Perfect Snowfall

Yesterday morning, I drove an hour southwest to my Master Gardener training class.  It wasn’t raining yet but the wind pushed me across the parking lot and blew me into the door of the classroom.  Mid-morning, the wind rattled the windows violently as I listened to a lecture on plant cell structure.  By lunchtime, the rain was coming down in sheets and Brett was texting me that the rain at home was turning to snow.  At about the time we dissected a Brussels sprout, he said it was all snow.

Mid-afternoon, we took apart a couple flowers to look at the variations in stamens and pistols and sepals.  By then, the snow at home was starting to stick.

Right after we dissected a strawberry, Brett texted that the driveway had disappeared and I best head home if I wanted to make it up our lane and to the house.  Most of the drive home was in rain, but as I got to the outskirts of our community, I had snowflakes flying at the windshield.  A couple neighbors had driven up our road shortly before I got there so I was able to drive in their tracks until I got to the house.  The snow wasn’t too thick yet, but it was falling in earnest.  It looked like this late yesterday afternoon.

This morning the sun came out and made the snow shine.  Some of the snow melted during the night but there was still about an inch on the ground.

Sage couldn’t decide if she wanted to spin in circles, leap and land in it, or just eat the snow.

And, dang, it was just plain gorgeous out.

Anticipation

There are a number of things that I am waiting in anticipation for today.

First off, we have a storm coming in tonight.  This morning was icy cold and clear.  The frost covered the fence rails and posts so that they sparkled white in the morning sun. The girls pasture which is blanketed in oak leaves, had a carpet of perfectly etched leaves, white edges against their brown centers.  Sage followed me around the pasture, as I scooped up frozen manure that was laying on the leaves.  She cautiously pressed her paw on the edges of frozen puddles and then ate the broken ice.

I took these photos after the frost was gone.  No way was I taking my thick gloves off to take a picture during morning chores.

Storm anticipation also means that we will be bringing the horses into the barn.  Before we do that, I’ll spread clean straw in the stalls and we’ll fill their water barrels.  I always put some sweet feed and carrots in their grain bins so there is a treat waiting when they come in.  I started doing it with Tex, because he wasn’t at all sure he liked the barn and his stall at first, and I’ve kept it up.  They so look forward to the treats.  I will also add more straw to the goat shed.  Their coats are thick and the straw is already deep, but they hate rain and snow so being able to burrow in deep inside their shed will be good.

I’m also anticipating the start of my Master Gardening course.  My first day of class is tomorrow.  In the middle of the storm.  I’m still excited.

I have finished my homework and packed my school bag.  I’m going to bake some muffins later so I can take one with me for my lunch.  The other day Brett looked over at me, where I was sitting on the couch studying.  He said, “Are you studying or coloring?”  I had my color pencils out.  I said, “I’m drawing leaves.”  He shook his head and went back to his book.

I’m In!

The two passions of my life have been horses and gardening.  I’ve never had as much time as I would like for either, and its something I intend to remedy now that I am retired.

I started gardening, oh, about 25 years ago when my kids were small.  I experimented with flowers and vegetables and trees.  Some lived, some didn’t.  I read a lot and I went to classes offered at various locations.  Often, the classes were taught by Master Gardeners.  I was impressed with, and envied, their knowledge.

After we moved up here, I learned that UC Davis offers a certification course to become a Master Gardener.  I inquired.  At the time, there was no way that I could make the time commitment and so I, sadly, put certification on my bucket list for retirement.

Guess what?  I’m retired now.   And the first thing I did?  Even before my retirement date?  You know it.  I called UC Davis to see if there would be a program in 2020.  The answer was yes.  So, after attending an orientation class, submitting an application, and enduring an interview by a panel of ten Master Gardeners (yikes), I found out today that I have been accepted into the program.

Champagne and pizza for dinner tonight.

Certification is a lot of work.  I will be attending lectures one day a week, all day.  There will be homework, and reading, and exams.  There will be labs.  And, when I finish in late spring, I will be a rookie Master Gardener.

As a Master Gardener, I will provide education to the public — backyard gardeners — through teaching classes, writing articles, going to Farmers Markets and the County Fair, giving demonstrations, and manning the help line.  I can’t wait!!!

Classes start in January.  In the meantime, I need to get my books and get fingerprinted and all that jazz.