Winter Preparedness

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We carefully build

on our stash of Winter Preparedness.

These are long term issues.

We are not completely there,

but this is what we have so far:

Wood Stove in the Family Room,

Wood Stacked there too

(that means it will be warm and dry),

Gas Stove whose Burners

work with Matches as starter

(Oven won't),

Candles and Matches,

Flashlights with Batteries,

Radio with Batteries,

Old Phone

which does not require Electricity,

Plenty of Food and Water

(for Humans, 4 Leggeds and Chickens),

Plenty of Bird Food for the Wild Ones

(we must not forget them),

Ability and Contentment

to stay put,

Sense of Adventure,

Books,

Knitting,

A couple of Good Movies

(if there is Electricity),

Blankets (Wool),

Warm Slippers,

People we love

and with whom

we work as a Team.

~~~~

Glinda Crawford, 2010

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Places Everyone!

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We Humans seem

more than a little Self Absorbed

in Human Doings.

We forget

we are imbedded

in a larger Natural System

which holds us.

Usually, She is relatively quiet.

Some days She roars.

Such days are coming.

Blizzard is forecast.

We 3 C's try to go

with the flow of such things.

We work on preparedness.

The North Dakota Experience

taught us to hunker down,

let Nature do Her Thing.

We 3 Humans try to sit quietly

in our Front Row Seats

for a Grand Play,

observing the Wonder and Awe

of Something Far Greater

than we can comprehend,

embracing the Smallness

of what it means to be Human.

And, Dear Melanie reminds

those of us who have been Adults a little too long

to remember to play.

"Places, Everyone!"

~~~~

Glinda Crawford, 2011

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24 Cardinals

Word has it we are in for and in the middle of a Winter Storm. That Storm will start out with sleet and ice, which we have already had. Then it will turn to Snow. Up to 10 inches are projected for tomorrow. And how do we know such things? We check into WeatherUnderground.

After checking out such things, Richard and I headed into town to make some quick purchases: Water, Onions and Green Peppers for Chili (which is now in the Crockpot). Richard stopped to top off the gas tank of his Car. We also stopped by a farm store to pick up Sunflower Seeds for the Little Birds and Chickens. We didn't tarry. And the other Humans didn't seem intent on tarrying either. We were doing what we needed to do and then we were out of there.

After lunch, Richard noted 24 Male Cardinals off the Deck. I think that is a record for us. Their brilliant Red makes them stand out against Winter's Subtlety, which includes Sleeping Plants and White Snow. A number of other Songbirds are there too.

Just before Storms, Songbirds, who have their own Weather Prediction systems, feed fast and furious in the backyard. Somehow they know. The Old Timers (of Human Persuasion) used to know. I think many of us yearn for that kind of knowing. Maybe, just maybe, it is coming back.

We're Not Alone

January 28:

Fog came in during the night. Under its soft Cloud, Fairies could be imagined to be touching almost everything with that beautiful and delicate Frost.

In the meantime, other Critters were busy doing their thing. On such amazing days, everything and everyone leaves tracks. The exception would be the Fairies making the Frost; at least, we Humans seem not to have the ability to see their Tracks. Or rather, is the Frost their method of Tracks?

Richard and I headed out on a walk on our Usual Path. These were some of the Tracks that greeted us. The 1st that we saw were our own.
Some Creatures seemed intent upon Whimsy. They are welcome here.Back near the House, impressions of Snow Angels were clearly visible. In fact, we caught one right there on the Ground. She requested the Camera so that she could show us the Snow Angel's View of the Sky. After she took the picture, she moved on to another Snow Angel Print.

We Humans may have our Name on the Human Title to this Land but we're surely not alone on this little Farm.

The Local Snow Report

January 23:

We have had Snow beginning last night and into the early afternoon today. At moments, when we have looked out, we have the feeling that we may be living inside a giant snow globe as the Snow swirls around us.

Many of our friends in Nature have been busy today. The Birds have been hanging close to the Feeders in the backyard. And are they ever busy feeding. I love it when they are all fluffed up and when they nestle down to cover those feet. These are sure signs that the weather outside is cold. When the Humans head outside, we should surely bundle up.

Deer have been feeding along the edge of the South Woods. It surely must be the "Twins" who are yet small but they are also growing too.

Laddie, our Shetland Sheep Dog, loves this weather. Winter is his favorite season. While he is older now and does not get around like he did when he was a Pup, he loves sniffing in the Snow, following trails of Critters who have been visiting, and taking Snow Baths. I chuckle when I see the Snowflakes on his back. His coat gives him the best insulation. Those Snowflakes just don't melt until he comes inside. When he does come inside, we rub him down with a towel. He surely must wonder why we Humans do not have Coats like he does.

Fascination

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I am fascinated by Folks

whose orientation is toward "fixing things".

OK, something breaks.

These days,

Folks just throw it away.

It wasn't so long ago

that those who came before

would just scratch their heads

and figure out a way to fix it.

Their Creativity

was a source of their Genius.

These days,

my Kind can't fix much of anything.

Our inability to fix stuff

and our dependence on someone else

will surely be the stuff of legend.

These little scissors

don't work as well as they did,

but they do work.

They crafted a smile

on my face too.
~~~~

Glinda Crawford, 2011

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Floor Covering

January 20:

Today, the installers are here to put down the floor covering in the west half of the basement. We are using, Marmoleum, a natural linoleum product with jute backing.

Once again, we are on another adventure in choosing a less toxic alternative. We have chosen that alternative because we choose to create a less toxic home environment which has the path of least harm for the Earth, those who make and install the product, and those who may be on the other end at its disposal (which we hope will be many years down the road of course). And yes, once again, we have gone to Green Building Supply in Fairfield for the source of products.

And yes, once again, we find ourselves in a place of assisting craftsmen in the installation, since most products are the more toxic varieties these days. This is new for them and we are ever so grateful that they have said "Yes, we'll do it."

Some day and hopefully very soon, such choices will be commonplace. And we Humans in formerly what was called an advanced civilization will be left to ponder and scratch our heads: "What was that about? Why did we ever choose any other kind of product? Why didn't we take time to care?"

Melanie took the lead on this project. Richard chose the pattern which is called Caribbean. Folks at Green Building Supply are standing by to answer questions of the installers. Here we go.

Adventures, adventures, always adventures, inside and out, right here on our little Farm.