Kick off to running season! The previous night’s snow didn’t keep the Beamy leprechauns from running their legs off in the 12th Annual Lebanon, NH Shamrock Shuffle. We placed near the middle of the pack of almost 1100 runners (counting, of course, the 17 seconds it took to cross the start line!). The field of runners grows larger each year and I sported my usual green socks and shirt. I have a shamrock headband but it hurts my head and I’m worried that they would fall off with my blistering fast pace.
Prerace (this is how we warm up…in a warm car!)
Post race (best part is going for a beer afterwards)
On Sunday, Ben and I also made my Papa Jordan’s Irish Bread and Ben thinks that he mixed it to a perfect consistency. 
With spring around the corner, it’s time to start getting our garden plans ready and we are planning to increase our vegetable garden this year to 4 raised beds and are hoping to grow spinach, kale, and cucumbers. We are going to grow our usual tomatoes and basil and thyme. I am hoping to grow chocolate mint in a pot because Ben loves the dried version of this for tea. Grow it in pots or it will take over your garden! We also hope to expand our front perennial garden, as we have to again divide some of the plants we have there because they keep spreading. Our soil is pretty crappy and maybe this year I’ll actually get organized enough to do a soil test. We are lucky because the garden place where we get our compost/soil/mulch from just moved into Orford and the owners live in our town, so it will be more convenient to get our supplies. My job at Cedar Circle Farm will start mid April and I’m planning to learn a lot more about soil and growing vegetables and flowers. I have a pretty rudimentary knowledge and the amount of information out there is overwhelming. I am a hands-on learner so I plan to soak up all I can. My one big goal is that I want to learn canning. Ben has taken up making refrigerator pickles, which don’t require sterilization because of you use vinegar and put right in the fridge. No Botulism fear! I’ve always been nervous of canning for that reason, but I figure with all the expert knowledge around me at the farm, I’ll be in good hands. Plus, I love salsa and it would be cool to make pickled veggies. We’ll see how far I get with this project. It might go the way of my goal to learn how to knit socks this winter, which consistent of buying yarn and casting on stitches, but hope Springs eternal!