Catching Up

So sorry for being gone awhile.  I didn't think it would be this long.  As some people know I am a forensic meteorologist and I've been doing this for 23 years now.  I'm lucky that probably 70% of what I do can be done from home in this computer age, but the other 30% can take me away from home for far too long.  I am so thankful that I belong to such a strong community and family that allows me to have this farm and my job.  When I need to go one of the young people in my family or in the neighborhood come over and take care of the farm.  It's kind of a win/win situation because I get to have someone feed and care for my animals and the young people get to spend a bit of time away from their mom and dad, something that many young people enjoy. lol

I have been preparing for trial now for a few weeks as an expert witness.  I was called up on Wednesday February 22nd and was gone by Thursday morning.  My time away should have only taken a couple of days but for those of you that have anything to do with the court system knows, trials run on a different time frame than reality does.  The defense lawyer was a bit of a drama queen (and he was a guy) and the judge indulged the drama.  So a trial that should have lasted 2 days at max took over a week.   I'll end my semi-rant on the belief that if these lawyers want to fool around they should do so before they start the trial, if not for all their witnesses like me, for the families that have to sit through all the drama when it is the families that suffer, not the lawyers.  Rant over.

The trial was still going on Thursday when I received a call to join in the rescue and recovery of the first set of tornadoes.  I was called first to Ohio and then to Indiana.  I have to admit, the older I get the harder it is to see the destruction.  I use to be able to go to these disasters and not bat an eyelash.  Last night I spent crying with a family who lost 2 members.  It is hard to see so much loss and not grieve, even when it isn't my turn to grieve.  Walking down some streets look like moonscapes or really bad movie scenes.  The destruction is just so complete.  My heart goes out to those who have lost so much.  May all that is good hold you and heal you.

I got home about an hour ago and found a couple things had happened while I was gone.  First, my Amish neighbor brought me some early chicks to keep warm.  Ten new chooks for the flock.  Since I wasn't here when they came, my 13 year old niece set up a little kids swimming pool with heat lamps, feed and water in the basement.  Who says kids today can't handle responsibility?  She took control and did a great job.   Country kids can survive!

A couple weeks ago I found out I won one of the prizes of a contest I entered.  Yes, I enter every contest that is free that I am around.  Call me crazy but I like to enter free contests.  I didn't know what it was I won but I knew it would have something to do with gardening.  I thought maybe a book, or some seed packets, or maybe a gift certificate to a nursery...all which would have made me quite happy.  Instead I came home to a huge box on my front porch.  I won a 8x8 greenhouse!  That I did not expect.   I'll be getting a big 'thank you' card off to the contest promoters.  Of course now I have to figure where I'm going to set up this new greenhouse.

My mantra for the last month is to not plant ANY seeds until after March 1st.  I always plant too early and end up frost killing some of my precious seedlings.  I came home after March 1st so I'm setting up my little planting shelf in the back bedroom and hopefully by tomorrow I will have my tomatoes, peppers, broccoli, brussel sprouts, cauliflower and cabbage planted.  Even though we got 9 inches of snow on the ground when I was away, I know spring is just around the corner. 

So that's about it for my disappearing act.  I'm going to get some work done and then catch up on everyone's blogs to see what everyone else has been up to.  Hopefully everyone is safe and well and getting ready for spring like I will be doing.  It's so good to be home.