Whats Happening on the Hill ?

                Well life is as full as ever. We have 2 kids that are in the college application process, one as a freshman and one as a Jr. transfer student. That means we as parents are busy with FASFA forms . . . So essay proof reading, support, application fees . . . mid-terms, starting a new semester, buying books . . .all are part of everyday life right now.

                  The weather here on the hill can best be described as blustery and bone chilling. We have had so very many days that start below zero with wind chills in the -25 region than I can remember. Living on a hill the snow is driven across the yard and drifts in to the driveway. Some years we put up a snow fence but it does not really help all that much. The wood stove is warm and cozy but the almost 200 year old house is very drafty. This time of year it is good to be the knitter and quilter in the house. Everyone needs or wants something.

Seasonal decorating keeps us inspired, this has now changed to red and valentines :> :>

Our feathered friends are gracing our feeders and we try to be diligent about keeping them in food and water. This is a white breasted Nuthatch.  They love to cache seeds that they take from the feeders.

This is a rosy breasted Nuthatch, smaller but still a lovely bird.

This is our old wood stove, it is an Irish wood cook stove and it came with the house.  The large door on the right is the oven. The firebox for wood is the small door on the upper left.   We cook on the top - great for stews and soups and we cook in it. Wood heat is such a comforting heat.  We do thankfully have alternative heat - baseboard hot water especially with this winter, but the first year we were here - this was all that we had.  There was many a night coming home from work to sit in my coat, sipping hot cocoa and watching my cold breath.

We have been having a lot of fun listening to  and following the Syracuse Orange Basketball Team.  They are 24-0 right now and every game is a close one.  Because of our rural area we only get one TV station and it does not have SU basket ball or the Olympics- boo hoo but we are trying to make do with using the computer.

 So that is a little picture of everyday life here on the Hill.