending prayers to your friend after the serious accident. The weather sure is unpredictable these days. We had summer like weather last week and now back to more typical spring temperatures. I’m happy because our snow levels in the mountains around us are very low and after last years fire season we are worried. Nothing we can do but hope for the best. In the mean time I’m cleaning my garden containers and raised beds in preparation for planting. Hardy greens in the greenhouse now which makes me happy! Nature has its own rhythms so I just try to follow her lead as best as I can!

    • Thank you for your prayers. He passed away but his family will sure need them.
      Yep, with the crazy weather, we can just do what we can do at the time. I’d wanted to clean up my flower beds, but the snow changed all that. For a while.

  21. Sending good vibes and karma to your friend as well as his family and friends.
    We got rain instead of snow but the temp has dived today plus the wind has kicked in. Close to two inches in total.
    Good thing we didn’t wait as only two bags left of the red potato variety we like. I know gardening picked up during the pandemic but I think there was a brief decrease that is now over.
    The daffodils are resilient. Handled being covered with snow which melted fast. Not as big and vibrant due to coming up so early however.

    • Thank you Selena. His family now needs them.
      Wow, two inches of rain is a lot! I think a lot of folks look at grocery prices and know they really need to raise some food to eat well. Who can afford a $6 acorn squash???

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