It's a blustery, cold Saturday, and our wood stove is stoked, and our grandsons Sam (age 5) and Eli (age 3) are having a sleepover. As I write, we are watching a Thomas movie and the boys are drinking hot chocolate. Eli has already spilled his, but, hey,no problem.
I have often teased Elaine that when I first asked her out if I had said, "Go out with me on a date, and one night 35 or 40 years later, we can be babysitting our grandchildren. Would you have gone out with me, if that had been my line?"
Elaine is rather non-committal on that question, leaving me much in doubt if that would have been a good approach.
Saturday, December 30, 2017
Friday, December 22, 2017
Finding a Christmas Tree with my Grandsons (Blog 371)
One of the joys of living out in the country and having Elaine's and my two grandsons, five-year-old Sam and three-year-old Eli, living nearby is seeing them experience Christmas. This week one day after school, the boys came over and helped me find, cut down, and drag back to the house a Christmas tree.
The tree was just a scrawny Virginia pine, but to Same and Eli, it was a tree of magnificent beauty and importance. I look forward to seeing them unrap their presents there on Monday
The tree was just a scrawny Virginia pine, but to Same and Eli, it was a tree of magnificent beauty and importance. I look forward to seeing them unrap their presents there on Monday
Sunday, December 17, 2017
The Joy of Cutting Wood (Blog 370)
Saturday morning, I spent my time working on my next book and several magazine articles. After lunch, though, I spent several hours working in our woodlot, using my chainsaw and splitting maul.
There is something wonderful and satisfying about hard physical labor that is difficult to describe. Several years ago, a huge limb fell from a dead chestnut oak in the hollow directly behind our house. For the past two winters, I have worked on this log, as it is exceptionally thick and hard to saw. Yesterday, I finally finished cutting and splitting it. The wood from the log now sits on our sundeck and burns in our stove.
When not using our wood stove, Elaine and I keep our thermostat set to 68 degrees. But Elaine loves for me to start up our wood stove on weekends because she says the heat "is warmer." She's right, it does seem to be. This afternoon, I need to work on a pignut hickory that fell close to the driveway last week, and then there's that long dead black locust that lies on the ground. Both need my attention.
There is something wonderful and satisfying about hard physical labor that is difficult to describe. Several years ago, a huge limb fell from a dead chestnut oak in the hollow directly behind our house. For the past two winters, I have worked on this log, as it is exceptionally thick and hard to saw. Yesterday, I finally finished cutting and splitting it. The wood from the log now sits on our sundeck and burns in our stove.
When not using our wood stove, Elaine and I keep our thermostat set to 68 degrees. But Elaine loves for me to start up our wood stove on weekends because she says the heat "is warmer." She's right, it does seem to be. This afternoon, I need to work on a pignut hickory that fell close to the driveway last week, and then there's that long dead black locust that lies on the ground. Both need my attention.
Saturday, December 9, 2017
Rhode Island Reds See Their Snow (Blog 369)
Elaine and I have two flocks of heritage Rhode Island Reds living side by side in separate enclosures. We call the older chickens the "Big Reds" and the younger ones, the "Little Reds." This morning, the Little Reds experienced their first snow, and their leader, Don Junior, an eight-month-old cockerel, stuck his head out the henhouse door, saw the snow, emitted an alarm note, and promptly announced to his flock in chicken speak that it was not safe to go outside. Approximately, a half inch of snow had fallen overnight.
Of course, next door, Don Senior resolutely led his flock outside and began to do what chickens do best... eating. Meanwhile, I had to lure Don Junior, who so far has not taken after his father in bravery and leadership skills, out of the house by dangling bread bits a few inches in front of him. Once Don Junior was down on the ground, I had to physically remove the rest of the flock to join in.
Last winter, when snow fell one weekend, the younger flock stayed inside for several days, and a mite outbreak took place. I don't know if that was because they remained inside for several days, but I am going to try to make sure that an infestation does not occur this winter. One way to do that is to make sure our flock spends time foraging - not cowering inside.
Of course, next door, Don Senior resolutely led his flock outside and began to do what chickens do best... eating. Meanwhile, I had to lure Don Junior, who so far has not taken after his father in bravery and leadership skills, out of the house by dangling bread bits a few inches in front of him. Once Don Junior was down on the ground, I had to physically remove the rest of the flock to join in.
Last winter, when snow fell one weekend, the younger flock stayed inside for several days, and a mite outbreak took place. I don't know if that was because they remained inside for several days, but I am going to try to make sure that an infestation does not occur this winter. One way to do that is to make sure our flock spends time foraging - not cowering inside.
Saturday, December 2, 2017
Sitting Out the Last Day of Virginia's General Firearms Season (Blog 368)
Today here in Botetourt County, it is the last day of Virginia's general firearms season West of the Blue Ridge. Here I am working on a magazine article and my next Young Adult fiction novel. Elaine's and my freezer is almost full, and I wouldn't mind taking one more doe, but, honestly, I am looking forward to the late muzzleloader season.
I love that season and that time of the year. The weather is usually cold, sometimes, like last year, there is snow on the ground the last week of the season, which is the first week of January. Trudging through the snow, searching for deer sign, trying to dress warmly enough so that I can sit still for hours - it's all so challenging and exhilarating.
Quite frankly, most years I don't kill a deer during the late season, so my success rate is rather pathetic. In fact, last year during the six antlerless days in Botetourt County, I never saw a doe, just four or five non-shooter young bucks. But during Virginia's late season, just being out in the woods is a good enough reason to be there.
I love that season and that time of the year. The weather is usually cold, sometimes, like last year, there is snow on the ground the last week of the season, which is the first week of January. Trudging through the snow, searching for deer sign, trying to dress warmly enough so that I can sit still for hours - it's all so challenging and exhilarating.
Quite frankly, most years I don't kill a deer during the late season, so my success rate is rather pathetic. In fact, last year during the six antlerless days in Botetourt County, I never saw a doe, just four or five non-shooter young bucks. But during Virginia's late season, just being out in the woods is a good enough reason to be there.
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