This past week has been a busy one, surprisingly enough! I’m always amazed at how busy we keep ourselves even while unemployed, haha! I flew back home after my impromptu trip to Santa Cruz, and seeing the Rogue Valley from the plane was really amazing. I feel so lucky to live here. When I got here all of the daffodils were blooming, which gets me all stoked for spring! Here are the rest of the updates and recent happenings for this past week.

That first burst of color is always so exciting! And look at that cute little tree sapling leafing out behind them. Lovely!

More daffodils in front of a wire fence.

The Ashland farmer’s market is back in full swing and we bought these dried hot peppers from Barking Moon Farm, which are destined for fermented hot sauce. I got the same ones in the Barking Moon winter CSA box a few years back and made the *best hot sauce I have ever had*. For reals. So, naturally, it will be replicated and you will be enlightened on this amazing masterpiece in due time.

St. Patrick’s day corned beef Reuben at Sammich.  This was quite possibly the best thing I have ever eaten in my entire life. No joke! Someday I will make my own reuben with all home fermented and cured ingredients (sourdough rye, corned beef, cheese, sauerkraut, condiments, & pickle, of course). Then I can die.

We just moved into our current place late last fall, so when these raspberry bushes started leafing out recently we were super excited! We had no idea that’s what they were at the time, but now it’s obvious. Can’t wait to taste the wonderful berries! And yes, that is a pear tree cutting in front that Joel is trying to root. We’ll see what happens!

We are also starting to prep our garden beds. Had to tie back those unwieldy rose bushes. Can’t wait to plant some seeds!!!

We went for a nice stroll around the Japanese gardens in Lithia park today. I was a bit worried because there was a whole bunch of school kids there on a field trip and I wanted to take some pictures of nature, not kids. But, as it turns out, the kids weren’t the problem. Joel inadvertently photobombed almost every picture I took! I cut him out of most of them, but had to leave him in this one. He looks content.

The Magnolia trees were in bloom.

Pretty pink buds.

Cool shapes.

Sweet roots.

I love bamboo. I can’t wait to get some of my own!

The end of a gorgeous day calls for a glass of home brewed mead! Look at that beautiful color. I have a post in the works for a 5 gallon batch of mead. Honestly, I have so many posts in the works that it’s making my head spin! I have so much to share with all of you. Plus a lot of cool giveaways coming up soon! Hope you enjoy it all as much as I do!