Long Nights Time 2024

Sunchoke crock ingredients

The time of long nights is upon us. We hope you have been able to find relaxation in them. Our nights have been spent in reading and knitting by the fire or watching some of our classic holiday movies (1930s-1950s).

We haven't had any of the heavy winter weather you heard about, just a couple of light snows. We are too far south of the Great Lakes to be much affected by the lake effect snows.

A cluster of turkeys in the yard

We have had frequent company this season. A large group of turkeys have strolled up from the ravine on our property several mornings. It appears to be two large flocks totaling 24 birds.

A wild turkey for your viewing pleasure

 
They investigate thoroughly, especially the neighbor's truck, eat our fallen acorns, posture and fuss with each other. After a while they all filter back into the woods.

During the daylight hours, we have occupied ourselves with our projects.

Bob fills the crock

On Thanksgiving Day, Bob ground four quarts of horseradish root while I prepared the ingredients for our crock of sunchokes. Bob gets to pack the 15-liter crock because he's tall enough to reach inside easily. After sitting in our warm pantry for a couple of weeks to begin the fermentation process, it has now been moved into our cooler root cellar. Now it will continue to "work" at a slower rate.

Two crocks and horseradish "chillin"

I've been intermittently working on Bob's sweater. I've just finished all of the component parts. Next, I'll press and assemble them.

I'm almost finished threshing out the dry beans. Only three more bushels to go. I hope to finish by Christmas. Certainly, by New Years.

Together we've been working on the bathroom.

Priming begins

 

I spent a week priming and painting the ceiling and walls.

Topcoat going on

Now I need to get going on painting the trim work down at the workstation in the cellar.

Medicine cabinet installed

 
As soon as the painting had cured a bit, Bob began installation work. The medicine cabinet and toilet are in. (No more midnight trips downstairs!)

The reason for regular chiropractic

We hired a couple of strong guys to haul the vanity upstairs from the cellar (two flights of stairs, one with a sharp 90-degree turn). The brute weighs 160 pounds and was just too much for Bob and me to handle. Thanks to them, it's up there and Bob is installing it right now.

One sturdy vanity

We've still got quite a way to go: flooring, tub and surround, trim and fittings, but we're finally progressing.

That's what we've been up to. I'm afraid that we haven't taken time this month for any outings. We've been focused on these jobs. We'll have to be more deliberate next month with regards to taking time for ourselves.

Yuletide 2024

We have family and friends of many different races, religions, cultures and practices. We recognize your right to observe this season in any way that's meaningful for you.

As for us, we wish each of you joy, peace, contentment and restfulness now, and always.

Till next time,

Kathleen and Bob

Be at peace

 

Cold Time/Renewal Time 2024

 

Time to relax by a cozy fire

Cold Time has ended on a warm note. This month we have had some cold and snow, but nothing too extraordinary. We did have a couple of hefty windstorms. There was no damage to the house lot, except for some small, dead branches that came down. We haven't yet taken the time to check for damage in our woods.

For the Renewal portion of the month, we've both been doing a good deal of reading. Additionally, I've been doing some needlework.

Bob's sweater being blocked

I've finished Bob's Christmas sweater (late, I know). All that's left is to sew on the buttons this weekend.

This year's piece: pansy runner

I've also been working on a hardanger project. I have a pill I take every Sunday morning. I can't eat for two hours after taking it, so my routine is to spend an hour to an hour and a half working on this piece. It's the only time I get to work on it through the week. Hopefully I'll finish it by April or May, since it has pansies embroidered on it.

I am also knitting a ski mask for Bob. The winter wind on our daily walk is hard on his face. I should have this done by Monday, when our cold temperatures are supposed to return.

Now, on to our projects.

Bob's been busy planning the second-floor bathroom update. The supplies have been ordered and should be delivered at the end of this week or the beginning of next. 

This is the last room to be totally revamped, and in my opinion, wins the award for the most "Gawd Awful"! I'm not alone in this view. We had the code officer in a few years ago on another matter. He walked into that room and said, "Whoa! This will be the next room to do!".

Here's a gallery of "before" shots for your pleasure (?).

Open the door and walk into a wall

Note the lovely gold marble masonite board ala 1960 something. I'm sure it was ugly then. Age, discoloration and pealing surface have not enhanced it.

Peaking around the wall 

Lovely blue tub and surround

The surround and tub have no caulking. We're sure the drywall behind must be a disaster. The teddy bears make me cringe.

Old vanity cabinet with water damage

The toilet was replaced before we bought the house. Everything else is "vintage". The vanity is water damaged inside and stinks from whatever chemicals were stored in there for years. Yuck!

Very large closet, missing doors

This huge closet is not very useful. We use it as a dressing room. There were broken bifold doors on it, which Bob has already removed. We will make this a much smaller and more useable space.

I am currently painting the new closet doors, trying to get a jump on what work I can.

New closet doors in process

Even as I type this, Bob is finishing the hanging of the new door for the second upstairs bedroom. This house had definite door issues. All of the doors were either missing entirely or damaged. This one was missing. Only the hinges remained.

New matches old quite well

New latch going on

As a reminder that winter does not last forever, I've finished planning out my 2024 garden, and the seed order has arrived.

Some of this year's selections

We haven't gotten out too much this winter, but wildlife sometimes comes to us.

This week we had a Northern Goshawk shopping at our birdfeeders. We thought it was great. Our avian regulars did not agree.

Wild turkeys have visited a few times. This last group numbered 24.

Turkeys heading back into the woods

So, while our month hasn't been entirely rest filled and relaxing, our projects have not been too taxing. Perhaps next winter we can relax a bit more. It's something to aim for. 

Next we look ahead to Cleansing Time, when we examine, assess and make alterations in our lives. It's like a late-winter garden clean up in preparation for new growth.

We hope you have enjoyed a time of rest and renewal. Perhaps you might consider "tending your own garden" to encourage growth.

Till next time,

Kathleen and Bob

Wild Turkey

Long Nights Time/Darkest Depths 2023

 

Holiday Greetings

The winter solstice and the full Cold moon have passed. The Great Wheel of the seasons has turned again and Long Nights Time/Darkest Depths has waxed and waned.

Winter weather has yet to find us. Only a couple of dustings of snow and above seasonal temperatures have been our lot. Our fall cover crop of oats and peas is still thriving.

We may not have snow, but we have had Snow Geese.

Snow Geese overhead

On our daily walks the whole week before Christmas, thousands of migrating Snow Geese passed overhead.

Look at all of the lines of geese

It's really something exciting to experience. One day we were lucky enough to have a very large flock come down to feed in a harvested corn field right next to our path. (Also lucky Bob was carrying his camera!)

Coming in for rest and refreshment

We still see some stragglers going over, but the big migration is done until March.

As regards our tasks and projects:

Bob's still working on the door he's fabricating for an upstairs bedroom. The old door frame won't accommodate the size of a modern door, so he's making one out of excess old floorboards. This will make the door like some of the existing doors upstairs.

He's also doing more research and planning for the remodel of the upstairs bathroom.

I'm nearly finished threshing our beans; only two more bushels to do. I hope to finish on December 31st and start the New Year fresh.

We're finally done with our apples! Since our weather has been so warm, our root cellar is not cooling down as well as it should, so we can't keep the apples fresh all winter. 

Final batch of applesauce

In addition to eating many apples daily, we cooked some smaller batches of applesauce in the crock pot. Some of this was frozen and some eaten fresh.

The remainder of the soft apples were spread in the woods behind our house for the wildlife.

Wild Turkeys by our garden fence

The wild Turkeys that browse our woods really enjoyed them. They visited for several mornings. We saw a dozen together at times.

On the solstice we had a nice meal, relaxed and read.

Quiet holidays

On Christmas we had another nice meal, played a game and walked the North Rim Trail at Taughannock Falls State Park.

Upper falls at Taughannock

Gorge the falls empty into leading to high falls

It was a nice and restful day.

We've never gone in for noisy and late New Year's celebrations, so as is our custom, we'll read, listen to good music and perhaps watch an old movie (Holiday Affair or Bachelor Mother).

With this full moon we entered Renewal Time. I think our New Year's observance supports this well. So, our goal for our current month is renewal on all levels: physical, mental and spiritual. (Of course, they're all of a whole.)

I'll leave you with a gallery of holiday trimmings around our house. Enjoy.

Peace and health to you all in the coming year. May calmness imbue your being.

Till next time,

Kathleen and Bob

Family postcards created by my late father in law