Cold Time/Renewal Time 2026

Peaceful Pause

There's no arguing that it's been Cold Time! We haven't had too much snow, only about 8" on the ground. The constant cold and below zero wind chills have made outside activities less than alluring. I'll be very happy to resume our daily walks.

Oops! Almost empty

We've been using the woodstove daily during our waking hours. If the cold continues Bob will have to take his sled and bring in more wood from the pile outside. Not only will that chill the man, but it cools down the house with all of the opening and closing of the cellar door.

An inviting place to read

It is also Renewal Time, so we've spent much time reading in front of the stove.

We finished the Slabsides Book and are now reading Burroughs' book, A Year in the Fields. 

Between these two books we read Desert Exile by Yoshiko Uchida.

A very good read

This book I highly recommend. It is a first-hand account of life in Japanese Internment camps during World War II. The author, in her twenties at the time, her sister and parents we uprooted with thousands of other Japanese (both American born citizens and Japanese born) and dropped into unfinished containment camps in the American desert. No Due Process, no nothing. It's very timely reading for today.

Project is moving along

 I've been making very good progress on stage 2 of my hardanger piece. I hope to finish this stage in the next couple of weeks.

Fresh out of the pans

I bake bread biweekly the year round, but it seems extra pleasant to raise the loaves on the hearth and bake during this cold weather. I thought that you might enjoy a peak too. Try to imagine the wonderful fragrance. That can be part of renewal, too.

Bread for another two weeks

Bob's been relaxing but volunteering as well.

Off to the Capital, Albany

He went with a busload of climate activists to Albany in an effort to remind our Governor of the legal commitments that she has already made on New York's behalf.

Oh yes, another step we've taken in this Renewal Time is that we've turned off our morning alarm for the season. We still haven't settled into a regular wake up time. Some days it's 30 minutes past our normal time; others it's 90 minutes! Once warm weather comes, we can't sleep so late. Our outside exercise and work must be finished at least by noon (preferably 10 am). I think the late sleeping is related to stress.

Taking action

  
Perhaps some of you, especially who we've met since returning to New York, are unaware that we lived in Minnesota for 21 years. The last 17 of those, we lived in a northern suburb of Minneapolis. 

Our food coops where we shopped were in Minneapolis. The ethnic markets we patronized were in Minneapolis. Every Saturday night we ate at a variety of ethnic restaurants there. The Mennonite Fellowship and Quaker Meeting we attended were there.

To witness the terrorization of this community is extremely upsetting to us.

These updates are getting more and more difficult to write. 

When I read posts by some of the people that I know, I think, "Are they just oblivious to what's happening out there?". 

I don't know the answer to this question. But I want you to know that, while I write of reading and relaxing by the fire, we are not emotionally hiding. Things are not fine. We deeply feel this moment and are acting as we are able to respond. 

Protests, phone calls and boycotts. Another important part of the response is to have that cup of tea. Read a book. Recharge to Resume.

Holding all of you, in our hearts and in accountability.

Till next time,

Kathleen and Bob

Snowing again

Darkest Depths/Long Nights Time 2025

The Wolf Moon 

 
The time of Long Nights is slipping away. Now we enter the time of cold. Remember the old adage, "As the days lengthen, the nights strengthen.".

We'll address the weather first since many of you have heard reports about New York and may be wondering. 

At our house, we've only had about 3" of snow. We have had many days of strong winds (sometimes gusting to 50 mph), and below zero windchills. Those subzero wind chills have interfered with our daily walks. Our route is far too exposed to be safe in this weather.

My hometown at the eastern edge of Lake Ontario has gotten hammered. Some of you are sitting amid the snowbanks right now. Try to stay warm and enjoy the forced confinement.

Holiday trees

We enjoyed a quiet and restful Solstice and Yuletide. Evening fires in the woodstove to counteract the cold winds, reading and a few special treats to eat.

Projects have kept us busy this month.

Footstool project begins

Bob bought an old footstool at a charity garage sale. The top fabric and cushioning needed to be replaced.

New padding goes on

He removed the old materials and cut out new padding from some old wool blankets.

New padding all on

After securing the padding, he cut a new top out of some heavy duck fabric.

New fabric all on

The recovered top was reattached to the base and now we have a footstool large enough for both of us to share. All of these materials were in my stash.

Finished product

Last year's beans have all been threshed out. There are fewer beans than usual, but I'm sure we'll get by with all of the leftovers from last year.

Total 2025 crop

Yesterday I ordered the seeds we need for this year's garden. We didn't need too many.

Choosing seeds

This year I'm going to try another pole habit drying bean. It's a black bean reportedly from the Narragansett tribe of Rhode Island. I'm excited to see how this one turns out.

Last year's trial bean, 5,000-Year-Old Cave Bean, turned out to be quite good. I'll plant that one again this year.

Bob's annual sweater was finished this morning!

Model strikes a pose

 

I often knit this pattern for him, varying the colors and patterns, because it fits his slim build very well.

In our season of rest, we've spent a good deal of time reading, each having finished several books already.

Generally, our evenings are spent reading aloud while sitting in front of the fire. We recently finished The Outermost House by Henry Beston.

A good read

Mr. Beston wrote of the year that he spent living on the Outer Beach of Cape Cod. He sought the seclusion of the beach in an effort to recover from the trauma of his World War I service. We found it to be very interesting.

Now we are reading The Slabsides Book . This book is about the woodland cabin of naturalist John Burroughs. We found this, as well as four volumes of Burroughs nature writings at the local library book sale. We plan to read all of them soon.

Who's at the feeder?

Our reading area looks out on our bird feeders, so we get great opportunities for watching the birds from the comfort of our living room.

Phase 1 complete

Work continues (slowly) on my hardanger piece. The project has three distinct phases: surface embroidery, cutting and lacework and counted cross stitch embellishments.

This week I finished phase 1. Now I begin with phase 2, which involves cutting into the piece and stitching in lacework. There's a ton of that to do.

A great find

 
On an unrelated note, we found this queen sized, handmade quilt in the thrift shop for $5.99. Yes, the decimal point is in the correct place! The craftsmanship, or perhaps craftspersons-ship, is very good. I brought it home to recognize and honor the creator's effort and spirit.

We hope that you have enjoyed any holiday which you may celebrate, and that you have eluded the flu and other illnesses. There's still time to relax and renew before the season of rebirth and growth. We hope you will take advantage of the time.

We'll be here; by the fire reading, or crafting, or playing games. Continuing to enjoy this golden period.

Till next time,

Kathleen and Bob

Warming the kitty-cicle

"Whose woods these are..."