Daffodils for my mother...

My mother loves daffodils but finding the bulbs let alone getting them to grow in Texas is another issue. Ours are finally starting to bloom here in upstate NY. These are Tom Thumbs - only about 6 inches tall although you can't tell that from the photo, and are always the first to bloom.

Although the wind was blowing "a gale" as they say down east, I did manage to get in a few hours of gardening today (and can barely move to prove it!). Transplanted more plants, "found" a few more where I thought I was going to put the first ones, discovered more seldom used muscles, and finally got organized again about what tools were where and which worked best.

Gardening gives me time to "refocus" (don't you love that word?) for the season. Although I know a few of you are dedicated blog readers, I just don't feel I can continue to do a daily blog. However, not to leave you entirely, my plans are to publish on www.ontheroadinthevw.blogspot.com once a week so you'll have something new to read on Monday or Tuesday. John & I want to get Tillie back on the road and visit places we've never been to or spent much time at in New York State. So look for the first of these next week (actually the first trip is to Pennsylvania in Rambo but give me a little slack. John was out today hosing Rambo down trying to find that pesky leak over the driver's seat. Rain in predicted....)

A meeting of the elders...

Today was a BEAUTIFUL day. Only a week ago the weather was trying to give us two feet of new snow and today everyone (except for those you see here and me) were outside gardening.

Today was our town's bicentennial event for April (we're doing something every month). It was a meeting of the elders in the town who came and told stories of their youth growing up in the town. Picked peas and bean by hand into baskets made with timbers cut in the area, then shipped the produce by train "somewhere". Everyone had ice houses and chickens and cows... a typical rural economy. Actually it was very interesting. Probably if I'd stayed home and gardened all day I wouldn't be able to move right now. My primary job in being there, however, was to dish up the ice cream. It was MUCH more popular than when we gave it away in February.

Almost forgot... the elders also planted two "Chenango Strawberry" apple trees - a variety that was discovered and developed in our town. They're very rare these days but we managed to located a nursery that donated two of them. Let's hope they grow!

Energized over Energy...

John & I went to an energy conference yesterday just because... It was VERY exciting to hear about some of the things that are happening in the area of alternative energy in our area. Morrisville College is turning cow manure into methane. SUNY School of Forestry is turning used oil from their kitchens into biodiesel. The City of Auburn is making use of their hydropower along the river and is using geothermal to heat and cool its buildings. Plus NY has all its wind farms.

In the afternoon John & I took the tour of the closest windfarm where 20 large turbines are almost silently producing non-polluting electricity. This is the same windfarm that I mentioned yesterday that our electric company is drawing for a weekend getaway to. For the life of me I don't know how you would spend the weekend. The tour (which was VERY thorough) only took an hour and a half. Other things to see and do in Fenner? Well the town (there is no village that I know of) has only a population of about 1600 with four times as many cows. So maybe if you're into milking cows...

Anyway these wind turbines are BIG - 200+ feet tall before you even add the 3 props. The props each weigh 7.5 tons (a huge craine put them up there) and are about 120 feet long. (The one on the ground was given to Fenner for their planned education center for communities to learn about installing wind energy generators.) These propellers were made out of balsa wood and alumnimum in Brazil although we were told GE is now making them out of plastic. Everything is controlled by a computer that turns them to face the optimum wind currents.

Our guide lives in Fenner and was instrumental in getting them installed. The average person is not allowed to go up in them. However, because of his involvement with the project, he was able to arrange for him and his wife to go to the top of one (it was being worked on at the time) for their anniversary. He also mentioned that to get to the top you have to strap on a 65 lb. safety harness and climb a 210 foot ladder inside the post. (So what happened to dinner and roses?!!) He said when his daughter called to ask what they had done on their anniversary he told her they "got high and physical"...

One last note to Joe - turns out most of the guys who work on these turbines, both installing and maintaining them, are ex-Navy guys. Want to give up golf in your retirement and move north Joe?

The mail...

How much junk mail do YOU get? Unless you've moved recently, it's probably a lot!

Now the next question is, what kind? If you're a quilter it's about sewing. If you're into boats you get all sorts of woodworking stuff. And if you've recently bought a rusty old RV (like our Rambo) you're now on that mailing list as well.

I will have to admit this RV stuff is a bit different than anything we've gotten before. There was one almost (but not quite) irresistable offer for a book that would tell us...
- how to dip aluminum foil in water (that sounds hard), then rub it on the exposed metal where it's rusted (like all over) and "Voila!". Supposedly it works wonders - humm...
- we could also learn how to install a 36 inch flat screen TV when there's only room for an older 24 inch one. (Are those flat screens flexible or what? - curiosity almost got me there)
- and the one I loved the most - a "clever way to prevent someone from stealing your sewer hose"... think about it...

Today's mail also had a mailing from our local electric company offering its customers a chance to "Win a Weekend Getaway to a New York Wind Farm!" I can tell you I've been on that ridge under those wind generators and its one of those remote places... However, since we're going to an Energy Conference tomorrow that includes a tour of that very same wind farm, I'll let you know what the real scoop is.

What does all this have to do with the photo? Nothing, except it's the view as we leave our post office. Isn't that purple house cheerful? It really shows up against the snow. Those folks do NOT let winter get them down!

Things are looking up...

In spite of the weatherman's forecast this morning of another "fairly drab day" (Can you believe he actually said that?! Talk about making you depressed!) we had a bit of blue sky and enough sun to give us some shadows. I quick took the photo just in case it didn't stay long, which it didn't. But it was in the 40's today (just barely), the birds are singing, the robins are hogging the bit of open ground there is, and the snow is melting quickly but not quickly enough to cause flooding. A pretty good spring day all around. I even tossed aside my winter coat and wore my lightweight jacket into town today. (As opposed to yesterday, I've had it with being a wimp!)

Snow Geese?

At the bottom of our hill live a bunch (or is that a gaggle?) of geese who decided to abandon their owners and move into "the wild". All summer long you can see them floating contentedly on the small stream that runs through a small valley. (If you look hard - that dark thread that runs left to right just under the posted sign is the stream.)

Until today, I never stopped to wonder what they did in the winter. Do they go back to the barn? Do they try to tough it out in the wild? Domestic geese aren't much for flying so I doubt they head south. At any rate, this morning they were all lined up along the road looking longingly at their stream. We (and that includes the geese) got 19 inches of snow yesterday.

We came home a different route so am not sure what they decided to do. Upstream we saw two hardy fisherman in their waders in the middle of the stream (after all - 15,000 trout had been released two week ago and were just waiting to be caught). If the snow didn't slow down the fishermen, perhaps the geese weren't turned away either. As for me? I think I'll wait awhile before heading to the waters. (I confess, I'm a wimp!)

Snow???

Need I say more?

The good news is...

- it's mostly stopped
- spring snows are GREAT for the garden as they melt slowly into the ground taking all those good nutrients from rotting leaves etc. with it - known as "poor man's fertilizer"
- John listened to me (if you can believe that!) and moved the snow blower last night (before the snow came) from the shed far away from the driveway, to the driveway. It also gave him a chance to put some air in that flat tire on the tractor...
- The tire did NOT go flat again overnight (wonder of wonders!)
- the squirrels have stayed away from the feeder all day, much to the delight of the birds
- and, the best news of all.... it's supposed to get warmer every day this week ending up with 60 degrees and SUNSHINE (I've already cleaned my sunglasses in preparation) on Sunday!!!!!!!!!! EVERYONE, including those without electricity, are feeling better about things!

Signs of Spring?

Folks around here (including myself) are getting a bit upset with the state of April weather... overcast... cold... snow most every night even though it melts during the day... (not to mention the mouse situation in some households!)...

One good - no GREAT - thing is that the fresh fish truck has returned to the Village Green on Saturday mornings. He gets there at 9:00. I got there at 9:05 and you can see I was not the first in line. He is appreciated! Two (or is it three?) hours of selling cold fish on a cold day out of a cold truck - not a job for everyone.

So... in spite of it being in the 30's,
and damp...
and cold...
and taking an hour for the charcoal to get hot enough to cook on...
we had wonderful grilled FRESH fish for dinner.



This morning we, of course, woke up to the scene to our left. Okay, so it is beautiful but we're ready for a different sort of beauty now. It is April after all.

Perhaps we shouldn't complain too strongly - the weather person is saying we can expect another one to two feet of the white stuff overnight. Maybe the schools will have a snow day.

For immediate release...

HAMILTON REPORTS RUN ON MOUSE TRAPS & PEANUT BUTTER

Hamilton store owners today reported an unexpected run on mouse traps and peanut butter. According to one store owner an unidentified couple came in and purchased every mouse trap in stock. Another store owner reported a couple came in asking specifically for Victor mouse traps made in Pennsylvania. Having only traps made in Taiwan, the couple had a heated discussion, then purchased the entire inventory. It was also reported the couple was overheard questioning grocery store owners if they had any "recalled" peanut butter left.

Speculation has run rampant on why the sudden sale of mouse traps and peanut butter. One source, as yet unconfirmed, identified the couple in question as artists who are planning an upcoming installation entitled "Mouse Moat at Midnight".

Store owners state it will take at least two weeks to replenish their stocks.

Ok, ok... so I made this up. However, I am pleased to report we all slept soundly last night (Adam, the cat, included). We did NOT catch any mice in our numerous traps overnight. What does that mean?

WARNING!!!!

If the thought of a mouse story gives you the willies, read NO further!

For all you other brave souls, read on... No pictures today - your imaginations can do the work.

We live in a 200 year old farmhouse in the country. While we continue to seal up any openings we find, a family of mice always seems to join us in the fall. The traps go out (there are just too many hiding places for our cat, who is a GREAT mouser outside, to be effective.) By Christmas the mice seem to be gone. Then spring comes and we find ourselves with more mouse visitors.

This year has been no exception (so at least we're assured spring is on the way) and the mousetrap (we were down to one) has been put to good use. Last night as usual, we turn off the bedroom lights and the cat joins us (he sleeps at our feet). Rather than settling in like he normally does, he keeps on walking up to our heads and stops. Then I hear the pitter patter of little feet!!!! on the comforter!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sitting straight up in bed and flinging the covers I yell to John (who probably already has my full attention) to turn on the light - that I think Adam (the cat) has brought us a mouse. Of course, there's no mouse anywhere I look - just Adam sitting there blinking at us. John tells me I'm imagining things and to go to sleep.

1:43 a.m. John & I simultaneously sit straight up in bed, awakened by the pitter patter of little feet on the top of the pillows above our heads. This time John SAW the mouse in the moonlight before he turned on the light!!! Adam is blinking at us at the foot of the bed. John moves the mousetrap to behind the bed (why oh why have we let ourselves get down to only one usable trap?!!), then tells me to go back to sleep. Right!!! 1:58 - I hear it under the bed and jerk up again. John says to relax, it will stay on the floor. Right!!!! 2:14 - John jumps straight up. (I refrained from saying "I told you so!")

On go the lights. We pull the bed 2 feet away from the wall (while I'm silently considering how practical it is to either move back to the cold upstairs bedroom or spend the night on the love seat). Then we spy the mouse being "herded" back to us by Adam (guess he was determined we were going to have his "mouse gift" or else). By this time the mouse (measuring all of an inch) has about had it with indoor life himself. John easily traps him in a jar and "relocates" him to the great outdoors.

2:34 - Adam is heard munching on his cat food (obviously rewarding himself for his gift giving abilities). John is heard snoring. I'm of course wide awake listening for the pitter patter of little feet...

Yellow works for me...

Perhaps yellow is my favorite color (at least today). It's so hard to believe that these delicate looking crocus could look so good after being frozen every night and snowed upon every day for over a week. Yet they still look beautiful and more than welcoming when I look out the window. I do have to admit they open up fully and REALLY look happy when the sun shines (but don't we all?!!!)

Eggy Art...

Did you "do" Easter eggs this weekend? We hadn't really intended to, but when Wynne (the artsy artist on the left) and Bridge (the artsy attorney on the right) came up for Easter, there really was NO choice.

In our usual way, it turned into a MUCH bigger deal than one might imagine. First, I had plenty of our neighbor's fresh BROWN eggs, but, as you know, they don't dye the best so we had to get white (very inferior) ones at the market. Then we didn't have "egg dippers" so we had to find some wire and make our own. That then lead to the creation of the egg holder/art piece in photo. It made a GREAT table centerpiece as you could see through it. Once we get by the egg thing, perhaps red balls at Christmas? It's on its way to Seattle so we'll expect a full report at the end of the year.

And of course there was the issue of what to use to dye the eggs. Martha Stewart Living had just had an article on natural dyes so we went for that. Our review... the turmeric worked the best making a pale yellow (squint and you might see a blush of yellow on some of the eggs). The "pink" from the canned beets was, well, subtle - perhaps we needed beets WITH skins? And the coffee? - we might as well have used the brown eggs au natural. Bottom line - it was a great way to spend a cold, snowy Saturday and lots of FUN!! (plus I certainly had more to write about!)

Dyngus Day

Dyngus Day??? No, I'm NOT making it up. If you haven't heard of it, it probably means you a) are NOT from Buffalo, NY or b) are NOT Polish-American. So.... if you'd like to learn more I'd suggest you start with
www.dyngusdaybuffalo.com

What does this have to do with the photo? Well, that bushy tree on the left is actually what was supposed to have been a "small" ornamental pussy willow. (As you can see, it rather ignored its genetic instructions to stay small.) However, on cold spring days like today I always harvest a few sprigs to enjoy in the house. (Few is the operative word - I can barely reach high enough to cut off the tips of the branches where the "pussies" are.) And what do pussy willows have to do with Dyngus Day? I'll leave it up to you to find out.