We make a schedule. We have every good intention of keeping to the plan. My dear, sweet spouse reminds me of the schedule and the plan. What’s the plan? Move the dirt. What’s the schedule? Move it now.

Well, Winter Storm Riley, however, proved Robert Burns right once again: “The best laid schemes o’ mice an’ men / Gang aft a-gley.” Our plan did not include half a day without electricity, two trees down, and our highly envied vineyard flattened.

Ah, but Monday, March 5th, D-Day +5, was a beautiful day – bright sunshine, moderate breeze, and temperatures perfect for moving dirt. After two and a half days at the mercy of the storm, this bright new day, this first full day of semi-retirement, would be a day for moving dirt. (This, of course, could not begin until several other chores were completed.)

Shovel in hand, wagon pulled behind me, I was off to begin the task. Where was beautiful spouse? Dear readers, not every man has the rare joy of having a personal cheerleader and photographer such as I have.

So, we will present two pictures of the dirt to be moved and the man with the “dirt moving skills” to move it. Now, I must inform you that there is only one picture of yours truly because my personal photographer was using the wide angle lens and got a little too close to her subject. You’ve heard of the people who take selfies and complain that their noses look too big. Well, in this case, something else looked too big. (Those pictures are now deleted memories.)

So it was on D-Day +5. The Serendipity Farmhouse 2018 planting season draws nigh and we are back to our plan and back on schedule.