Rainbows and Silver Linings

Thank you for all your kind comments.  We're doing OK.  Ten days out, we faced the fact that no help would be forthcoming in clean up, so we did it ourselves, with J shoveling, while I held and closed up the trash bags, 19 of the large construction type bags.   A man in our neighborhood was offered the chassis, which he gladly came and picked up, and plans were made for pick up of the bags.  Knowing that often the kindest thing one can do is to let people face the choices they make, and find their own way, that is what we chose to do.  After 8 years, we're more than ready to move onto the next chapter, where we have our peaceful homestead back, with just the two of us and the critters.  I'd been sad about the toxic patch of earth that remains, with all the electronics, plastics, bug spray, etc. that burned there, but J came up with an idea that makes my heart sing.  A year or two ago, we explored the possibility of solar, but were told we didn't have enough open space for panels (don't want to put holes in our roof).  With numerous trees burned badly and in need of taking down, we believe we may now have just the spot for a solar array, in a very accessible spot.  Though it's not definite, there's a real possibility we can turn a sad event into something wonderful.

Last week, I hung several loads of laundry on the line.  J and I did some needed roof repairs on a beautiful day.  While up there, we found another thing that needed attention, and took care of that too, all but the piece of rubber sealer that we're waiting on.  With lumber leftover from that project, J made us a new front porch.  It's a small porch, just protecting our front door, and all the wood decking was replaced.  I enjoyed reading library books, and listening to free podcasts while packing orders and wrapping soap.  The usual composting, shredding paper and cardboard, adding vegi bits to the broth bag, and washing plastic bags for reuse happened.  I froze one last ice cube tray of basil, and made the rest into pesto.  Enough was kept out to enjoy for dinner one night.  Another night, I pulled black bean burgers I'd frozen for an easy dinner.  Salads using our lettuce have been served with a lunch and dinner several days.  I managed to keep one of the Christmas cactus cuttings a friend gave me last year alive, and was rewarded with a bloom.

I went to town and picked up some groceries, getting avocados for .79 and pomegranates for .99.  I also found quarts of maple syrup at Aldi's for $13.95, and picked up three for the pantry.  Dandelion leaves and roots, and plantain leaves were harvested for food and medicine.  I used our summer squash and garlic in a side dish, with our chard, garlic and homemade broth to go with it and sweet potatoes.  Warm up water was saved and used for flushing, and filling the woodstove humidifier.  Water glasses were also emptied there, and water from washing lettuce.  I pulled a leftover potato dish from the freezer to have for lunch one day.  I managed to gather one persimmon this year, which we split for dessert one evening.  With the woodstove going again, I melted oils for soap making on it, cutting down on the use of propane, which I've heard is really going to increase in price.  I also took two gals. of vegi bits from the freezer, and put them in a pot on the woodstove to start the broth making process.  J found this lions mane close to the clothesline, but I wasn't home at the time, and he forgot to tell me for a few days.  It's a bit beyond fresh now, but I have hopes it will fruit again next year.

From the garden, I harvested chard, basil, lettuce, winter squash, and tiny eggplant and tromboncino before a frost, this one hard enough to damage the tender plants, a month or so later than our average.  Before it, I gathered a bouquet of the few flowers still blooming.  An item I had put in my cart for a Christmas present dropped $3 by the time I was ready to purchase it, a welcome surprise.  The last fig was enjoyed on my oatmeal.  Like so much of 2020 that made it an odd year, we had a hen who never regrew feathers after she molted.  Her back remained featherless through the winter, spring and summer, regardless of how much extra protein and goodies I gave her, and then when the hens began molting and regrowing feathers this fall, she joined right in, as though a whole year had never passed.  She never had any signs of mites, but for whatever reason, her feather growing skipped a year.  She looks great now, and I'm happy she'll go through the coming winter with feathers.  May your week provide all manner of things warm and cozy.