A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU ALL

This will be a short post. I'm going to do a more comprehensive one next time I can get near a high speed connection. Our Xmas tree was the top of a 25 footer- most of it stayed in the plantation. There aren't any more house size trees ! I'll go back for the trunk in the spring and we'll have some firewood for Joe's fire pit.



In the meantime, this picture is really for Sarah, to let her know that some thirty years later I have finally found the right spot for the stained glass window she gave me. About time !

From my "study" window I have a great view of the sunset, the main barn, and at this time of the year the bus.

The "Happy Farmer" has taken advantage of fairly clement weather the past few days to do some brush cutting in the plantation the other side of the marsh in front of the farmhouse and to start work on the tree line on the North side of the field behind the farmhouse.

Looking forward to all the new adventures and activities in 2009.

Work in progress !

This is a view of the newly installed satellite radio set-up. When I have finished the whole job it will get posted !

Here is a view of the recently re-arranged section of the library. Yes. Those are my archives !

I was going to post a picture of some work I have done in G's room, but my labelling is all wrong, so it will have to wait for another time.

I haven't taken any pictures of the trim that is now completed on the four downstairs windows that have been waiting since Summer 2004. I haven't yet decided whether to stain the wood, or paint it. Decisions, decisions !

So, enjoy ! and a Merry Xmas to all.

Never a dull moment !

Beethoven's First Piano Concerto playing in the background. Magnificent, and totally interference, both atmospheric and commercial, free. The combined genius of my offspring made this possible and as I proceed with some of the in-house tasks I am accompanied by the most incredible range of musical offerings. I am no longer bemoaning the demise of classical programming on the CBC, although I do miss the wit and humour, not to mention the scholarship of Yurgen Goth, Eric Friesen, Shelly Soames and Danielle Charbonneau. CBC has gone to World Music which, in my view,places it in the ranks of most indistinguisable commercial radio and I was suffering from withdrawal symptoms. All remedied.

The snowblower has been getting quite a work-out. I have already used it five times and it is providing me with plenty of exercise. There's loads of inside work to keep me occupied, from insulation and draft elimination, to finally getting the trimming done on four downstairs windows, three of which are now completed. I am making some headway on sorting out the library which became a storage area after the move from 259. It is rather slow going because I tend to spend quite a bit of time reading as I rediscover old favorites and come upon the occasional untouched volume.
A little bit of re-arrangement in the downstairs "reception" area, to the right as one comes in the front door, has been necessary since our Xmas tree will be here this year. I'll make sure to get a picture when it is installed.

Not the most exciting post to be sure, bit it is quite satisfying to be adding to my "only a done list" and letting my mind drift onto further possibilities.

If I don't post again before the holidays, I hope that you all have a wonderful time during the upcoming festive season.

The end of the harvest !

It wasn't the greatest year for my tomatoes ! Perhaps I should plant them before the middle of July ! If I can get started a bit earlier next year I might be able to add green tomato chutney to my walnut offerings ! I have st find ways to use the concrete mixer to justify its existence. Can't use it to mix the twenty bags of concrete stored in the barn. They have already solidified !

And this year we got to the Beetroot before the deer ! Unfortunately there is no picture of that succesful harvest. It fell through the cracks in the box as I was bringing it back for supper, never to be seen again ! I'm learning. Next year I won't cut off the greens.

Catching up.

Late September, early October. Mowing/leaf pick-up at the Walnut trees (3) near the bus, I espied hundreds of fallen walnuts. Further investigation revealed stashes under the bus, in the engine compartment and even in the branches of a pine tree. A veritable treasure trove and surely of some use ! But it seemed, mainly being consumed by the squirrels. Surely something that I could handle.

Five large eco-shopping bags filled.. needed the trailer to transport them ! "temporarily" stored near the kitchen. There was something rather gratifying about removing the still hard green outer shell. There was something odder about the way my hands started turning black ! and even blacker when I started to scrape the last traces of pulp from the familiar walnut shells.
Yesterday I put the last bucket of walnuts, in their black syrupy pulp mess out on the back stoop. Defeated. Oh yes, I have about thirty nice looking walnuts for consumption, there is a permanent walnut stain on the solarium floor and the staircase to the basement has large stains ! All of the shopping bags are permanently marked !
But I am not defeated ! Anyone needing walnut stain, just call ! And next year I will be prepared. The walnuts will go into the concrete mixer for shelling. The residual liquid,stain will be drained into the large containers left over from the summer pool chemicals. The remaining unused fuel oil drum will be converted into a boiling vat, suspended over Joe's new stonehenge like fire pit, and the accumulated brush and scrap wood will be used to boil up the whole mess ! I'll set up a roadside stand on the Stata Road and peddle my wares.

Hartfield Walnuts, walnut stain, walnut liqueur will be my answer to the slumping economy. And in further preparation for this new venture I am committed to consuming a half litre of scotch every three days through the winter to provide the bottles for the walnut liqueur. A winning formula !