Being Dormant

 If you look out in the garden right now,

unless you live somewhere very warm,

you probably see very little in the way of growth.

Now not to get too deep, 

but if you look inward,

it's probably quite similar.

We tend to go and go and go.

Busy, busy, busy.

Many don't give this much thought, 

but we need down time.

February is that time.

It's a time for us to be inside:

both in our homes because it's so cold out,

and in our souls.

I'm not a certified anything,

but I would venture to say,

"We need periods of dormancy if we are to grow."

It's part of the natural cycle of things.

I've seen quite a few folks showing pictures of their

little sproutlings getting ready for the garden.

While I do love seeing them and

I too have been looking at my seeds and planning,

there is a part of me that thinks,

"Wait, I'm not ready yet."

I need this time of dormancy.

The quiet before I get going with the daily chores

associated with taking care of baby plants

as they grow from infancy in their trays and pots

to graduating into the ground to later be harvested.

This isn't a very long post, 

and I think I'm writing it mostly for my own well-being,

but if you're not quite ready for the activities

and bustle of spring,

there is at least one other person out here.

I know by March, I will be ready.

But for now,

I'll stay within.

 

~ Quiet ~

 We are making our way through January aren't we?

We've had some wonderful snow storms

and some crazy wind

which actually blew the porch cover off the entrance 

to our house!

I won't go into the silly things that have been done

to this sweet old farm cottage in which we live.

There are better things to dwell upon.

Our temperatures being true winter temps.,

have put a hush on area.

It's one of those quiets you can hear. 

I actually like winter months and long evenings,

though I do miss our wood heat.

And by March, I am among the first chomping at the bit

to be out playing in the dirt.

But for right now I have plenty to do.

I would call this

"the time to keep."

In keeping our homes, there are so many tasks.

It's funny how easily they are overlooked when we are on the run,

but slow down for a few minutes or sit a little longer in the evening and you begin to notice.

How did that happen?

Or, when did that get there?

I will tell you, I have darned 5 pairs of socks

 and have 4 more pair yet to do!

I also saved what beans we harvested just to eat as beans

so have been shelling/cleaning those.

That has to be one of the most boring jobs ever,

but there's time to do it.

And I'm grateful for them.

We had such a strange summer with that "heat dome"

our garden and canning seemed off for the whole of summer.

I also finished the hand quilting

 of a quilt I started some time back.

I have 2 potholders to stitch the binding on and

another pair of socks started.

The first pair of socks I made (for me) fit my dad!

He likes them, says they are warm.  

I'm glad they were green and not pink and purple.

I am almost to the heal of the new sock.

The chickadees are still about and flutter around the feeder

where I can see and enjoy them.

We've now only traces of dirty snow where it was drifted.

Most of it is gone so everything looks grey.

It makes me want to sit and drink tea and read a book,

which I have done a little bit of.

I relish a good read and cup of tea time.

I've been reading "nice" books as a bit of a counter 

to all that is heard elsewhere.

Near my chair are:

"Country Chronicles" by Gladys Taber

"The New England Butt'ry Shelf Almanac" 

by Mary Mason Campbell

"Southern Jack Tales" by Donald Davis

I might start the second book in "The Little House" series.

I read the first book which was good.

I learned that she had originally written it for adults with a lot more description but was told by publishers that it was too dark.

So she rewrote it as she did aimed towards children.

Though dark, it makes me wonder if those original manuscripts still exist somewhere.

Her life wasn't easy.  What lessons we could learn.

And what gratitude it might provoke.

And lastly, I have open to read online, 

"The Lady's Annual Register and Housewife's Memorandum Book

for 1838" by Caroline Gilman

This is an interesting piece in that it will have a recipe,

a bit of poetry, instructions on how to clean a specific item,

information about a ladies' group, etc.

It seems very random but makes for quick reading if you only have a short time.

And since typing the above and having it nearly ready,

I came down with the virus.

It literally flattened me.

I am still recovering but am thinner and weaker at the moment.

I am slowly trying to get my house back in order.

It's amazing how those little things we do daily 

to keep the house all add up.

It will get there.

The perk of sleeping for 2 weeks straight is that I spent

zero dollars for 2 weeks.

Talk about saving money :-)

I am seeing how long I can go without any "extra" purchases,

meaning I will obviously pay our power or get milk etc. 

but no extra things.

We now have only 2 days until February 

and somehow as cold as the month is, 

it seems warmer with endearments since St. Valentine's Day

is a couple weeks in.

When the children were little,

we did an advent to St. V Day.

They loved it.

I've always liked St. Valentine's Day.

Love, Chocolate, & Flowers~

What's not to love?

I prefer to do my "Holiday" baking in February

because there is nothing else going on.

In December, we are always over extended so I don't like to 

add more to the list during that time.

Hopefully, I will be able to share what goodies 

I decide upon as it gets closer.

Until then,

keep well and warm dear friends. 

The Quiet In Betweens

There are quite a few folks out there

who don't like the days growing shorter or

being on Standard time.

I'm not one of those folks :-)

I love this time of year.  

I love being on Standard Time.

In the "war" against time change,

the only two options proposed were

Daylight Savings Time or continue switching back and forth.

Heeey! Hold on just a minute there.

What about the real time?

(Squawky - see below)

I would be curious to know how many of you are morning people???

Mr. LB and I wake up between 4:30-5 o:clock.

(My mom says that's an afternoon time.)

Yep, even on weekends.

We just do.

I do set an alarm clock weekdays, just in case.

But generally speaking, we are awake before it goes off.

Hubby requires far less sleep than I do (about 6 hrs.)

I like my 8 hours.

But we are morning folks.

We drink our coffee and are often off and running before the sun

raises its head from its mountainous pillow.

By evening, we are ready for supper and relaxation.

We are not entertainment oriented.

I'm not sure what to call us (that's a loaded statement, I know!)

But we are work oriented

or doing oriented

or living oriented.

We are not watching oriented.

I once wrote a piece that was called "The Watchers."

There are folks who seem to just watch life go by.

I think many children are being raised to be watchers

by parents who are watchers.

It seems they have to be entertained.

I'm not saying this to blame anybody.

I'm not even sure when it happened.

It's just sad when folks don't get to feel

the feeling of accomplishment or

the feeling of helping or

the feeling of giving or

providing, or growing, or 

well. . . . living.

Working with and raising critters of any sort is a lot of work.

There's usually physical as well as mental work involved.

They require feeding, tending, occasionally moving, etc.

And yes, it is work.

It's a commitment with a real consequence.

If you don't feed them, they will die.

That's pretty real.

But the rewards~

When that baby critter takes its first wobbly steps,

or you get to run the barrels in great time,

or you serve a home-raised meal.

What sort of price do you put on that?

Many folks see only the output of labor and discount the rewards.

Critters are just one example.

There are hundreds more.

I happen to love haying. 

Sounds crazy, I know.

Being out in the blazing heat to cut it,

then waking up at o:dark:thirty to rake and bale it

doesn't really sound like a barrel of monkeys kind of fun.

But. . . 

the smell of alfalfa in the morning dew,

and seeing the deer at the edge of the field

and hearing the quail begin to stir 

as the sun is just beginning to light the sky,

I think that is a treat in itself that you can't buy in a store.

Then there is the reward of having a healthy source of nutrition

for the critters come winter.

On winter days, when you are breaking off flakes to feed,

that sweet scent of summer lingers in the frosty air

and it's all worth it.

Who needs more entertainment than that?

We are old fashioned, what can I say.

During the longer evenings, we are finally able to find time for

that book that's been staring at us, or that stitching project,

or the research required to figure out a new endeavor.

These long evenings are a welcomed joy.

From what I hear, it might be the last winter

we have Standard time.

I will tell you one thing,

for the next 3-4 months,

I am going to revel in the morning light

and long evenings.

How 'bout you?

We call him Squawky and have watched him since spring.  
In early summer, he would walk out front and squawk and beat his wings
looking for hens.
Now we say he is serenading Hucklebunny.
We have been greatly entertained by him.

Oh, It's You . . .

Well hello there January.

Where on earth did you come from.  I thought you were still December.

My, my, you brought a thick blanket with you.
Your temperature looks dreadful.

Here, let's stoke the fire and see if we can warm you up a bit.

Perhaps the smell of Six Bean Soup with ham
will comfort you while you settle in.

You are welcome old friend.
You always seem to admire our woolen sweaters and cozy quilts.
We serve hot drinks in your honor.
I know you won't be here long before your neighbor February crowds you out not to return for another year.

A very Happy New Year to you all.

On A Cold Winter's Day

Oh how poetic that sounds.

Yea Right!

Let's take a looksy outside, shall we.
That be the moon on my way to work.

We have barely made it up to double digits for over a week.

Yesterday, Mr. LB borrowed a neighbor's little tractor so we could

do some snow management.
Our poor snow-blower kicked the bucket a couple weeks ago.

We are running out of places to pile the stuff.

If we get a warm spell, there will be severe flooding down river.

In the last post, I showed you this photo.
This is looking out our kitchen window.

Within the week, this is that same view.

And from the driveway.

Sorry for the headlight interference.  It was snowing and I was leaving for work.

It's like a bad redneck joke:

Instead of mowing the lawn and finding a car,

it's shoveling snow and finding a car,
which is exactly what we did.

The snow has pushed the elk down.
They are nearly to town!
This is quite a bit lower than where we are.

So I just wanted to let you know, I'm still here.

Making it to and from work takes extra time.

Everything is taking extra time.

We just keep shoveling.

I will definitely be welcoming spring.

Until next time,

find yourself a cup of something warm,

and stay in out of the snow.

                                          

Are You Ready for January?

Are you there?

How are you doing?

Holding up okay?

(Mr. LB took this photo last weekend.)

The tree is down.

The lights and decorations are all boxed up.

Company has left.

The days are short, and nights are looming.

And the bills will begin arriving soon.

January is said to be the most depressing of months for several reasons.

We are experiencing the longest nights of the year.

So what can we do?

Here are just a few ideas.

*

SAD (seasonal affective disorder) is a very real thing - even among children.

The 'natural light' light bulbs are helpful.

I call them happy lights - to keep SAD away:)

Face the light ~ be it a window or lamp, get that light.

*

We have spent the last month on a sugar high 

from the cookies and cocoa to the wine with dinner.

What goes up must come down.

Be sure to eat your greens.

I'm talking green beans, dark leaf lettuces, brussels sprouts, chards, etc.

*

Move! Get outside.

Take a walk, shovel snow, go ice skating, whatever it takes

to get some of that fresh air in your lungs.

Exercise is one of the best mood lifters, boredom busters,

and health builders there is - and it's free.

*

Missing the family/friends?

Write them a letter.

I know, I hear you saying, "A what?"

Really though, not a novel or even a multi-pager.

Just write a note stating how much you enjoyed the visit,

the yams just the way you like them, seeing the kids, etc.

It appears to be for the recipient, but it's actually a very healthy

thing you can do for yourself.

It's win-win.

*

Bills.  Oh yea, those things.

Hopefully you were mindful and didn't go too wild.

Either way, look at your finances.

Plot, plan, and set goals.

This might sound like a funny thing to do, but 

I like to set 2 goals:

one is very realistic and attainable

the other is more of an 'if we can swing it' sort of number.

Usually, we hit somewhere between the two numbers

which is still better than the minimum.

Just having the knowledge of what is owed

and what your plan is will alleviate a great deal of stress,

thus the saying "fear of the unknown." 

*

And lastly,  the longer evenings allow me to stitch 

so I actually look forward to January.

Whether your hobby is reading, doing jig-saw puzzles, or checking your

dentures for cavities, consider this your retreat time.

It won't be long before we are starting seeds

and putting together our project lists for the warmer months ahead.

Remember all the times you uttered the words,

"if only I had a little more time to ____."

Here it is.

~Just trying to help keep us all healthy and happy~

*Happy New Year*

Note: I am not a doctor of any kind.  This is meant as information only.

You are responsible for yourself and your decisions. 

If you are in need of help either medical or mental, please seek it from a professional. 

Until next time,

Nimble Fingers and Even Stitches

Elkless!

Elk season is now over, and

I am elkless:(

I had a prime opportunity opening day and blew it.

I couldn't get it in my scope in the couple of seconds I had

in which to act.

Instead, I got to hike, climb, and crawl many many miles.

But instead of whining like I would prefer,

I will show you some of the country we covered.

Opening day it was so windy, we had to brace ourselves

against the wind.

In my infinite wisdom, I told Hubby, "This is why you see

those witches stuck to telephone poles.  See we're in the mts.

so it's hunter stuck to tree."

Okay, so I'm warped. 

Above and below ~ opening day.

Then. . .

yep that's the snow-line. Yesterday, covered all this in a blanket of white.
We did see about 75 head in this draw, but all cows and branch bulls 
- no spikes.

An idea of how steep it can be.

It was exhausting, and I am still without elk in the freezer.
I'm a poor hunter.  It's not something I really enjoy.
I only do it for the opportunity of delicious free range meat.
I don't like waking up in the middle of the night to hike in the dark
to where we are going to watch the sun rise while freezing to death and
remaining 'out' until dark, then come home to cook dinner,
shower, and crash.
It's beautiful, but I'm a fair weather hiker.  

Well, as promised, I will soon be posting some fun ideas
centered around the holidays.

Until next time,
Nimble Fingers and Even Stitches.

A Long Winter's Nap

What a superb time to follow the lead

of Mother Nature~

everything is at rest.

Spring is waiting right around the corner

to com endear our daylight hours.

Today is yours.

Find peace and appreciate the stillness of the season.

Go ahead ~ indulge

A nap

The word itself sounds like bliss unexpectedly found.

Visions of the 6 year old boy or girl you once were

exhausted my frolicking in the snow,

and the extra weight of the clothes,

now in by the fire, fed and full,

nose and toes warming and red,

wrapped in a favorite comfort,

and lids become heavy and soon close.

The clock on the wall making it's rhythmic tock

until it's no longer heard by little ears.

A nap

January for some reason evokes the image of a soft light

in a dimly lit corner,

a book in a quilted lap,

a half cup of tea left, now barely tepid,

maybe a beloved pet curled up near by, 

and a head tipped to be supported by the edge of the chair.

Alas, a nap

Until next time,
Nimble Fingers and Even Stitches

A Family Activity ~ Bird Feeder

About a year ago,

I posted that around Thanksgiving

we make a treat for the birds.

You can see that post here.

This year, the feathered little tweeties

get peanut-butter seed cones.

This can be a bit messy so be prepared.

The supply list is rather simple:

pine cones

peanut butter

bird seed

jute twine

and scissors, spoon, butter-knife, and bowl.

In case you are unaware,

pine cones close in the cold and open in the heat.

I only mention that, because

I have met so many people who don't know it.

If your pine cones are closed,

bring them in and set them by the stove

or even in the oven on a cookie sheet lined with foil.

Your first step is to tie a string of jute

(about 18 inches long) onto the top point of the pine cone.

Then use a butter knife to put peanut butter

in all the little crevices.

(I did notice I missed a spot or two when I took the picture so had to fill them in.)

Next, set the covered pine cone in a tray of bird seed.

 Use a spoon to cover it with seed.

Also, tip it on it's side and make sure there is seed

covering all the peanut butter.

Now it is ready to be hung in a tree 

for our feathered friends.

I have done this as a children's church activity,

and it went very well.

If you do so,

you might want to take plastic sandwich bags

so the children can take them home.

If you make them at home,

you can take them directly out and hang them in a tree.

Warning: try not to hang them next to where

the cats can easily get to them.

Until next time,

Nimble Fingers and Even Stitches.

*~*~*January Projects for the Garden*~*~*

1st

If you haven't ordered your seeds,

I would strongly suggest placing your order soon.

One site I really like:

Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds

I have only had good luck with their seeds,

and I'll just remind you that this is me

the brown thumb talking.

2nd

Go through your seeds and see what you will

want to purchase as plants.

I have horrible luck starting tomatoes from seed

so I just plan on buying them.

If your seeds look like this,

maybe do a little tidying-up;)

Even the sunglasses for weed wacking.

3rd

If you don't already have one,

maybe find a local source of bunny poo.

Yep, you read that correctly.

It's !ultra-fabuloso! for the garden.

I called our extension service and

they hooked me up with a 4-H family

who had a gold mine of doodoo.

They were only too obliged to share.

4th

I don't know what you all do,

but I can't stand the tomato cages

that you buy in the store.

I even bought the larger, sturdier, more expensive ones,

and they were wimpy.

So I've come up with a little plan.
I will have to play with it and get some pictures
before I share:)
The suspense is brutal, I know.

Hopefully I can get on it &
get it done.

I read another blog about things they plant in January.
Our ground hasn't thawed since October.
I just have to wait for my seeds to arrive,
and clean-up my seed box before they show up.

More soon.
Until next time,
Nimble Fingers and Even Stitches

*~*~*Just How Cold is It?*~*~*

Last night when we went to bed,

it was -9 & -23 with windchill!

It is so cold that the water is freezing on the rocks.

Then as more water flows,

it flows over the ice and freezes even more.

This is the same corner from up river.

When I make soap,

I do the lye water outside

because it is caustic & can get up to 200 degrees.

I carried it in the house with my bare hands.

It was like holding a cup of hot coffee,

but there was no 200 degrees.

Now it's Mama Hen time.

If you have to travel - even just to work or the store,

carry a few things with you, please.

Water

Food

Flashlight

Rope

Matches

Small Shovel

Blanket

It might sound like a lot,

but I just pulled a fella out of a ditch

Friday on my way home.

My tow rope is always in my rig,

but it was out for some reason.

What saved the day was

that the fella had one with him.

I will have another gift idea for you

here within the next couple days,

but wanted to encourage you all

to keep safe and warm.

PS - What's up with naming storms?  We used to have one name

for all the storms - Winter:)

Until next time,

Nimble Fingers and Even Stitches