Clothesline

I hung laundry out on the clothesline today, for the 1st time in 2023.  The snow is melting and we have a lot of mud.  Chickens are happy.  We are getting about 2 dozen eggs a day right now.  We're selling them for $4/dozen. 

A few days ago we got a light snow and the sun was out, it was a beautiful day!  We also baked kulich.  I plan to make another batch Monday.  We went on a homeschool field trip to the planetarium this week.  It's been a great week!

Maple syrup season

We went to a maple sugar shack today not far from our house.  This past week we had a few days that reached the 50s, so excellent for the sap.  It was snowing when we arrived here.

A 60 year old bucket that the tree grew into...

The air smelled sweet of maple!  They can boil 100 gallons in an hour.  

Snow and more snow

We have now lived here a year and a half! 18 inches expected this week. Usually I like snow, but right now we've had so much and I long for warm weather.  I want to hang our clothes outside on the line.  We have managed without a dryer, using two wooden racks to dry our clothes by the woodstove when it's rainy or snowy.  I am eager to plant our garden. Our zucchini, tomatoes, beets and carrots did well. Everything grew better here in upstate NY than it grew in southern OH.  I think the soil has less clay in it and stays moist but drains well. Last year, we planted 3 clumps of rhubarb, several canes of raspberries and 20 strawberry plants.  I hope they all come back.

The little lamb I was calling Dotty passed away peacefully.  She didn't seem to be in any pain, thankfully.  We all had such hopes that she would pull through.

Farewell extravagances

I bought expensive ice cream last week and the boys just finished off the last of it.  I made a lot of crepes this week and we had yogurt and jam or nutella with them.

I also bought a package of salad greens, because I know I need it.  Starting Great Lent and putting simple things on our plate is just one aspect.  I'm eager for it!

We also just got another lamb!  Our friends who we got lambs from last year had one born who is unable to stand.  So, we will bottle feed her and give her extra care.

Sun

Last weekend, the sun shone brightly and the rays came down into church beautifully. It was the day of the 3 hierarchs, St. Basil, St. Gregory and St. John Chrysostom.  We also had 3 hierarchs serving!  Metropolitan Nicholas, Bishop Gabriel and Bishop Luke.

I taught Paul to chain, and he made reins.  Now he wants to crochet something!  A friend gave me a gently used handknit sweater that was dyed with marigolds.  Below, the boys got Valentine's in the mail, and then, we proceeded to cut out hearts out of paper and make some.  I have thoroughly enjoyed the sunshine when it comes.

This and that

We got some wooden animals from a friend!  It was bitterly cold last week and now is in the 40s and everything is melting.  Our mudroom is flooded, not horribly, but enough that we have a half inch of water on the floor there.

Today I went to the acupuncturist.  She put 14 needles in me, one in each foot, 2 on each wrists, outside + inside, 2 on my chest, for the lungs, she said, 2 on the front of my cheeks, 2 near my ears, and 2 on top of my head.  It's $65 for a 1 hour visit.  The massage table I laid on was heated and felt relaxing to me.  I hope my face muscles will continue to improve.  It's been almost 8 months since my Bell's Palsy diagnosis.  As for the Lyme, I pray it's gone, but since I had a long course of antibiotics (10 days in May and 21 days in June) and prednisone, I've felt like my gut is much more sensitive to bloating and loose bowels.  I'm trying to eat gluten-free.  

Study

In our most recent lesson for history, we have been studying Japan and the samurai.  There are some great origami tutorials online!   https://youtu.be/QN-nd8CG4eE 

I took the kitten, who we've decided to name Plum, to the SPCA, on Tuesday.  She will be 4 months old in a couple days.  Her mother, Snowflake, also went.  They were both spayed.  $60 each.  When I had her sister Sandy spayed in Sept. it cost $175 with a private vet. I got the extra pain meds they suggested which was $18 additional.  So expensive!  I had to wait 3 months for a spot with the SPCA, but since Snowflake was expecting her 2nd litter of kittens in Oct. we needed to wait, and it all worked out well.  

It's bitterly cold.  At 3pm, it's -5°F and with the wind feels like -22!  We spent just a little time outside.  We must collect eggs several times a day, so they don't freeze ans crack.  We keep the hen house closed up with these temperatures, to keep them warm.  We've been getting a fair amount every day this week, averaging 20/day.  I gave 36 to our Amish neighbor.

There in the middle, is the new monstera leaf and it just unfurled last night.  I'm delighted to see it has a notch in it!