Ice Time / Blustery Winds Time 2020

Nectarine tree in February

This moon cycle, and the one we are just entering, are times of great changes. The weather shifts back and forth, gradually moving toward warmth and spring. It puts me in mind of that transient state one experiences just before becoming fully conscious after sleep. Almost awake, and yet, not.

Bob and Lunette enjoy the snow

On February 9th, we had about 12" of snow on the ground.
We went out snowshoeing.

Kathleen over looking the creek

On March 9th, it's nearly 70 degrees and the daffodils and garlic are coming up.

Just as people drift in and out of sleep, our days will alternate between spitting snow and sunny warmth. It's all part of the great cycle.

Grackles gather in our trees

The birds are also stirring. We've had HUGE flocks of migrating Red Winged Blackbirds and Grackles at our house. They surround the house and are so thick on the ground that there can't be more than four inches between each one! The sound is amazing. It's a pretty awesome spectacle! I've also seen a Killdeer on my daily walk. In general the birds are becoming more vocal.

This week I'll be starting some of my seeds in the cellar. The time has come.


I'll be starting my spring house cleaning very soon. There's also spring cleanup to be done outside. This will be one of my tasks as well.

Bricks in the herb bed to be reset after winter and dog hunting

This is also a good time to be finishing up small projects before the outside work becomes too heavy.
One of the projects that Bob is working on is the old chimney stack in one of our upstairs rooms.

Chimney closet with stack above

The vent holes were never filled in. Those tin covers were stuck in and painted over.
Cold air leaked around the covers, so it was time to take action.

The grey stuff is cellulose insulation leaking out

Bob removed the covers and caulked rigid foam board in the hole.
Next he needs to drywall over that. Then I'll paint. This could be a challenge. I've never painted this room because the walls have been textured and painted with a gloss finish. Oh boy!






Bob's also begun planning the next house renovation project. This one needs to be done in warm weather because it involves adding windows and removing wallboard. This will be a reworking of the former den, which is our pantry. The walls are paneled, and we suspect that the drywall behind it is either incomplete, or non existent. We feel a lot of cold air coming in back there. We need to address these things if we're to live energy wise and responsibly. Windows will be added to the south wall because it's as dark as, well as a den, back there. I'll include photos of that project in the next update.

So, you see, we're beginning to stir from our winter's rest, ready for another cycle to begin. Happy Vernal Equinox and Farmer's New Year.

Till next time,
Kathleen, Bob and Lunette

Just for fun

Birthday flowers to brighten up March

Stay at Home Time/ Cleansing Time 2020

Full moon on February 8, 2020

Yesterday was the last day of Stay at Home Time, and boy it went out will a bang! On Friday morning we woke at 4:30 am (as usual) and could see some ice was on surfaces outside. At 4:45 am, sleet was hitting our windows. By 5:30 am it began to snow and snowed hard until late in the afternoon. Bob didn't go into work that day. The roads were terrible.

The post storm view from our back deck

We ended up with 10-12" of snow on top of the ice. It was indeed, Stay at Home Time!

This afternoon we may break out the snowshoes and enjoy a jaunt on our property.

It's a good time to get some soup on the stove

Traditionally, February 2 is the halfway mark of the winter. Old wisdom held that on that day you should be halfway through your woodpile and your provender. We're pretty good. A bit less than halfway on each. We should finish off the season just fine.

A boy and his dog

The second of February also marks Lunette's "Dogaversary". She's been with us for seven years now.












We've been working on our winter crafts.

The desk in action

Bob has finished repairing the desk...

New stand for cupboard

...and has built a stand for the cupboard. Once the warm weather comes, I'll finish it to match the cupboard color.

Bean harvest for last summer

I've finished threshing the beans. Ten gallons, which should see us through until the next harvest is ready.

Cross stitch project continues

I've also been working on my cross stitch, knitting and harp practice.

I'm taking my time with all three. They are all of a time consuming nature, and I'm enjoying the process.

Aran sweater. Not difficult, but time consuming

That's about all of the excitement from our time of rest. It will be time to rev up our activity soon. Until then, we continue to rest, and hope that you'll do the same. Nature knows rest is necessary, so go ahead and don't feel guilty. You'll just be doing what is natural.

Till next time, we bid you rest,
Kathleen, Bob and Lunette

Lunette's always on sentry duty

Cold Time/ Renewal Time 2020

Lunette rests while on a foggy walk

Hello again from restful Thistledown Gardens. Our weather has not really lived up to the name "Cold Time". For the most part, it's been unseasonably warm. Our precipitation has been a fairly even split between rain and snow, I'd say. We have had quite a bit of wind.

Solstice walk at Taughannock Falls State Park

On the solstice we had a nice meal and walked at nearby Taughannock Falls State Park. (We can't take Lunette so she stayed home with a peanut butter treat!). It was cold, but very lovely. You just need to dress for the weather.

Taughannock Falls on the solstice

Bob cleaning out files

On New Year's day we did our annual cleaning out of paper files. We got a lot of shredded paper to use in the compost buckets. We also had clothes, books and household items to be eliminated. All of that was taken into town the first week of the new year. We call those trips, "drop and shops". Ideally we drop off more than we pick up. We did come home with a goody this time. More on that later.






This is our time of rest and renewal, but that doesn't mean we sit around like slugs for three months. We still have a certain amount of work to do. We simply take a slower pace and be sure to include activities that enrich our souls. I have to maintain the home, feed us and keep our clothes clean.
My bean threshing project is almost completed.

Table runner begun

As part of my renewal program, I've begun work on a cross stitch table runner.











Bob still has to earn his wages at Cornell. As part of his renewal, he's been working on some woodcraft. He is not a true "woodworker", but he likes to "dabble".

Harp easel

First, for my Yule gift Bob made an easel for my Reverie Harp. The wood is from a cutting board which we bought at ReUse in Ithaca for $1. The grain is lovely, but the wood that was used had a strong odor. (Some woods have a naturally strong odor.) It made a nasty cutting board, but for this use its smell doesn't matter. All we had to buy was the hinge. Everything else we had on hand.

Easel in use

I think it turned out very well. Bob made it just by looking at a photo of the parts on line. It's nice to have an engineer about, sometimes.

My chair needed to be repaired

His next project was to repair my chair. One day when I was cleaning I noticed that the under workings of my chair were coming apart. Bob disassembled and repaired the worn wooden sections. Now it's good as new.

Some of the areas that were repaired

His current project is an antique desk which we bought on our "drop and shop" trip that I mentioned.
This secretary was just put out on the sales floor while we were at ReUse. It was a desk with a book cabinet on top. They were asking $125, but they were having a 55% off sale that day, so we paid $60 which included the taxes!

Desk "base"

When we got it home and examined it, we saw that it was really two different pieces of furniture cobbled together to make one. This often was done when pieces were damaged or worn. It's a frugal practice we would do well to copy.

Inside view of desk

Both pieces are in quite good condition. The finish is fine. The desk drawers need a little attention.
We have decided to use the two pieces separately. The top portion will be used as a cabinet after Bob makes a simple base for it.
So we got two pieces for that $60!

Top portion will become a cabinet

Bob working on the drawer slides

We've wanted a desk for some time. Right now all of our office supplies are in three different places on two floors. Preparing to mail a bill payment takes quite a bit of running here and there. Now we'll be organized. Hurray!









We'll continue to rebuild ourselves, preparing for spring. The next garden has been planned. The seeds and supplies have been ordered. Just like nature in winter, things may look lifeless, but there is life stirring underneath. Encourage the growth of your own inner garden.

Till next time,
Kathleen, Bob and Lunette

Lunette at one of her favorite haunts, Lodi Point Park

Darkest Depths or Long Nights Time 2019

Holly in our Bird Garden

We've had a mix of chores and rest here this month. More rest than chores, as it should be.

Final wood stacking

We finished off the log splitting and the splitter is stored away, safe for the winter.

Bob's got the snow thrower installed and it's all tuned up. We had a "biggish" snow last week, so it's already been used.

Sauerkraut processing

I was busy a couple of days getting sunchokes and cabbage into the fermentation crocks...

Horseradish being packed in brine

...and horseradish grated and packed in brine. Bob did the digging and most of the grating. I did the scrubbing and jarring up.

These tasks finished up my autumn "to do" list.







The winter chores list is much smaller: thresh out the beans (me), maintain the equipment (Bob) and restore ourselves (all three of us).

Bean threshing has begun

Lunette's begun her task of resting (face is on her "kitty")

Bob's sweater being blocked

I finished Bob's annual sweater. I've started a second that will be suitable to wear at work. He doesn't like to wear the good ones there for fear of snagging or getting grease on them. I just whip up a simple acrylic one in that case. (Or we buy one at the thrift shop.)









We've spent quite a bit of time reading and working jigsaw puzzles. I'm getting more practice in on my harp. I'm bogged down in Lesson 6.

Hard work, but satisfying

Winter occupations make the season just fine with us!













We don't have any big plans for the holidays. A few special dishes at meals, some special treats. We didn't make our traditional fruitcake because I "dropped the ball" and didn't buy the necessary ingredients! Well, we do something else instead. That makes life interesting.

We wish you all a season of peace, rest and restoration; body, mind and soul.

Till next time,
Kathleen, Bob and Lunette

Peace and Light to one and all

Frost Time / Seed Fall 2019

Fall fruit: apples and pears

We're officially in late autumn. The leaves are off most of the trees, the fields are brown and we've come to the end of our month of Frost Time / Seed Fall. It's been a month of tying up loose ends.

Trimming off the dried bean vines

Next year's garlic has been planted. The final garden harvests have been completed. "All is safely gathered in, ere the winter storms begin."

Bob and Lunette shredding garden debris

The beds have been cleaned out and the debris has been shredded to become mulch. All of the beds have been covered with a nice cozy mulch blanket for the winter.

Indoors the work has been going on in the kitchen. I've made applesauce which has gone into the freezer.

Banana Bonanza

Our neighbors came into a windfall of bananas which they generously shared with us. There were too many for the two of us to eat, so I dried most of them into chips for winter use. A home dehydrator is such a useful item!

Two quarts of banana chips

On October 31, we took time to remember family members who have passed away. We remembered the ladies by having a special lunch featuring foods with special connections to each of them.

Feast of Remembrance lunch

Grandma Neill's bean and potato soup, rolls for Roxanne, black olives for Grandma Vera, Grandma Wise's pineapple cookies and danish to honor Mom Carol and Grandma Rosso.

It was a nice way to remember them.

A blank slate means possibilities!

This is the slate where I write down tasks to be done each day. In this season it is sometimes blank. It's a time for us to get a bit of rest and recreation.

Goodies from the fall book sale

We picked up some books, puzzles and patterns at the semi annual charity book sale in Ithaca. We will be enjoying these in the quiet months ahead.

Mushroom soup and whole wheat sourdough English muffins

It's the season to enjoy a soup supper in front of the woodstove. Quiet evenings of reading, games, hobbies and friendly conversation. Nature is at rest, and so are we.

We hope that you, too will take time to rest and nourish your souls.






Till next time,
Kathleen, Bob and Lunette

Oak sapling outside our window in its fall colors