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| Hopeful Daffodils |
Greetings from the heart of the Finger Lakes. We're just ending the month of Stay at Home/Cleansing Time.
Our weather has been odd. Winter has been rather like a guest that stays briefly, then travels to more "exotic" locales; only to return to us; then leave again right away.
We haven't even been able to take the snowshoes down from their wall hooks this year.
We have been able to enjoy more of a rest time this winter. Bob's retirement must have something to do with that. Now however, we feel spring coming and our activities have begun to ramp up a bit.
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| Time to get cleaning |
I've begun my annual deep cleaning. This year I decided to break our 11 rooms into five units. I will thoroughly clean one unit each weekend for five weeks. With that schedule, I should be finished by the first weekend in April. Perhaps spreading the work out so much will make it less tiring.
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| Setting up the seed starting area |
I've also begun some of my garden seeds. The ones that go out in April always take me by surprise, so I started them earlier than usual. I also started some that go out in May because I want nice, large plants to set out. Here's a gallery of what's growing in the cellar today:
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| Sweet potato slips |
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| Tomatoes and eggplants |
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| A nice tomato |
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| Lettuce |
There are also cabbages, kale, tat soi, spinach and peppers.
Bob's been busy building perches for the Wildlife hospital at Cornell. He's built 39 so far. It's very interesting and he's really enjoying the project. The perches are for sick and injured birds that are being treated at the facility. The design of each perch varies with both the species and the gender. He's built for eagles, all the way down to his current project: hummingbirds. Here's a gallery of his work so far:
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| Back to front: Eagle, Eagle & Barred Owls |
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| Red Tailed Hawks |
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| Woodpeckers |
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| Stump perches for Turkey Vultures & Screech Owls |
This is a great time for Bob to do these perches because his outside work can't begin for a while yet.
Today Bob received a couple of new woodworking projects. My birthday is this week, and he ordered two accessory kits for my harp: a clamp on music holder and a dolly to put under the harp, making it easier to move.
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| Happy Birthday to me! |
It was so nice of my luthiers to put these kits on sale just in time for my birthday! Bob says the kits are very well done and is looking forward to doing them. A gift for both of us, really.
Bob's other activity has been to prepare for his enlarged mushroom garden.
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| Cutting logs for Shiitake mushrooms |
He has readied 20 logs for shiitake mushrooms. The spawn and tools have arrived. The spawn is resting in my refrigerator.
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| Mushroom spawn and tools |
In addition to his 20 shiitake logs, he will start a bed of winecap mushrooms. The shiitakes should start to produce in the spring of 2024. The winecaps should start to produce in late summer this year.
Well, that's what's been going on here. Just like things outside, things within are beginning to stir, readying for the season ahead.
What's germinating in your life?
Till next time,
Kathleen and Bob
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| Spring is coming! |
