Saturday, May 04, 2013
It froze again last night but we had protected everything adequately. We are doing the same tonight. It is a cold dry spring. I can report that the wonderful green is now mounting daily, The evening sun created green gold halos on all the trees.
Abby succeeded in getting the string collars off of the two rams. Sally was worrying about them with good reason. Abby took my sharp sewing scissors out to the paddock, put down a bit of grain, and they did not even notice when she snipped..
So far all we have done about separating the rams from the flock is make plots and plans.


Abby made a nice fork-able dinner that we could eat in front of the TV so as to watch the Kentucky Derby. She has decided not to take the job in CA.

Monday, May 06, 2013
Yesterday (Sunday, Cinco de Mayo, DD Marvia and GDD Abby Rose hosted a lunch for DD Abby and myself and DIL Mitra and her mom Marie and Shireen. Roshan was at her string group at Amy Leblanc. Marcia served an elegant version of hamburgers accompanies by roasted squished potatoes in a sauce and roasted stuffed beets sprinkled with walnuts caramelized in maple syrup. both sides were a big hit. Mitra brought a strawberry rhubarb pie. We ate outside. The weather was excellent.
And today, in response to the new grass, Fern broke the 1 ½ gallon barrier by nearly a pint.
Marcia gardened here today. She worked on digging weeds out of the asparagus patch and was rewarded by the first spear. She reported starting her day by making very successful mozzarella with milk from Mitra’s Nellie.
DD Sally called from MI where she is having a fine old time with her DS Gabe and the aunts and uncles.

Tuesday, May 07, 2013
It has been another day of perfect weather and the world is daily growing more lovely. Fern’s production continues to creep up. If only spring could be bottled for an occasional February tonic for her.
DD Marcia worked in the garden again. All her tiny vegetable seedlings are now up. The predicted low for tonight is 40F. I believe I can safely leave the tomato seedlings outside.

Wednesday, May 08, 2013
Another very fine day but rain is predicted.
SS Abby an DD Marcia took a long hike up through the woods following the spring line. They fixed a break.. It was easier this time than last because at Nancy’s suggestion they took along a thermos of hot water to soften the plastic pipe. Unfortunately it was still not possible to get any water from the spring.

Friday, May 10, 2013
The spell of fine weather had merged into light rain just enough to bring Marcia’s carrots up and not hard enough to damage the apple blossoms. They are just starting. Most years harsh winds do shake the darling buds of May and discourage the pollinators. I hope the dear old tree will bear this year.
My new edition of KFC arrived back today from my publisher, Chelsea Green, the stage which used to be known as page proofs. I am getting brain cramps as I attempt to expand my Word skills to meet the editing and proof reading requirements of the task.
Fern had a touch of mastitis this morning. I could tell as soon as she walked into her stanchion and moved to the far side. I didn’t do anything for her and there was nothing on the filter but tomorrow morning I will apply the lard and cayenne treatment. I picked a bunch of new comfrey for her breakfast also.
Davis Florists brought me a huge bouquet of flowers from “All your sons” What a treat.


DDs Marcia and Abby, signed up for a woods walk for wild edibles conducted by some woods dwelling people over in Temple near Farmington. They learned a lot. I am told.. Abby said she would not have gotten much out of it had the sponsors not passed out head nets. Black fly season has started.



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Saturday, April 27, 2013

Saturday, April 27, 2013
The sun rose on a clear and cloudless sky. The day remained cool but sunny enough for the gardeners to work in shirtsleeves. DS Martin arrived with the kids around one. DIL Amy stayed in Biddeford where she was serving as volunteer with community group giving tours of the old brick mill. It has many secret passages, relics of an elaborate hydraulic system which formerly powered the mill. At one time it was a Pepperell woolen mill. The mill now has many commercial and residential renters.
Martin helped us move the dresser out of my bed room. I have given it to granddaughter Abby Rose whose dresser stayed in CA. My tiny room will be less crowded. We later had an impromptu supper at his camp where we were joined by Marcia, Abby Rose and Violet. Henry wanted to dance so Martin put on music. The kids are enthusiastic dancers. Henry in particular was highly animated. He is just getting acquainted with his little cousin Violet who soon shed her shyness and joined in.
The lake was exceptionally beautiful. There was a flat calm reflecting opalescent cky and dark hills.



Monday, April 29, 2013
The weather on Sunday was warm and lovely. Abby back flushed the springline in hope of getting it running but it just gurgled. There must be a break in the line.
Fern’s production is creeping up now almost to 1 1./2 gallons again. She is finding a little grass. The chickens are ranging far and wide.
In the evening Martin went down to our cousin Leavitt’s place and he and Cousin Bill scouted the field for turkeys. The spotted a group. Today at the crack of dawn he was down there with his gun and got to big toms, about 17 pounds, the other 15. Sally dressed them off for him. It took her a long time and she said it was very interesting. They are fine birds.


I had an eye appointment today. I am no worse.
The lamb. Nadia, is growing well. Abby has seen her chewing her cud which is reassuring. She spends part of the day with her brothers.

Tuesday, April 30, 2013
We can almost say now that the fields are more green than brown. I am able to sit outside on my deck and drink my morning tea. Today while I did this I heard wild geese flying over- it was a pair. We also have barn swallows inspecting our barn. Yesterday I saw a bear cub, presumably with its mother nearby in the trees which were close, about a quarter of a mile from here. Abby says that there are many flickers in the field by her house.
Abby did a lot of work on the flower bed outside the carriage house, and elsewhere. Marcia worked on her beds and reports that she has many seedlings up already. Sally’s tomato and marigold and gloriosa daisies are looking very nice. She has been potting the tomatoes on as they were getting crowded and it isn’t time to plant out yet.
Nancy Hutchinson came over and did a lot of yard cleanup. I got out in the garden several times and picked handfuls of lovage and chives, and admired the daffodils which are coming up everywhere.
Abby has been trying to encourage the spring line the last couple of days. She has backflushed it several times, and today she walked the line for a long ways until she found a break in it, which she fixed. An hour or two later it started to run, which is always a very exciting moment.
Mitra saw her doctor today for the third time since her operation. He seemed to be quite satisfied with her progress, and said that this was the critical week in a person’s recuperation. We are all very excited for her. She is now putting on comfrey that I had in the freezer. It is pureed comfrey and a bit of water, and she puts it on the fingers where they are exposed. She says it feels very good. She also puts Uddermint on them.

Wednesday, May 01, 2013
We did get a light frost last night despite the weather report promising mid 30’s Fortunately Sally had brought in the tomatoes. I think nothing was harmed.
Sally worked mostly in the walled garden which is now divided into a geometric design. She set out a lot of pale marigold seedlings, very healthy looking plants.

Marcia’s vegetable rows are sprouting lots of things like lettuce and turnips. There will soon be asparagus. Wild dandelions are ready now and fiddleheads will be up any day. For the first time ever my forsythia is making a real show. It is blooming with the daffodils and together they are very lovely. In the distance many large trees are blooming, notably the red maple, a showy tree.

Sally and I banded the lambs’ tails.

Sad news: we went up to inspect the spring and found the cap stones around the well disastrously collapsed into the water. I don’t know if it can be rescued or not. Martin is going to see what can be done.

Friday, May 03, 2013
We h ad to say goodbye to Sally today. Alaska calls. H er sister Abby drove her to Portland where DS Martin met them and took her to their house for the night. She flies tomorrow to Chicago where she is to meet her DS Gabe who is home from Kazakhstan for a visit. They wills see relatives for a few days and she will return to Haines on the 8th.
She is greatly missed already.
It was warm and sunny all day but frost is again predicted for tonight. Abby and I brought all the potted plants and seedlings in again. Sally has Remay over the little plants in her knot garden.
Abby has a job offer in California and may leave quite soon. That will make it hard to manage the sheep because the two yearling rams are increasingly annoying. I just had this good idea that they can be put in the paddock garden by themselves. Planting that area can be delayed for a month as it is to be corn and squash. It has a good fence and half of the area (where not plowed) is good grass. Now to figure out how to get them in there without a sheep dog..




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