Some friends of ours offered to let us use some of their land for gardening this year, so after four hours hard labor and one sunburn later, we’re halfway done! That’s 64 seeds of corn, 55 cabbage, and about 100 potatoes. We’ll have to go back another day to finish the rest of the potatoes and plant peas. I don’t think pictures of little mounds of dirt would be very interesting to you, but I did take some pictures from around the farm.

While I was grumbling that honeybees don’t stand still enough to pose for pictures very well, I realized that the bees thought my big camera was some kind of threat to the nest. I stood in a swarm that landed by my shirt and hair (luckily none of them stung me) to get this shot before running away like a character in a comical silent movie.

It’s hard to believe that these three little pigs will each be 250 pounds in just a few months!

I believe Corey is wondering in this photo just how long I’m going to keep taking pictures instead of getting down to business. So, do you have a green thumb? What have you planted this year? We’d love to hear all about it!

I bet these cougars were thinking, “How can we get into the deer paddock without the rangers noticing?”

Shhh…he’s sleeping.

Too…cold…can’t…feel…fingers…must…get…home…

We went without electricity for three days here in Boone. Here are a few photos from the ice storm!

Thank goodness no one was hurt (and home insurance).

It’s a typical foggy morning here in the mountains. Temperature: 58 degrees.

Is it really that time already?? Better start thinking about a costume this year.

Lavender is one of my most favorite herbs!

So many beautiful dahlias this time of year!

George Carlin once asked, “Where is the blue food?” In Boone, my friend. At $5 per gallon, we can’t resist going back for more. We can always freeze them for later, after all!

Check out this crazy moss that was growing on some of the branches.

Over the mountain to the left is a church built in 1842, and we listened to the evening bells chime as we gathered berries. Life is good.

Our tomatoes are finally getting big, so I took a few photos of them. Are you growing anything this year?

Corey and I went up to Elk Knob on Sunday and took a few photos! But first, a confession: I didn’t actually make it all the way up to the top. I know 2.6 miles doesn’t seem like a long way when you’re sitting there reading this at your computer, but it’s an eternity when you’re climbing a mountain. Plus, they’re still working on building the trail so some parts are extremely steep and slippery. One does not simply walk up Elk Knob.

Can you believe they still use a pulley system to haul up gravel for the trail? Too bad we couldn’t ride it like a zip line.

The mountains in the background are actually all the way in Virginia! You can see Howard’s Knob in Boone off the far left.

Here’s your weekly dose of photos from the Farmer’s Market here in Boone. Enjoy!

Here are just a few more photos I took yesterday at the humane society. Not to get all Bob Barker on you, but please remember to spay and neuter your pets!

There will be many more posts to come, as I’ve been invited back next week to take more photos! This time I’ll be bringing some fabric backdrops and we’ll be taking the dogs and kittens out of their cages, so I’m excited!