Not having blogged in a while I figured I’d dive back in

with photos of this years garden.

I planted a potager this year – can never seem to do just

rows. But after weeding this lovely design I’d like something

I can just run the tiller through.

The chard was beautiful, plentiful and very tasty.

No photographs this week. Was abnormally

warm for the 1st of March. The sort of

weather that puts you in a little panic about planting your

garden – so much to do and nothing is ready yet. Then

you realize that if you were planting everything this past

weekend we’d probably have snow next week, so it can wait.

My favorite part of the first warm weather days is sleeping with

my bedroom window open. You never know what sort of wildlife

things you will hear. And I love waking up to the birds in the wee

hours. I awoke about 5:30 on Sunday morning and listened and then

I think I woke up Bill and said “Where are all the birds?”

From childhood on there were sooo many birds making noise in

the morning that you didn’t have to wake up to hear them – they woke you

up. This year there were a few but not the usual cacophony that

I’m used to hearing. I am deeply saddened by the state of my

little piece of earth. I am sad that people don’t have any idea of what

is going away. I’m blessed to have such a quiet retreat in the hills away from

the traffic and people but it appears to be sneaking its way into every

little thing. Sad, sad, sad and I really miss the birds.

I love how the daffodils from compost heaps past

keep on coming up. Look close – they’re everywhere.

Decided to take the last two weekends in April to clear

another area in the back forty.

This pile included part of a huge old apple tree.

Bill pushed it all together. Two days later there was

nothing but ash.

Bill had to use the new splitter this week to split some

of the wood we cut down last week.

It’s sweet.

And I bought a tiller from Florence that I can use. Did the
first pass this past weekend. Told Bill I’m ready to till
the entire yard!

I see a much larger garden this year – for many reasons.

Haven’t had the time to blog so I will catch up a little.

Bill’s inspecting some of the work the beavers have done

on a nearby damn. He thinks he may just wait

for them to clear off the parcel he’s been eyeing. We’ll

just drag the trees out debarked ready to cut and split.

Russell called early on Saturday morning – since he didn’t

sugar this year he needed to spend a day playing with Bill.

He drove his tractor over so we could use the winch to

haul some trees up the bank.

Bill uses a cant hook to try and get the logs over some rocks.

Last weekend Bill went out and started cutting

down some trees. Figured we’d get a little jump on

spring.

He had put the Christmas tree in the snow bank so we

could look at it through the winter.

The dogs were having a great time because we haven’t

really had any snow in Enfield at all this year.

This weekend we went to a party for Bill’s sister then went up

to the house to stay overnight. We’d heard there was

snow but . . .

about 8 inches on the ground where it had been plowed.

Sunday morning the clean up began. Tom came and plowed one

more time but with really no where to put it.

The snow was extremely heavy and wet. And I thought we

were going to make it through the winter without snow

in front of the windows!

It made me laugh every time I went outside or looked

out a window.

Even with the Bobcat it was difficult to move ( and it was all

ice underneath the snow).

Our tree was half buried but at least now it stands up.

All I kept thinking was this was the perfect snow to

make a fort or dig a little shelter. My sister, brother

and I LIVED for this snow. We’d be outdoors until

frostbite set in.

As we were ready to leave Bill told me to come out to see the

sky. This is facing east at about 5:15 pm. It was a spectacular

ending to a really wonderful day.

Bill’s sister refers to her driveway as the luge run because

the banks are so high and the driveway so narrow. She said

most people couldn’t understand what she was talking about

when she said she couldn’t get out. If you drove 5 miles down

the road they had half as much snow.

Now I’ve had my winter fix I’m hoping it melts fast so gardening

season begins. It can’t get here soon enough!

I wasn’t able to blog for a while so I will catch you up a

little. Here’s Bill and Cait decorating our Heath tree.

Lights are on, star on the top. Meanwhile I was in a panic about

how on earth I was going to make the house ready for company.

The fireplace was FINALLY finished. Thanks Russ. The

photographs don’t do it justice.

Vintage ornaments on the tree. They are as old as I am (except Santa

who must be pushing 150). Does that make me vintage too?

Bill stoking the fire. It has been VERY cold in Rowe.
On Christmas Eve the room was lit only with candles and
the fireplace. (Our wall sconces weren’t up yet so I used
tin candle sconces from OSV – the lanterns are from there
as well). Looked awesome.

All in all we did a pretty good job on this project. Our
goal was Christmas 2009 in this room and we pulled
it off. I have to say that a huge part of it was total theatre
but I don’t think anyone noticed.

This was a weekend for trying to get things finished up in the room.

Manda and Yusuf helped with painting the woodwork.

Bill painted.

So did Mike. Woodwork Saturday, walls on Sunday.

First snow this past weekend. Not much yet but we had about

4 inches. Sophie’s plan was to be in every pic today.

Beavers are truly amazing creatures in the size of the trees

they can cut and carry in a very short period of time.

Sophie has to be here too.

Plow in winter.