Mr. Billy and one of his "Tonka Toys"!

I heard (read) an expression today..blog crickets!  Lol..I guess that's what my blog has..I never get comments.  Don't know what I'm doing wrong..or, perhaps there's no interest in moving from Paradise (Florida) to the back of beyond (26 acres in N.E. Tenn.).  On Facebook, though, I've found many "back to the landers" (what we called it in the early 70's economy scare) and love to peruse their pages for recipes, gardening/farming advice and animal husbandry.  We're not planning to raise too many animals, but it's interesting and fun to read.

We are getting closer to the build!  The ground was leveled this week for the pole barn/building.  N. ext trip should actually be during the pole barn raising!  

Each trip to Tennessee, we discover new wonders on the 26 acres.  The discovery of the underground creek was so cool.  You can hear the babbling current as it passes thru the caves under the meadow.  A few springs trickle along the back ridge and we're trying to train them to drain to the pond Mr. Billy dug for us.  The "wild" daffodils are already blooming in clumps all over the road frontage and the pasture (what I like to romantically call, the meadow). 

I'm making a list of flowers and plants I'd like to integrate into our landscape at the "farm".  A few wonderful bloomers we've not been able to have in Florida are Lilac and Peonies!  I am SO excited about these!  So far, all my gardens are "virtual" gardens.  We have planted a small orchard, and some property line trees (cypress)..but the gardens and landscape must wait for the building to take place.  We have been doing a little at a time.  Larry, the son in law, and Jack of all Trades, does the most.  But we are his team, crew, and cheering squad.