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| At Taughannock Falls, Valentine's Day |
Hello Again,
As another month here comes to an end, so too the end of another season is in sight. The signs are all there: the freezers and pantry are emptying out, we're often getting sleet and freezing rain with our snow, and the woodpile is dwindling.
This month, "Stay at Home Time"' is a good time to tie up loose ends and look ahead. One of my annual tasks is to process excess garlic. I pull out the amount I think we'll be able to use up before it goes bad. The rest I run through the food processor. Some I pack into airtight containers and freeze. Some I dehydrate. After it's dry, I run it through the blender to powder it.
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| Dried garlic ready to be powdered |
This year I froze ten heads of garlic and powdered ten heads. That will be more than enough to carry me through to the next crop.
In my winter's reading I came across another very old way of reckoning the months. I like this one also, so I'll probably be combining it with the one we use now. In this other reckoning, the month we're just finishing is "Cleansing Time". It's a time to clear away winter's dross in preparation for the coming growth of spring.
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| Clearing the air with lemon essential oil |
We're taking this both literally and figuratively. So, we've spent time determining what no longer fits our needs, materially and emotionally, and have "Taken Steps".
The weather was very warm one day so I opened all the windows and got fresh air throughout the house. The kitchen shelves, cupboards and drawers have all been emptied and cleaned. (Where do all those crumbs come from?!)
We gathered up things and on February 2 we took them to several resale shops: clothing to Salvation Army, craft patterns and supplies to Sew Green, household items to ReUse It and books to the charity book sale in Ithaca. Bob returned extra plumbing supplies to Lowe's. I wrote out attitudes, habits and beliefs that I want to leave behind. These I ceremoniously burned in the wood stove.
We should be ready to switch gears here when the time comes.
February 2 was also Lunette's "anniversary". She came to stay here six years ago. There's been quite a change in her since she came. While her behavior is still less than ideal, I think she's a happier dog. She's been a difficult dog, and not much fun, but we hope we've given her a better life.
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| "All mine." |
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| Patching Plaster |
Bob's finished hanging drywall on the bathroom ceiling. Now he's mending and patching access holes and damaged areas.
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| Boxing off plumbing pipes |
He's also building "boxes" around plumbing that goes to the upstairs bathroom which is directly above this one. In an old house like this, there's no place to run it between floors. This will provide access and not be so unsightly.
Well, I'd better go and finish up my winter knitting. Bob's scarf recently self destructed, so he needs another.
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| New scarf to the rescue |
Take care and start getting your loose ends tied up. The owls are hoot-hooting in our woods, saying it's time to break winter's rest.
Till next time,
Kathleen, Bob and Lunette
