Spring has come

Here in Ukraine, March first is considered the first day of spring. Today we noticed our purple crocuses are blooming at the end of the drive. I planted them in 2009, the first fall we lived here. There used to be yellow ones, but they didn't have the staying power of the purple variety I guess.

On February 29th we went into Dnepro to visit the English class of one of our favorite people Tonya. Tonya is always generous with her time for us, she has translated more sermons for us at church than anyone else, but never asks us for anything, so Garry had asked her when we could come visit with some of her students after I returned to Ukraine, and Monday was the day.

I had the camera with me and took a few photos as we drove in from the village. I had forgotten it the day before and of course, the opportunity to take the picture I wanted of the burnt out car along the highway near the police checkpoint was gone by Monday afternoon. It was very burnt and looked like it must have been an old Lada or Moshvich, with what was left of it's melted frame beside the opposite side of the road and the hood or some other large part which had ended up in the center of the road between lanes. Must have exploded while burning on Friday night, we guess, because I caught a glimpse of it when we went in Saturday morning to pick up stuff at the home improvement store and metal market in the fog, but the camera battery died before we drove home.

A rare pickup truck on the highway

One of the new police cars you see driving around in the city

We're here! Right on time for the class...

 Yesterday, March first, was a little foggy when I walked to my 8 am class, today it was clear when I walked there and foggy when I returned home at nine. It cleared up nicely and was so warm when I walked home from my afternoon class I had my jacket unzipped today. I have to wear a jacket because the villagers are still in winter coats and hats, we don't want them to think I am crazy.

 Farm and crop report 

The TMR mixer that came in the container comes in the driveway every morning  

milk parlor

The company Garry hired to install the parlor has started, they say it will be finished by March 20th, A few small parts need to come from Canada with our company on the 16th.

The shop is stacked with fertilizer for spring planting, and they are buying seed corn.

Garry and I went out yesterday and snapped a photo of one of the winter wheat fields. This one had sorghum on last year, that's what all the big stalks are on the ground, but you can see it's turning green in spite of the late start it got because of the dry weather last fall.