Sunshine and Shadow

 This was the sun rising in the East and the shadow was the weeds in from of the pumpkin and I was just in the right place at the right time.   There is beauty all around us if only we can see. 

Have a fun weekend - some pumpkin carving and Halloween cookie baking on our schedule!

Change . . . is in the air . . . .

Oh how I can feel all the big and more importantly little changes that are lurking out there.  Fall is I am afraid creeping up on us.  Everything always changes with August 1  . . . . These long light shadows are at 6 pm . . . The Cricket song that has taken over for early morning birdsong, the birds that have already left on their long trip  to the south.  Joe Pye Weed and Jewel weed are in their Glory.  The wild parsnip and Queen Annes Lace is fading on the roadsides.  The gardens are filled with Black-eyed Susans and Tomatoes are starting to grace the dinner table. Everything outside  is starting to soak up the sun, to feed upon the earth to prepare the beds and nests for the long winters rest.  Spring and Summer oh they are a fleeting.  Nature brings such joy and color and sound,  it pushes us to explore with all our senses and teaches us about the cycle of life.  The Golden Rod and Nettle lift their flowers to bloom and tower over us.  it is as if all the outside world is getting ready for a great trip.  So don't miss these changes, enjoy and take pleasure in each and everyone of them.  Get outside and soak up the sun, the wind, the sounds that fill the air and all the big and small beauty there is to behold. 

Mud Creek Farm CSA

Pick your Own Flowers!

In front of me

Behind me . . .

Ground Cherries- in the Tomatotillo family - sweet/sour - new for us

Fresh basil - making lots of Pesto!

So we joined a CSA- Community Supported Agriculture.  Every week we go to the farm to pick up our share. There are pre-picked things that we go through a line and collect and then there is pick your own out in the fields- so like flowers, Basil, Beans Ground cherries are Pick your own.   As with any growing things we are at the mercy of Nature for how much we get. Will it be hot, Cold, rainy, sunny.  We have had a lot of Swiss Chard, Kale, Kohlrabi.  I would love Beans and squash every week right now- but not really happening. I love the concept, not sure if this is the right place for us or not- need to do more research.  Meanwhile trying to stay on top of eating Fresh from the Farm to our table.

This last week that I went out after work, it had been a heavy rain- torrential downpours of like 2-3 inches in less than an hour.  The  Fields lived up to the name of the farm Mud Creek. While out picking flowers my feet got stuck on more than one occasion and when you are slipping on the mud- it can catch a bad back just off guard and ouch!  The bAsil has been brilliant this year and my freezer if filling with Basil for those winter moments when you just need a little more summer.

February almost over . . . . . .

And so it goes in Western New York in late February.  The days are getting a little longer and there are a few but very few sunny days.  We are still at the wrath of MotherNature and Lake Effect snow.  Everyday it snows in Western NY and it is the 1-5 inches daily that pile up in combination of larger storms that just pass through.  While I am writing this - there is thumpin on the roof of snow removal.  It has blown and drifted quite significantly.  This makes me very nervous  to have my husband up there but what can one do?  To add to all the blustery weather we had a chimney fire about 2 weeks ago and our warm wood cook-stove is out of commission until we can give it a full spa treatment.   The house has been colder than usual and we are running the furnace low as we need an Oil tank refill life at Chestnut Hill is never dull. 
           On the bright side this time of year is really lovely in the woods- the fresh fallen snow blankets everything and makes everything new again.  It can be ever so quiet while out there. Love to here the silence.  The birds are very active at the feeders and this year with all the deep snow the deer are feasting on our Christmas tree cast off. Every season has its beauty and I enjoy them all.

Snowstorm Linus . . . . .

  With a name like Linus this storm just conjurs up images of wrapped up in quilts reading books and drinking tea or cocoa.  Although the thoughts danced through my head . . . the driveway was calling to be shoveled and the dinner made . . .  I love the night or day immediately following a big storm.  It is very quiet outside and the earth is blanketed in such thick white downy snow.  Often there are not any animal tracks yet and it is pristine.  This was definitely the case with this storm.  I only wished I had more time to be out in it but work was calling early the next morning . . .   all said and done I think we got about 18 inches, then we keep getting 2-3 inches each day on top of it.  The piles are getting pretty big.  The wood pile is bigger still though so we are in good shape.   We do not have a snow blower so we shovel the old fashioned way, a little at a time and the it is all done. 
Hoping everyone is snug and safe for a 3 dog night-  the opposite of the dog days of Summer I think .

Falls and Gorges - Ithaca, NY

Micro Ecosystems all along the rock/slate walls in the gorges

Green and Wet and dripping

Pretty View- a couple was married on the Bridge while we were in this section.

Robert Tremain St. Park - above are all there as well.

Repairing wall on lower part of Gorge- Robert Tremain St. Park

Lots' of Green!

Buttermilk Falls St. Park

Buttermilk Falls St. Park

               So about 10 days ago, my 2 oldest and I ventured out for the Family Reunion - this is my husbands side of the family but he is never home to attend.   ( Proud of my older kids for attending - not high on their list and few peers there but oh so important) It is usually held in  around either Watkins Glen, NY- south end of Seneca Lake or Ithaca NY - south end of Cayuga Lake  We were at a new State park this year and it was in the Upper part- 3miles up! In and around the Fingerlakes are many Gorge Parks carved out by Glaciers years ago. They make wonderful places to hike on a  hot summers day.  Many of these parks also have natural swimming holes that are wonderful as well- water is clear cold and refreshing.  I think the whole Fingerlakes area is a Hidden Gem. 
               It was a very rainy day and actually ended with a Tornado warning and one that touched down about 25 miles away.  It has been an active weather summer for sure.
        We enjoyed the fellowship of family, good food a Chinese Auction and a short hike in the Gorge. We stopped at Buttermilk Falls  State Park on the way home and then at Purity Ice Cream.  I had yummy Chocolate Dipped Strawberry Ice Cream, my daughter had Goose Tracks and my son a Soy Mint Chocolate Chip  ( Lactose free) This place makes the best Ice Cream, one of our favorites is Mocha Chip, buy a quart and eat it in the parking lot good!!!

   Summer . . . Family . . . .Road-trips.....Picnics . . . .Ice Cream . . . .Rainstorms . . .Summer

Fingerlakes Summer

“Summer afternoon—summer afternoon; to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language.”
― Henry James

             Stopped here on the way home after dropping off my youngest for National Youth leadership training at a local BS Camp.  It is an overlook of one of the Finger lakes that is spectacular in every season.

Summer Storm 7-8-14

Hard to see the pick up stix of trees here. The biggest one is resting on a Maple Tree and the butt end is about 1-2 feet from the house.

Before Backyard

After Backyard

Before

After

Clean up

Twisted right off

top Twisted right off

Pile by road of clean up

We need to hire a bucket truck to come take top off

          The morning after . . . is much calmer, the hour after was as well. The yard still smells like Christmas.  We are safe and the house is safe and we have power- life is good!  The Norway spruce out back are about 60 feet tall - not really sure but amazingly tall trees that have been here a very long time. We lost the tops in three of them.  a Tulip and Maple tree  both took a beating but saved the trees from crashing into our home. 
                A strong storm front was crossing the area yesterday about 4:30 and our town took a beating with downed trees and Power outages. Many roads were quickly closed and impassable. This morning our power is restored and yes there is more clean up to do but nothing like what we faced last evening. We were blessed to have neighbors come help us with the clean up as well as our 2 older kids.  ( younger one is at camp)  working together and steadily we had it all cleaned up in 2-3 hours. The Power of nature continues to leave us in awe.  The winds and rain that came in sheets yesterday was totally amazing.
                We humans in our capacity to help, care and provide assistance are equally amazing. We have been here for 26 years and have had many power outages . . .each one has its own unique story to go with it. Sourdough bread and Pepperoni bread will be part of this story as I had just baked both and was able to feed our helpful neighbors and hungry family. We were blessed yesterday and we are thankful for limited damage and helpful friends and family.

Vulcan Blizzard . . . . .

like 6 AM

maybe 8:30 AM

9-10 AM

Edna likes to eat Snow

10 pm and still snowing

5 pm another foot yet to come . . .

 

 

 

Long snowy cold day.  all schools closed, most businesses, some counties closed roads, Plows in our town stopped plowing 2 different times due to poor visibility.  We have gotten steady snow all night and it is looking like we may hit 20 inches by morning  - think we are at about 16 right now. Birds were very active today as they usually are in stormy weather. School is also closed in our district tomorrow.  Short week . . . :)  I am sure tomorrow everything will be beautiful in a blanket of white.

A March Morning to behold . . .

Ah, a very cold morning today,  checking in at a mere -8 setting a record here for March 6th. Despite the bitter cold it was a beautiful morning. Everything was coated in a thin covering of frost like a tulle dress. As the sun rose it reflected off every thin shard of frost creating a shimmer to behold. Walking around outside the air was biting and the snow was crunchy underfoot.  Edna was sniffing and following all the new tracks from overnight.  There are always Deer in the yard, the opossum has returned, coyotes at times and every other little creature.   She gets all excited every now and then and runs around, with her nose coated in snow crystals at all times.  Then she is back to a slow and measured walk following up on trails left by the many different creatures that share her space.  We always walk up to the Apple Trees and check on how they are holding up and who has been to visit them.  Every low branch has been chewed off by this point.  The deer basically will eat anything they can reach. My Pussy-Willow Tree is completely gone this year  they have chewed it all  - last year after 10 years I actually had some branches I could bring inside.

Today there was bright sun , blue sky and bird song like I have not heard in months. Perhaps despite being in the deep throws of winters clutches, there is a spring somewhere.  The ground and all the Lakes around us are still frozen very solid. They say we will be below normal in temperature for the whole month of March.  At least the days are getting longer and I am thankful that I bought more wood than we usually do. We are warm despite the bitter cold. 

The gentle curling wisp of my neighbors wood stove reaching towards the heavens on this bright but frigid day.