Neither rain, nor stolen phone ....

can keep me from posting my weekly purge!  You'll just have to close your eyes and imagine what they look like.

(Trumpet flare)

141- Black wide legged work pants.  With tags.  Languished in my closet for over four years, waiting to be hemmed.

142- Navy cotton Bermuda shorts.  Right.  Shorts rank up there with bathing suits in my wardrobe.

143- Black cotton sweater.  I have three.

144- Beaded pie weights.  Got these as a gift and used them once.  I think it was back in 1975.

145- Four fake gourds.  I grew real ones instead.

146- Black Merrell shoes.  You know, the kind that make you think you are walking pigeon-toed?  I find (lo and behold) that I own three pair of very similar shoes.  These are the lace-up kind and I am practicing for when I am old and feeble (in about 24 hours), so no laces for me.

147- "The Silver Palate Cookbook".  One of my oldies but goodies that I used constantly, back in the day.  I have not opened it during the entire time I've lived here.  Time to share.

(Not counted but still jettisoned, three pair of BGPs that were beginning to look like a cross between cotton gauze and Swiss cheese.  I find it very difficult to part with comfy undies.  TMI?)

***
Duck news - someone is quacking.  I had put them outside in a pen yesterday and then, when I brought them back inside last night after work, I heard a distinct "Quack".  It's the largest one - I caught him looking around, startled expression on his puss, wondering where that sound came from.  My babies are growing up!

I've been Liebsterized!

The Fair Fiona from Confessions of a Crazed Cattlewoman has bestowed a Liebster upon me.  While I am going to be a poop and not follow through with the whole thing (create questions, spread the award), I will answer her fun questions:

#1- If you were going to travel where would you go?

I would love to travel to meet all the bloggers I know and love.  And I will, as soon as I don't have 65 dependents at home.

#2- What is your favorite time of day?

Early morning.  The earlier, the better. 

#3- Who is the most inspirational woman in your life?

This is a tough one.  I would have to say a certain woman living in a northern state who quilts, homesteads *coughmamapea*, but truthfully?  It would be a woman who is a conglomeration of so many woman I have met through blogs.

#4- If you could change one thing about the world what would it be?

I would like to see an upsurge of compassion.

#5- What is your very favorite food?

Any flavor (without nuts) of ice cream, followed by a potato chip chaser.

#6- Have you been to a movie lately and if so what was it?

I have not seen a movie in a theater since Lincoln and was disappointed with that one.  However, I can still see Omar Sharif's large, dark eyes filling the screen in Doctor Zhivago.  I have never fully recovered and I was in my early teens.

#7- What made you decide to start and maintain your blog?

I had just moved to my first home and started homesteading in a small way.  I didn't know anyone and found a lot of inspiration on the blogs I was reading.  I started as a way to connect and to create a history.

#8- When was the last time you sat down and read a good book?

I have been reading a book I like a lot, about two pages a week.  It's hard to find time to sit for more than 15 minutes (without falling asleep).

#9- What kind of costume would you wear to a costume Ball?

I'd like to be the Lone Rangerette!

#10- What was one thing you had a trouble learning?

Math.  Any form, color or iteration of it.  An iron curtain clangs down in my mind whenever presented with a math problem.

First Harvest

Stinging Nettles and gear

(Obviously taken pre-camera-theft)  On last Friday morning, I hurriedly took scissors out to the compost pile by the barn and snipped a bag full of nettles.  I had been clued in that my farmer/neighbor was going to toddle down with his front-end loader and turn the pile for me that morning after milking.  I love to dry it, make soup from it, toss it in salads.  Looks like I have plenty more - everywhere!

Not Quite My Typical Weekend.

It started off typically - the weather forecast, which had been for two days of warm, sunny weather, changed almost overnight to cool, windy and rainy.  I managed to get my strawberry plants planted and a few things done around the garden before it poured.  Then it was off to Vermont for my list of 8 errands, then to the parents' for Mother's Day and a lovely visit with my youngest sis and her friend, Tory, not seen in years and sorely missed.  I had one last chore to squeeze in - grocery shopping - and in the interest of time, decided to shop at a more upscale (expensive) store since it was on my way home.  That's when the weekend took a different turn.  Someone stole my cell phone.

Granted, I made it easy for them.  I had slid it into my wallet and put the wallet in the cart - forgot it was there, pushed the cart in the line with the rest and toddled to my car.  I got less than a half mile away, when I realized I had left it, did a U-turn, and sped back.  The wallet was there.  The phone was not.  The person at the customer service desk said, "oooh, you were asking for it!"  To which I replied (through gritted teeth), "No, it was their choice to take it - or they could have taken the wallet and phone the 15 feet to your desk and turned it in."

I went to the local Verizon store where I was told that they would love to help me, but the were closing in 15 minutes and couldn't even sell me a phone.  What?

I drove home doing some breathing exercises and realized just how much I had depended on it.  Not only was (is) my cell phone the only phone I have, but I had my email, bank, you-name-it on that phone.  It was unhealthy and unsafe.  I had the service temporarily disconnected and managed to scrounge up my wifi device and laptop.  I powered them up and reported the phone stolen and temporarily discontinued my service.  I ordered a refurbished phone online and will do without until it arrives.  I will also seriously consider changing my carrier.

In some ways, it was fortuitous.  It made me realize that I needed to slow down and pay attention.  However, as a neighbor who stopped by to drop off dahlias commented, "Who are you kidding?  You are hardwired to have one speed and direction - fast and forward."  True.  But even I can shave off a couple of errands from the too-much-in-one-day list.  When I got home, I hugged the dogs, fed everyone, chilled a bottle of wine and made a list for Sunday.  Hehe.

It's amazing how quiet it is with no phone.  And how much extra time I had.  To fill with duck watering, Nugget watering, sheep scratching, garden working.  I got the violas/Johnny-Jump-ups moved out of the onion bed, got the bed prepped and planted onions.  I prepped the potato bags.  I weeded.  I did four loads of laundry and got lots of company.  I slept well last night.

There will be a dearth of photos this week - I dug up my digital camera and am charging it up.  Hopefully, I will remember how to use it...

Doing the Poultry Shuffle

One of the reasons I was so anxious to get home Saturday was because it was D-Day/Weekend for getting the Nuggets out of the laundry room and into their interim brooder set up(s).  Because I am brooding so many this year (never again this many), I had to break the mob into two groups.  A dozen went into the small coop brooder and the rest into the large brooder in my shed.  Then there was the requisite cleaning of the toxic waste brooder tubs, running of electric, shuffling of the feeders/waterers and toting of the Nuggets.  Once that was done (most of Sunday), it was time to move the ducklings from the back room into the laundry room.  They were very happy and it has allowed me to work on socializing them.  This collapsible dog pen is one of the best investments I have made - it is light, has a waterproof floor and a zip cover.  It should accommodate them long enough for the duck house to be completed (in a perfect world.........right, Mama Pea?)

New digs for ducklings.

 

Nuggets Group 1

 

Nuggets Group 2

Group 2

The larger group of Nuggets went into the big metal tub brooder that I have set up in the shed.  I built a top for it that is covered in hardware cloth - which keeps them safe from marauding rodents, etc.  I can rest a heat lamp on it - far enough not to toast them - and then cover and uncover the top as necessary.  Of course, as soon as I moved them out to the shed, the temps dropped and it has been cold, rainy and clammy for days.  They are nice and toasty inside, however, and it should hold them until they are feathered out enough to put in the hoop house.  Which needs a new tarp and some updated security.  The one thing I can be sure of (besides death and high taxes) is that there will always be more to do.  I am now in the process of adjusting my morning/evening routine to encompass two more areas to service.  It's a little sticky but we'll get there.  I was so late getting out the door this morning, that I did not notice the state of my hair until I was in my office.  Good thing no one sees me - if there was a small child about, I might frighten it.

Socialization - Part Whatever

As part of my ongoing effort to socialize myself, I headed out on Saturday to visit my friend, Linda, in Chicopee, MA.  There was a pottery tour afoot and I am always game for an afternoon steeped in others' creative efforts.  After a nerve-wracking trip on the Mass Pike and some faulty GPS instructions, I arrived at Linda's and we headed out.  I did not get pics of the various potters - my camera battery was lowish and I forgot - but I did take a snap of this clever way of displaying a pot.  There were some completely awesome artists (the first three were the best) and I picked up a wonderful shallow bowl, an adorable pitcher, an object that cannot be described - it's a birthday gift, and the wonderful coffee mug in yesterday's post.



Creative use of a woodpile



We (Linda) did a lot of driving and we ended the tour in Shelburne Falls - a place I have always wanted to visit.  Besides a wonderful array of little shops and artists, there are glacial potholes and the Bridge of Flowers.

 

Of course, treaty or not, they did
not keep their word.  Surprise.  Not.

 

Salmon Falls and Glacial Potholes.  Cool!

I like THESE potholes.

Wonderful wisteria on the Bridge of Flowers

 

More wonderful wisteria.

Their magnolia is blooming!

The other end of the hand...
my friend, Linda.

The last potter we visited was in Shelburne Falls - he of the Mug of Humanity.  His wares were displayed in a 54 y/o Airstream travel trailer, which had me at the get-go.  When I mentioned that I was looking for a special coffee/tea mug - something unique - he said, what you need is a mug with humanity.  I'm still not sure what humanity had to do with my mug, but I love it. 

What had started off as a bright, sunny day, diminished by the time we reached the Bridge of Flowers.  It was still a lovely sight - and I can imagine it is spectacular by June.  Linda and I saw at least 20 shops that we wanted to explore further, but time was not on our side, as we had to drive back to Chicopee for me to collect my car and make the trek home.  Knowing I would arrive late, I picked up two boxes of the pups' favorite non-mom-baked treats at Trader Joe's.  I shouldn't have worried.  While the cats gave me the cold-shoulder, the dogs were jubilant that I was home, treats or not. 

This is the end of my socializing for a while.  As fun as it was, in the back of my mind (rather close to the front, actually) was the realization that there is a garden to be cleaned up and readied for planting.  On weekends.  And, of course, Sunday it rained all day.

Monday Musings 134-140

I think I can, I think I can, I think I can....

I'm s.l.o.w.l.y getting close to the half-way mark in my purge goal.  The challenge, I've found, is not finding the junk treasures to part with, it's more finding time to find the treasures.  I am, of course, surprised that I don't have time.  I do believe that my mind lives in its own universe where there is nothing BUT time.  However, the rest of me lives in real time - what little there is of it.  Got that?

134

 

135

 

136-138

 

139-140

 

134- My 3-in-1 small appliance.  I realized that I use exactly 1-in-3 and that the fact that it is non-stick (which raises alarm bells in my now-PFOA-consciousness) means I won't continue to use it.  It is not Teflon, so not on the list of harmful.  Yet.... I am opting for a plain old crockpot.  With glazed ceramic bowl.  Of which I am sure they will find causes unknown risk to us all.  Sigh.

 

135- This book was inspirational back in my catering, 'just call me martha' entertaining days.  Now, you'll get placemats and - on a good day - matching flatware.

 

136-138  More casting off of the plastic.  Even though these are reusable bags, I am heading in the direction of fabric that I can toss in the washer if need be.

 

139-140  Even though there are days when I could actually drink two cups of coffee simultaneously (is that physically possible?), I am paring down.  The cup on the right is a Bennington Potters cup and was a bit difficult to part with....

 

Except, now I have this beauty!  (Which actually means that I am adding something, which reduces the total number by one, technically, but it's my game and my rules.  Pfft.)

 

A mug with humanity.

I will furnish details of my Mug with Humanity in my next post.  Brace yourself - I actually took pictures!