Firefly Time 2026

 

Blueberry Season

Well, it's been quite a month. There's been a lot of work and much has transpired.

I'll update on Bob first because that's probably foremost in your minds.

He had his liver biopsy which went well. The results were that he has a malignant neuroendocrine tumor. Only about eight percent of pancreatic cancer patients have this type of cancer. So, he has the dubious honor of being a special case. This type of tumor results from the pancreas going wacky and overproducing a particular hormone (or hormones). 

The treatment involves hormone injections rather that chemo. The injections aim is to turn off the receptors which produce the excesses. Hopefully this will stop the tumor growth, and with luck begin to shrink the tumor. It doesn't kill the growth or "heal" it. Other later treatments may include targeted radiation and other oral medications. This is all an effort to give him relief and extend his remaining time. This is my layman's (and possibly lame) presentation of the situation as I understand it.

He received his first injection three weeks ago. He will receive one injection every four weeks, but we don't yet know for how long. He was nauseous for eight days (but does have two antinausea medications), was extremely fatigued and had other gastrointestinal issues.

His oncologist doubled his digestive enzymes, so he is beginning to eat a little more and has a little more energy most days. We need to try and keep his weight from slipping down further.

His next treatment is on August 11, so keep him in your thoughts.

A sampling of produce

Now, on to Thistledown.

We've been busy here. When able, Bob's been on the computer and phone researching and arranging for our next situation. I've been doing the more physical chores.

Kale

 The portion of the garden that we got planted has been producing. Since Bob cannot eat very much, and I won't have a huge freezer, most of produce has been going to friends or the local Food 4 All pantry. 

Chard ready for the Pantry

They say the patrons really like the greens.

Collard greens for the Pantry

The garlic has been harvested and is drying in the shed.

Garlic all harvested

Most of the garlic and shallots will be heading for the Pantry, too. Yellow and green beans are coming on. Bob's been enjoying those, so I have frozen some for later. I'm sure the Pantry will get some before long. Cucumbers are doing what cucumbers do, so the Pantry has gotten some of those, and squash season is ahead, so Lodi folks will be introduced to Patty Pans soon.

Blueberries

Blueberries were great this year. Those, too Bob has been enjoying. We shared quite a few of these with friends.

Surprise Shiitake bloom

Shiitakes. Wow! Our old logs, which we thought were pooped out, were taken into the woods and propped up to make way for new ones. One day when I was dumping weeds back there, I noticed the logs were starting fruit. A lot of fruit! I kept checking on them and by week's end I harvested 107 mushrooms!! We ate fresh mushrooms, shared many with friends and I froze 21 small containers.

95 Shiitakes harvested

This was really unexpected treat.

A poignant end to my gardening life came this month when I handed my entire seed stock over to our "Egg Lady", who is starting on her own garden adventure. The torch is passed and I wish her success and joy in the journey.

Tidying the garden

Since my back seems to be healed, I spent a hot week working to tidy up the unplanted garden beds. I wanted the garden and grounds to look a little more inviting to prospective buyers.

I weeded; moved the rest of the compost onto the beds and mulched with as many leaves as I had. Then I spread our remaining amendments around, sowed grass seed where the compost and leaves had been piled and overseeded the lawn. I want Bob to teach me how to run the weed wacker. Our lawn service is supposed to be doing it, but they're not. 

Moving Sale Crew (outside branch)

We had our moving sale on the 11th and 12th. The weather was perfect and it was a great success. We had many helpers before and during the sale. Our niece and nephew even drove from Michigan to help us and to visit. Their help was invaluable and we all had a wonderful visit. They really raised the spirits of their uncle.

Kyle managed the garage

We sold nearly all of the garden equipment and home renovation tools. Three trips to the resale shops has taken care of all the rest. Many people stopped by to visit Bob and fortunately he was feeling quite well that day and enjoyed the company.

We have had friends come, some very often, to help with a variety of tasks, from sorting for the garage sale; to shifting this or that about and repairing little things; giving guidance and supplying Bob with eggs and THC oil. We are greatly indebted to all of you and thank you so much.

This past week I spent the time readying the house to go on the market, which is scheduled for Monday or Tuesday this week.

Finally! Sidewalk

 

We finally have a new sidewalk out front! The forms still need to be removed and the mess cleaned up. That was supposed to be done a week ago. Now he promises to come this weekend. This man's promises are of very little worth. The walk looks great, but that's the only recommendation regarding this particular individual.

Now for some exciting news. On Friday we submitted a quote on a townhome in Ithaca, and it was accepted. We have somewhere to go! It is in the South Hill section of Ithaca, in the Deer Run community. The neighborhood looks very nice, and Tompkins County has many more services and amenities to offer, especially for an aging population. 

On Friday evening, we accepted an offer for the purchase of 31 acres of our back property! It's to our advantage to break off this large section because our house will probably sell better without so much land. Now we need an eager buyer for the house and remaining seven acres.

Now that I know exactly where we will be living, I can pack and sort out possessions more precisely. This will be much of my focus now.

Bob has been working his magic on making all of this come about. He has done all of the real estate legwork and lining up how this will be handled financially; looked at listings and scoped out communities. He has also begun to spend time getting information from Pan-Can, the website for the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network. He needs to sign up with a social worker and nutritionist there to get tailor made advice on how to deal with this disease. We've already learned a lot.

So, this is what's been keeping us busy. Keep us in your thoughts.

Till next time,

Kathleen and Bob

After the Sale

Blustery Winds Time 2026

Birthday flowers

It's been cool and windy here. This week we had a number of rainy days. 

It was a cold late winter. So cold that we actually used up all of our cut firewood and emptied our huge kindling bin. We'll have to spend time cutting more firewood before the next heating season. 

Cherry tree down

We'll start by cutting up a couple of trees around our yard that came down this winter.

Fallen Maple tree

We don't have to cut standing wood at all. There's always enough that has fallen on its own to choose from.

On Monday of this week the weather was so nice we decided to scrap our original plans and work outside.

Bob prunes an apple tree

Bob pruned our larger apple tree. He's working on the smaller one today.

Wildlife browse

He always saves a lot of the trimmings to take to the Wildlife Hospital at Cornell. They use it for any animal patients there that relish such stuff - like beavers.

Pruning the shrub rose

I pruned my overgrown shrub rose ....

Pruning clematis vines

...and cut back my three clematis vines.

After that, I cleaned the yard by picking up downed branches and twigs.

Gathering kindling

We use some of this material as kindling in our wood stove. I was able to refill the bin in the cellar and have an additional large box ready in reserve. All of the rest that is picked up will be piled up outside to serve as wildlife cover.

New Shiitake logs

Bob has brought his fresh Shiitake logs out of the cellar. He needs to clean up his mushroom garden so these logs can have a permanent home. It's still a few weeks before he buries the Chicken of the Woods logs out into the garden.

Planting seeds

 
At the beginning of the month, I began my seeds in the cellar. They have sprouted and are beginning to grow.

Potting up

Yesterday I potted up the seedlings from germination flats into 2.5" pots.

The cool weather plants should be ready to go into the garden by the end of April.

The warm weather plants will be potted up into 4" pots at that time. They will be ready to go into the garden by the end of May.

Bob's "agitating" again

Bob went to Albany again to join others in standing up for the environment. Greenidge is a nearby Bitcoin Mine that is moving to also become a Data Center. This will use enormous amounts of electricity, which will drive our rates up even more, and produce high levels of hazardous emissions.

A COLD No Kings Day

Of course, we were counted among the 8+million others on March 28th for "No King 3". Once again, we joined between 100-150 people in the small village of Ovid, just 5 miles from our home. That doesn't sound like a big crowd, but considering the political atmosphere here, it's a big deal. I find it difficult to understand how those who stand to lose the most are the most myopic.

Almost finished

Last evening I finished stitching the hardanger piece that I've been working on for several months.

Now I have to cut off all of the edges (as you see begun in the right lower corner of the picture). That's exacting and tedious work.

After that is done, I hand wash it and iron it dry. This removes any oils from my handling it and shrinks the fabric slightly to create a cleaner, finished look. 

It's been a long project. I'm glad it will be finished before the hectic garden season begins.

The Vernal Equinox has passed and we're now in the Tide of Activation. The peepers are singing; we saw and listened to a Northern Mockingbird and heard a Kildeer last week. Nature is stirring and we must as well.

New life and growth to you all.

Till next time,

Kathleen and Bob

Another friend of Bob's

Harvest/Ingathering 2025

 

Vegetables Incoming!

The month of Harvest/Ingathering ends today, but the work continues.

Pantry is all back together

First of all, our freezer was delivered on the morning of the 20th. By that afternoon the pantry was put back together and the freezer was halfway filled. Now it's nearly all filled.

Refinishing the worktable

During that long waiting period, I refinished the small worktable that sits beside the freezer, as well as the tops of our two sofa tables.

This is the season when the garden production really peaks.

1 1/2 gallons of calendula flowers

I've put away the Calendula flowers that I dried for autumn and winter teas.

Bob cleans shallots

Bob helped me by cleaning the shallots...

Cleaning garlic

... while I cleaned the garlic.

Garlic and shallots hung for storage

Now they're all hanging in the cellar, ready for winter use.

Tomatoes for the freezer

Green beans and tomatoes are coming on strong now. I've finished freezing beans and can only fit in three more jars of tomatoes. I've begun dehydrating beans and will soon be drying tomato leathers.

I've made pasta sauce and frozen my quota (seven pints).

Shiitake mushrooms ready to harvest

Shiitake mushrooms have been sauteed and frozen and I have begun freezing corn.

Aduki Beans are drying

The Aduki beans are beginning to dry. We've made three pickings so far. That's a bushel in the cellar.

Bob digging potatoes

Bob's been busy with potatoes. He dug all of the regular potatoes, which I packed and put into the root cellar.

A couple bushels of potatoes

Just the other day, we both worked to dig the sweet potatoes.

Sweet potatoes

We got about a bushel of those. They're curing now. In a couple of weeks, they will be individually wrapped and stored in a warm part of the cellar. (In the space beneath the hanging garlic and shallots.)

We got away just a couple of times during this busy season.

We went to visit my oldest brother one afternoon. A couple of days later we had some errands to do near my hometown, so we had a visit with a cousin of mine. Then we picnicked at Selkirk Shores State Park on Lake Ontario. 

Beautiful weather and two nice visits.

Rescued Sunflowers

Fall seems to be coming right along. Our weather is beginning to fluctuate between short spans of cool and warm temperatures. The winds are picking up, so typical of spring and autumn.

The strong winds tend to knock down our tall sunflowers. When that happens, I cut off what blossoms I can save and bring them inside for a little extra cheer. We need all we can get these days.

The harvest is really what's taking up my time this month. Bob's time has been divided between the garden and his civic activities.

We continue to live as responsible, thinking citizens in this time of escalating chaos. 

Be strong and determined.

Till next time,

Kathleen and Bob

Sunset reflected in Cumulus clouds

Morning sun reveals spider web

Song Time/Falling Leaves Time 2024

 

Autumn Greetings

Song Time/Falling Leaves Time was ushered in with the September Harvest Moon.

An interesting moon shot

Bob got a shot of it when the heavy cloud cover briefly parted.

This month has been very busy with the garden. Until this week we had warm and beautiful weather. It was ideal for finishing the harvest and cleaning up the garden.

Beet harvesting

Beets and carrots have been pulled and stored. The potatoes are all in the root cellar.

Three kinds of potatoes

The beans are all in the cellar waiting to be threshed (13 bushels worth). Threshing begins in about a month.

Applesauce making

I made applesauce and both freezers are now full.

Bob helps dry apples

Right now, we're dehydrating apple slices.

Bob's shiitake logs had one final flush for the season. These mushrooms were dried for tasty soups this winter.

A good mushroom harvest

All that remains to be put up are horseradish and a crock of spicy sunchokes. We typically do these on Thanksgiving weekend.

Shoveling compost over straw

While I was finishing the harvests, Bob began weeding and amending the empty beds with compost.

Pulling off bean vines

I helped by pulling out the tomatoes, eggplants and peppers and cleaning off all of those bean trellises.

The upcoming week is supposed to be dry and warmer again, so our goal is to have the cleanup and amending all done by the end of October.

Firewood assembly line

Bob cut his medium wood today. This is wood that is too large to break by hand, and too small for the chainsaw. He's come up with a handy way to cut it into stove length pieces. He sets up his compound miter saw and has the bin filled in no time at all. 

On a warm day next week, he'll fill the wood bin in the cellar with regular stove logs which are already cut. We had our little "seasoning" fire in the stove just a couple of nights ago, so we're all ready for the cold weather.

Cayuga Lake

We got away for one walk this month. We went to Cayuga Wildlife Management Area (formerly known as Bell Station Preserve). It was peaceful with nice views of Cayuga Lake.

We are now in the season when we readjust our balance. We shift from a focus on providing for our physical needs, to a focus of providing for our inner needs. From growing, harvesting and preserving, to rest, creative endeavors and activities to feed our inner selves.

So now we gather the books, and I pick up the needles and we sit by the fire. We take time to think and to listen. A pot of tea and good music will be our companions. Nature rests and so do we.

We hope all of you can practice at least some of this, for your wellbeing, as well as for those whose lives you touch.

We bid you peaceful rest.

Till next time,

Kathleen and Bob

Happy Shiitake log

At Cayuga Wildlife Area