~
Tuesday, November 30, 2010, 10:00 a.m.
43 degrees, windy, mostly cloudy
Although the wind is whipping across Gomer Hill, it is
from the south and feels pretty good.
I had early appointments in Lowville today, and was able
to carry a beautiful poinsettia to my
car without fear that it would freeze during transport,
it’s that nice out. The sun breaks free inter-
mittently so the morning is a fine one for the last day
in November. Some of he snow has melted,
and the roads are bare except for the shadier spots. Rain
is expected for later this afternoon, so I
guess I will head out for a walk before lunch and take
advantage of this pleasant turn of weather.
Have a great day,
Daisy
Monday, November 29, 2010, 7:30 a.m.
28 degrees, calm, mostly sunny
The first thing I noticed before the sun came up
was that several bright contrails streamed across
the morning sky like copper foil giftwrap ribbons. They
have dispersed since then, but for a little while
the sky was a huge canvas for some pretty bizarre line
drawings. A few clouds have formed in the west,
but generally the scene is shiny and calm. We walked on
the meadow paths late yesterday, and in some
places the snow was six inches deep; in others the grass
was blown bare. We passed by the gardens,
and deer have cleaned up every bit of edible greenery
except for the cutting celery, which they didn’t
touch at all. I don’t blame them, it was bitter and
tough, a disappointment. Broccoli has been munch-
ed right down to the tough main stems, and the cull
carrots which we left by the empty rows have
disappeared. There are deer tracks all over the snow, on
the paths, and in the road; already a
well-worn rut has formed into the woodlot. I would
imagine that hunters had a field day yes-
terday, just following the biggest tracks and waiting
around for a while. We also saw plenty of
turkey tracks, mostly at the sides of the road. There
were no tracks leading to the compost pile;
I had hoped to see evidence of whatever had eaten the
squash seeds the other day, but I guess
that was all they were after, no need to make a return
visit. Rain on Tuesday may take all
of the snow from the Hill, but we should see some more by
the end of the week.
Have a great day,
Daisy
Sunday, November 28, 2010, 9:00 a.m.
28 degrees, breezy, cloudy, flurries
A thin strip of brilliant pink preceded a blazing sunrise,
which was quickly swallowed up
by low-slung clouds. Flurries have been floating by off
and on, but nothing like the wind-driven
snowfall of yesterday afternoon. It is hard to tell how
much snow we ended up with, as it was pushed
into drifts all over the Hill, but it looks like a good
four inches, maybe a little more. I thought about skiing
on our meadow paths, but there are still several places
where standing water isn’t frozen yet, and wet skis
are no fun. There will be months of great skiing yet to
come, I am certain. I am headed to Rome to do a
little holiday shopping, hoping that stores won’t be
too crowed, that the teeming sale-crazed masses came
and went two days ago. I’ll bet as we head south the
roads will be clear and we may even see a little sun.
Have a great day,
Daisy
Saturday, November 27, 2010, 8:00 a.m.
26 degrees, windy, overcast, snowing !
Although we were spared most of yesterday’s lake
effect snow, the band has drifted south to deposit
a couple of inches of windblown powder on Gomer Hill. A
few drifts have formed at the edges of the yard,
with the blacktop of the driveway blown fairly clean by
the fierce west wind. It doesn’t show signs of
stopping;
do I have some corn for popping? I thought the dog would
do a touch-and-go when I let him out earlier since
he is no big fan of snow, but he took off at a run to the
compost pile behind the barn, head down and snorting
up great snoutsfull of snow as he went. We must have had
an interesting visitor during the night, but whatever
tracks it would have left have been swept away. A furrow
was plowed through the squash seeds dumped
after preparing Thursday’s dinner and something had
eaten most of them. Weekend hunters will be happy
to have this good tracking snow, but I sure wouldn’t
want to be spending any time in a tree stand on such
a blustery November day. It would be nice if we ended up
with a few inches on the meadows, enough to
make a couple of runs on skis. I doubt this snow will
stick around, as there is a warming trend for midweek.
Enjoy your day,
Daisy
Friday, November 26, 2010, 8:30 a.m.
33 degrees, windy, mostly cloudy
A splatter of hard rain fell earlier this morning, but as
the wind shifted from the southeast to the west
it was literally blown away. Now there are huge clouds
zipping past with little splashes of sunlight washing
over the view like a flashbulb. Some of the clouds are
low enough that when the sun does come out it shines
on their diaphanous tops, creating gleaming ethereal
shapes, some taking anthropomorphic form, giving rise
to the notion of angels. The wind is fierce; clearly a
change is under way. As bright as the sky is to the east,
the western aspect is black as night, with a bit of a
gothic air. A lake effect snow warning is in the forecast
for later today, but as with all such media storms, I
will believe it when I see it. Yesterday we had a won-
derful feast at midday on the sunporch, and were
entertained by hundreds of starlings performing their
precision airshow right outside our window. They wrapped
it up just as we mopped the last of the
gravy from our empty plates, and had moved on to a new
venue by the time we ventured outside
for a postprandial walk. We kept to the main road out of
respect for the hunters still in the woods,
not to mention our own safety. Although the sky was
overcast, the view of the mountains
was clear and the wind had died down, so we were comfy as
we strolled. I think I
will go move my car so it isn’t under any trees. The
wind is really something !
Have a great day,
Daisy
Thursday, November 25, 2010, 8:00 a.m.
22 degrees, calm, overcast
A cold start to this Thanksgiving Day hasn’t kept
the hunters from streaming up the road before sunrise.
Their headlights flashed in my bedroom window creating
spider plant monsters on the opposite wall, reminding
me that sometimes things are often not as they seem at
first glance. There is much to be grateful for every day
of the year; on this day in particular we are reminded to
reflect on how very fortunate we are to have plenty
to eat, pure water to drink, and a warm safe place to lay
our heads at night. If our holiday table doesn’t
look exactly like a Norman Rockwell illustration, then
perhaps we need to lower our expectations to in-
clude simply the basic creature comforts that sustain us
on a daily basis. If one’s family is scattered
all over the globe, and the table is set with simple fare
and no pies at all, should one be any less
grateful than the patriarch poised at the head of the
table surrounded by generations of
family members, poised to carve a picture-perfect turkey
?
Blessings on us all,
Daisy
Wednesday, November 24, 2010, 8:00 a.m.
28 degrees, windy, mostly sunny
A low shelf of clouds dogs the eastern view, but
there are only about half as many of them as at sunrise.
Their presence made for an awesome color show earlier,
and when the sun finally showed up it lit up tiny
frost crystals that hung suspended in the air like Jack
Frost’s exhaled breath. Today will be a gorgeous sun-
ny day, but cold with a north wind, so bundle up if you
play outdoors at all. Yesterday we were tricked by
a break in the clouds, so headed up the road for a walk
with the dog after lunch. After about ten minutes,
we saw a roll of black clouds on the move, driving a
thick curtain of water our way. We felt the moist cold
air before the first drops arrived, and soon we were in
the middle of a real deluge, huge drops of water that
stung so much that I suspected there may have been some
ice pellets mixed in. Thank goodness I had worn
my rain jacket and a warm hat. That shower passed as
quickly as it arrived, but it certainly cut our hike
short.
The crows that hung around for two days have moved on,
and seven starlings have taken up their watch from
the big maple trees in the yard. I am always cheered by
their greeting; they all whistled at me like drunken
sailors this morning when I stepped out to grab some
fresh air. I hope they stick around for the winter.
Have a great day,
Daisy
Tuesday, November 23, 2010, 9:00 a.m.
51 degrees, windy, overcast, rain
We should enjoy the relatively warm weather while it is
here, as snow is in the forecast for the next few days,
with the possibility of a lake effect event moving in on
Friday. This is good news for winter sports enthusiasts,
but not so good for folks who have some traveling to do
for the Thanksgiving holiday. The two crows that
hung around all day yesterday are still in the yard, if
possible more vocal than ever. I walked for a while
yesterday but the crows stayed close to the house instead
of following my trail, so I guess their message
is not for me. Their caws have taken on some different
tones this morning, including a few phrases that
sounded so much like a cat howling that we checked to see
if our own little guy was in or out. He was
snug in the kitchen, and we could find no other kitty
anywhere in the vicinity; finally we realized it was
the crows making the feline sound. They are totally
ignoring the rain; it will be interesting to see if they
hang around when this all changes over to snow. A huge
flock of starlings touched down briefly as I
made my way around the meadow paths, one of the biggest I
have ever seen, and while I enjoyed
their beautiful flight patterns I could find no clear
message in their appearance either. Maybe the
point is that I am to keep searching until I find out something,
keep my eyes and ears open and
see if there is some task needing my attention that is
currently hidden from my view. For now,
I will go about the day’s work, grateful to have
simple jobs stretched out before me, nothing
too arduous or difficult, and find the rhythm that graces
these short November days.
Have an interesting day,
Daisy
Monday, November 22, 2010, 8:30 a.m.
39 degrees, windy, overcast, misty
Two crows have had my total attention since I
first went outdoors to take the dog around the yard.
They were cawlling back and forth to each other the whole
time we were strolling around, and we could
hear them from indoors for quite a while even though the
windows are shut tight. They are still hanging around
the area, and are now sitting on the beanpoles looking in
my direction and letting out an occasional bark. Some
traditions believe crows are the messengers of the animal
world, and often bring news of change about to hap-
pen. Crows also are thought to have the ability to
transcend time and space, which makes them significant in
light of recent evidence that quantum physics does indeed
allow for the overlap and intermingling of an infinite
number of strings of possibility. If you wish to learn
more about the fascinating world of theoretical physics
and
string theory, check out http://superstringtheory.com/
. For sure, with these two beautiful birds giving me the
411
about something on this chilly dull morning, I
will keep myself especially attuned to the possibilities
that this could
be a magical kind of day. To ignore the crows and just go
on my merry way without giving a little thought to the
infinite possibilities that are spread out before me
would be unfortunate; think of the opportunities I
might miss
if I were to go about my day’s work blindly. Even if
nothing special does cross my path today, I will have
had a richer experience for paying attention to the
crow’s message that anything can happen.
Have a wonder-full day,
Daisy
Sunday, November 21, 2010, 6:30 a.m.
19 degrees, breezy, partly cloudy
An array of dark grey mackerel clouds is tinged with
mauve as the sky pinks up along the
eastern horizon. It is very cold outside; I believe this
is the first time the temperature has fallen
into the teens since last winter. Frost sits thickly on
everything and the only two uninsulated windows
on the sunporch are rimmed with icy crystals. Yesterday
warmed up a bit towards noon, but the wind
remained fierce, and our hike was done at a brisk pace
just to generate some heat. We started out right
into the teeth of a stiff northwest breeze, and
everywhere two seams lined up the chill managed to seep
down to the skin. With the wind at our backs for the
return trip it wasn’t too bad. Today I journey to
Little Falls with friends for a day of yoga, dancing, and
good food, one of many such gatherings that
brings people together from all points of the Mohawk
Valley. We will return to the Hill before
dark, and should be able to catch the full moon rising
just before the sun sets.
Enjoy your day,
Daisy
Saturday, November 20, 2010, 8:30 a.m.
37 degrees, windy. mostly cloudy
Once again a bitter northwest wind rules the morning,
sweeping big clouds across the
entire view and carrying a few tiny occasional snowflakes
along for the ride. The little bit
of fog that greeted the dawn has lifted, and when the sun
does peep out it doesn’t warm us
up one bit, but the otherworldly beams do add a sweet
sheen to the frost-kissed meadows. All
of the trees are bare, and the stark darkness of the
naked limbs as they sway in the wind paints as
accurate a portrait of November as any other image I
could conjure up. A dozen turkeys march
across the road like a class of young French schoolgirls,
single file and eyes front. There is no-
thing else of note going on in the wildlife kingdom, not
that I can see anyway. Perhaps every-
one is hunkered down in a cozy nook, content to watch the
clouds play with the sun; it
works for me on this cold November morn. Perhaps after we
fortify ourselves with a
hearty hot brunch we will feel more like journeying out
into the weather. Perhaps not.
Have a great day,
Daisy
Friday, November 19, 2010, 9:30 a.m.
28 degrees, windy, mostly cloudy
Finally ! A true November day ! Big silver clouds float
against the palest of blue skies, with just
a hint of a cold steely sun popping out now and then, and
most important, a stiff north wind that
smells a bit like caribou antlers. I must choose the
trekking wardrobe carefully on a day such as
this, for if the wind dies down and the sun stays out
there is a real danger of overheating if dressed
too warmly. I think layers are the answer, similar to the
garb I would don if a cross-country ski trip
were in the plan instead of a hike. As I drove home from
a meeting last night, I saw stars in well over
half of the sky, with a waxing nearly full moon high in
the sky. I thought it would be a good time to check
the sky for some meteors lingering from the Leonid event;
as I climbed Gomer Hill, however, the stars wink-
ed out and I was greeted by a flurry of snow. We had a
fine dusting, and it shows up particularly well against
the dark soil of the newly plowed potato patch. The wind
has pushed it to the roadsides where miniature drifts
have gathered, less than an inch tall, a scale model of
the six foot mounds that we will see later in the season.
Now, where did I put my ear muffs ?
Have a great day,
Daisy
Thursday, November 18, 2010, 9:30 a.m.
37 degrees, windy, mostly cloudy
A northwest wind really drives home the point that
a cold front has moved through our area,
and in fact, is still on the prowl. There was some very
pretty snow whooshing past the windows
last night, but it didn’t stick around very long. I
checked outside at around 2:00 a.m. to see if the
clouds had parted enough to view some of the Leonid
meteor shower, but I couldn’t see past the
snowfall at all so I gave up. We have a few more days of
flurries in the forecast, but no real accumu-
lation is expected. Today is a good one to hang winter
comforters on the line and let the wind freshen
them before they are put into use for the next five
months or so. We haven’t experienced any really
frigid
nights this autumn, so those extra quilts and fleecy
throws have had an easy life so far. If your pet has a
bed,
now is a good time to toss the covers for that into the
washing machine. If your dog or cat doesn’t have its
own bed, consider making one out of an old pillow or sofa
cushion covered in fleece; even if your furry
friends are used to sleeping on the floor, a comfy bed is
just the ticket on a cold winter’s night. Our
cat appreciates the blanket-covered perch we put on the
windowsill near the big woodstove;
he can bask in the warmth while gazing out the window at
the meadow, the best of
both worlds for a formerly feral critter. And now, I
think I will bring in my
skis and make sure they are ready to go; hey, you never
know...
Have a great day,
Daisy
Wednesday, November 17, 2010, 9:00 a.m.
48 degrees, breezy, cloudy
A bit of breeze and soggy grass is all that is
left of last night’s rainstorm,
complete with blustery winds and distant thunder. A few
twigs were blown to earth,
but our big trees held up pretty well against the south
wind. Nevertheless, we parked our cars
in the shelter of the barn, just in case something larger
fell to earth. There is another high wind advisory
posted for tonight, and this time there is likely to be
snow falling instead of rain. Little accumulation is ex-
pected, but it will be nice to sit inside all snug and
warm and watch the snow fly past the window. It is
quiet on Gomer Hill this morning, now that everyone has
driven off to work and the school bus has gone
by. The usual huge log trucks and fleet of town trucks
hauling gravel for road repairs haven’t shown up yet;
perhaps their jobs are complete. Traffic used to be so
rare on our road that we knew everyone who passed
by. Not only that, we shared a party line with them, and
I am talking telephone, not politics. During the past
thirty-five years, I would guess that the amount of
traffic heading up Gomer Hill has increased tenfold, es-
pecially during hunting season. Scores of seasonal camps
have been built north of our home, as well as a
couple dozen year-round dwellings for those brave enough
to stick around through mud and black fly
seasons. It seems like every time we go for a ride around
Tug Hill we spot at least one new building,
from the humblest of mobile homes to more elaborate
adirondack-style cabins, with big wrap-
around porches and a well groomed lawn. We used to joke
about a McDonald’s coming to
Gomer Hill; now that doesn’t seem quite as funny as
it used to. A fine mist has gathered and
is wafting sideways as the breeze has become a little
more stiff. It will be a nice morning for
a little walk, as long as we bundle up. This is one of
those days that looks a bit daunt-
ing when viewed from indoors, but once out in the weather
it is surprisingly refreshing.
Have a great day,
Daisy
Tuesday, November 16, 2010, 7:45 a.m.
40 degrees, breezy, partly sunny
The sun is just emerging from a long ripple of dark grey
clouds, creating a second sunrise
nearly an hour after the first. Fog is lifting from the
valley, but it seems to be rising straight up
to join the clouds rather than rolling up the sides of
Tug Hill. There is a breeze from the south,
which is expected to change later into a rough gale, one
worthy of changing where we park our
cars tonight. our big trees are used to the steady
pounding af a west wind, and even occasionally
a canadian clipper from the north. But a south wind is
fairly uncommon, and trees are more likely
to lose limbs due to lack of practice. I have an
appointment in Lowville this morning, and I am look-
ing forward to picking up a few supplies at the new Tops
market, which has replaced the P&C. Con-
sider doing your holiday shopping at a friendly
neighborhood shop, rather than a big box store. I miss
the local stores that have closed during the past few
years since the Lowville Wal-Mart opened,
and have made a conscious decision to buy what few
supplies I need from anywhere but there.
I like having that choice; it is one of our basic
freedoms that we often take for granted.
Have a great day,
Daisy
Monday, November 15, 2010, 8:00 a.m.
41 degrees, calm, overcast
A light fog mutes the view; the valley is visible
but is as if seen through a sheer curtain.
Three starlings greeted me earlier from the big maple
half-tree by the garage, whistling and
chattering as if we were old friends; perhaps we are. Two
crows called back and forth to each
other from perches on either side of the cornfield, which
has been harvested but no doubt still con-
tains some noteworthy gleanings for birds and other wild
critters. Dark-eyed juncos are milling about
under the aspen tree, busily pecking at something
invisible to my eyes. They are a couple of days early
if they are announcing snow, as we don’t expect any
until Wednesday evening. This is an unfortunate
turn of weather, as that night will also be the best time
to view this year’s Leonid Meteor shower. So,
as much as I am eager for snow to arrive, it is with
mixed feelings that I anticipate it on that particular
date. I don’t believe we will see any real
accumulation until later in the month. The old-timers say
that
the signs point to a large amount of snow and some
awesome huge storms. I hope they are right !
Have a great day,
Daisy
Sunday, November 14, 2010, 10:30 a.m.
55 degrees, windy, mostly sunny
Several different kinds of clouds are drifting
across a true blue sky,
borne on a south wind that is more chilly than balmy. We
have a bit more
yard litter to haul away, and then we plan to take a walk
at midday. It is hard to
find a place to hike on Tug Hill during hunting season,
especially on the weekends.
Of course, we avoid the forests for the most part, but
trekking on a main road has its
hazards as well, from truck and quad traffic who may not
be expecting pedestrians. During
the noon hour we find there to be fewer vehicles to dodge,
probably because the hunters are
either enjoying their lunch at camp or are holed up in a
tree stand somewhere. The hours on
either side of sunrise and sunset see a lot of folks
coming and going to their weekend camps,
and it is no fun to walk in the clouds of dust that every
motorized vehicle raises. Yesterday
we rode our bikes for a few hours in the middle of the
day, and were fortunate to miss most
of the heavy traffic. We stopped at a pond that was iced
over, with cattail fluff resting on top in
little drifts like comforters for any little critter to
snuggle into for the night. We found a tree filled with
snow apples, sweet from freezing but a little pithy and
dry. We rode through a woods path for a while,
leaves crunching under our tires; one got stuck in my
brake pad and for a while it sounded a little like
the old days of clipping a playing card to the spokes for
that moped sound effect. It was so warm
yesterday that we were soon wearing our innermost layer,
with the fleece and windproof shells
stashed in our daypacks. We never had to don our earmuffs
or gloves, which is amazing for
the middle of November. It looks like today will be fine
for anything, and maybe there will
be a chance for one more short ride before hanging the
bikes up for the winter. Right now
I am steaming up a hubbard squash and waiting for bread
to finish baking before heading
back outside. Get on out there your own self and enjoy
this last bit of summery warmth.
Have a wonderful day,
Daisy
Saturday, November 13, 2010, 7:45 a.m.
44 degrees, calm, sunny
This is the beginning of a gem of a day, for sure
! Warm sun and no wind led to a
summery remembrance on the back porch as I lingered over
my first cup of morning brew.
The dog has sniffed up every whiff of wild critter that
has visited the perimeter of the buildings
during the last century; his head must be near to
bursting with all of the scents he inhaled in fifteen
minute’s time. The flower bed next to the porch is
bare of all greenery, as I trimmed and weeded it for
the final time yesterday. I have a two year old lavender
plant that I hope will winter over. One source says
that in zone 4 it does well for about five years, then
starts to weaken. It is advised to propagate new plants
from cuttings after four years to keep the strain going.
The article also says that lavender requires full sun,
but ours does well with morning sun until about 1:00. I
guess I will just leave it alone and see what hap-
pens next spring, same as I did for its first year of
growth. I lifted the yellow dahlia bulbs; they
didn’t
seem to form many new ones this summer, but there are
enough for a good border next spring. The
larger red dahlias went crazy; like potatoes, for every
one we planted fifteen sprang up in their place.
Yesterday I also packed the carrots away for winter. They
are now stacked in large bins with dry leaves
between each layer, and will keep in the cellar for many
months in that manner. Several of the roots have
broken ends or small splits up the side; those will be
used first. I also plan to blanch and freeze a few bags
for use in soups and potroasts after the leaf-stored ones
start to go south. I thought the work of this year’s
gardening season was over, but I realize that there is
still sauerkraut to process. The cabbage that we
shredded and salted two weeks ago is beginning to smell
mighty good in its big crock. I also have
a bucket of apples awaiting the spices and slow cooking
to produce bourbon-stewed apples,
a favorite condiment at nearly every meal, but especially
good with macaroni and cheese.
So, while the harvest may be officially over, the work
does go on.
Have a great day,
Daisy
Friday, November 12, 2010, 8:30 a.m.
48 degrees, calm, sunny
Wow, it really doesn’t seem like November outside
this morning !
It was warm enough to sit on the small patch of back
porch that isn’t
yet enclosed against winter, enjoying an unobscured clear
view of the
Adirondack Mountains floodlit by the sun’s early
light. Closer to home,
a flock of turkeys forages in the east meadow, and a
gathering of crows
and ravens cruises the airways in companionable near-silence.
From my
porch perch I noticed several dandelion blossoms, lying
flat against the
dewy grass, sunny yellow and crouched low to conserve
their energy.
As we walked the meadow paths yesterday afternoon, I kept
watch for
any late blossoms, hoping to find maybe one small queen
anne’s lace or
red clover. Even the goldenrod has all turned to seed-fuzz,
so it was a nice
surprise to find the dandelions this morning. I now
declare the 2010 garden-
ing season officially over, having scoped out all of the
patches for edibles and
coming up short. The scarlet runner beans will not yield
any more quality seeds,
so they are history. There is still some cutting celery
and parsley left, but those are
things to snip as we need them; nothing is left to can or
freeze or shell or store in bins.
Now we can rest our backs and redirect our time into
household matters, the cleaning,
sorting, and cooking that has taken a backseat to growing
our food for the past six months.
It is time for slow-cooked soups and stews and old
fashioned baked beans, sweet with mo-
lasses and rich with bacon and onions. The freezers are
filled with chickens, fruits, and vege-
tables, but only one loaf of bread remains, so it is time
think about baking a few loaves for
fresh and for future. Maybe some cinnamon bread too, now
that would be a treat !
Have a great day,
Daisy
Thursday, November 11, 2010, 8:00 a.m.
35 degrees, calm, sunny
A swarm of insects is stalled out next to my
window, rising and falling in the slanted early sunbeams,
not moving one inch sideways in either direction. They
appear to be little moths, their sheer wings flut-
tering in a gauzy blur to keep them aloft. They go up,
they go down, repeating the action many times;
they may be connecting with each other in mid-air in some
kind of mating dance. There seem to be
as many as a hundred of them, just milling around. It is
mesmerizing to watch them, to try and follow
one particular form to see exactly what it is up to, only
to lose it in the crowd after a few seconds. Per-
haps they are fairies; why not? Yesterday we had a fine
afternoon in the woodlot, clearing away junk trees
that have uprooted or broken off during some of the
windstorms we had over the past few months. One maple
tree was broken near the base and became hung up in the
surrounding trees, forming a potential widowmaker
right over the best downhill run on our cross-country ski
trail. We cut it below the break, and of course it got
entrapped in its neighbors even worse, seemingly never to
hit the ground. So we cut it little by little, until at
least the offending trunk no longer hangs over the trail.
If it does come down in a heavy snow, at least no
one will likely be passing directly underneath. It is
important to look all around when in the woods, includ-
ing upwards, to see if the path is safe. Just as one
would walk around a patch of poison ivy or stinging net-
tles, so should we avoid tree limbs that have become
separated from the host and are balanced above, just
waiting for a good gust of wind or heavy snow load to
finally succumb to sudden gravity syndrome. Mean-
while, those little critters outside the window have
shifted their game about a foot to the left, but still
con-
tinue to rise and fall, like a herd of airborne jellyfish.
I think I will go get a closer look.
Have a great day,
Daisy
Wednesday, November 10, 2010, 8:30 a.m.
35 degrees, breezy, mostly sunny
A deep blue sky is framed by shiny silver clouds to the
east and a more muted display of fluff
to the west, and all of the meadow grass is shiny from
melting frost. The dog and cat both had a
good time tracking something around the house just after
sunrise, and under the barn, so I suspect
the dappled cat made another visit during the night.
today is absolutely gorgeous, and after we clean
up a few indoor messes we plan to work on the trails
through the woodlot across the road. Several big
trees have blown down over the past few months, some
landing right across the best parts of our cross-
country ski route. Most are softwood, so are useless as
firewood. We will just cut a path through the
trunks and drag the discards aside, where they will
probably serve as snug hideouts for small mam-
mals during winter storms. The paths through the woods
provide an interesting way to keep in touch
with the forest critters after the snow piles deep. It is
great to have our own nature trail, which usual-
ly doesn’t provide as much of a cardio workout as a
good kick-and-glide through the meadows,
but refreshes our spirit, similar to a slow ramble
through a summer garden. It won’t be long
before the bikes go away and the skis come out; the
geography may be exactly the same,
but a change in weather shifts our humble pathways into a
whole new world.
Have a great day,
Daisy
Tuesday, November 9, 2010, 7:30 a.m.
29 degrees, windy, fog
There is ice on the cars, but not on the roads. It was
there when I pulled into the yard
at suppertime last night, frozen rain coating the
vehicles like armor. It didn’t freeze in Boonville;
I think elevation played a part in the process, as usual.
The morning fog is very dense, and gusts
of north wind drive the cold dampness right through my
winter parka. I was glad I wore shoes
to take the dog into the yard, instead of the usual
sandals. Changing into more sensible foot-
wear marks the transition from autumn into winter more
than any other event for me. It is
the last bit of gear to go into the closet, although I
still wear flipflops indoors all year round
to keep my feet off of the cold floors. When the source
of domestic heat is not in the cellar
(like an oil furnace would be) you give up warm floors
for the comfort of being able to snuggle
up to a wood stove as it radiates heat to every nook and
cranny except down to the floors. Heat
rises. So the upstairs bedrooms are toasty, and the
cellar stays cold, which is perfect for storing
potatoes, carrots, garlic, squash, and onions. And if the
bedroom gets a little too warm, an
open window will fix that in a hurry. The temperature is
going to head back up for the next
couple of days, so I haven’t put the sandals away
for good yet. November is a month
where just about anything is possible, and I love that
about the North Country !
Have a great day,
Daisy
Monday, November 8, 2010, 8:00 a.m.
28 degrees, windy, overcast, fog
Even after standing in the middle of it I can’t tell
if it is very fine snow or really dense frozen fog that
is
swirling around outside this morning. Whichever, it is
being driven by a stiff north wind, so it is hard to
get it to stand still long enough for further examination.
Needless to say, I have scratched laundry off of
my list of chores, putting it off until the weather is a
bit more moderate. Yesterday was an awesome day,
sunny and cold, with just enough bite to the breeze to
insure that all of the layers I originally put on stayed
on. We walked up the Gomer Hill Road, and there must have
been thirty trucks that passed us during the
hour that we were on the road, probably weekend hunters
headed home from their camps. We cut our
walk a bit short because of the traffic, and then took a
turn around the meadow paths when we return-
ed home to give the dog (and me) a more stress-free
outing. There has been no fresh bear scat left on
the trails during the past week, but coyote sign abounds,
as does the loose mess left by wild turkeys.
A pile of feathers indicated where the two species likely
had a run-in, although I could find no other
sign of an early thanksgiving dinner. The only birds
hanging around this morning are bluejays, and
they have kept to the shelter of the big spruce tree out
back. I would imagine most wild critters
are tucked in against the bitter wind that rules the
scene on this frosty November morn.
Have a great day,
Daisy
Sunday, November 7, 2010, 11:00 a.m.
37 degrees, breezy, mostly sunny
I have just returned from a CPR training session;
everyone should know how to do this basic
life support skill, and classes are easy to find. Much
has changed since I had my first training in
1973, and it is important to keep current. I am happy to
get home early enough in the day to have
time for a good long hike after lunch. The past two days
were taken up with trips to Rome for one
thing and another, and we have admired some beautiful
fall leaves down that way, mostly oaks and
beech. The trees in our neighborhood are all bare; even
the forsythia hedge has given up its colorful
garb since the past several nights have been in the
twenties. Frost lay so heavy on the land this morn-
ing that it looked like a sparkling dusting of snow. The
crispy grass left imprints of our shoes as we
circled the gardens before breakfast, and I could see the
round tracks of a small pack of coyotes
that traveled the meadow paths just before dawn. They
were loud enough that I heard them
through the closed bedroom windows, and when I saw how
close they came to the house I
wondered what drew them so near. The dog put his little
black nose right into the tracks and
inhaled deeply; he would have happily followed the trail,
but I had to head on down to town.
I need to remember to take into account that the sun will
go down an hour earlier today,
as we have returned to Eastern Standard Time. The seasons
turn, and it is all good.
Have a great day,
Daisy
Saturday, November 6, 2010, 7:30 a.m.
30 degrees, breezy, cloudy
It is not quite time for the sun to rise, but the sky is
definitely brightening up in the east.
Big clouds are on the move, and it looks as if we may see
a few patches of blue sky before
the day is over. A dusting of snow covers the road,
starting right at our property line; it is as if
someone painted the road white right at the hedgerow
boundary. There are cat tracks in the snow
circling the house, and in fact I saw the visitor last
night. Our own cat let out an unearthly howl early
in the evening, and when I went to the kitchen to find
out why, he was staring out the back door at a
big cat who was staring back at him. It was white, black,
and grey, with a striped tail like a raccoon’s,
and a white face with a dark splotch across the middle
like someone had flung a mudpie at it. I haven’t
seen this cat in the neighborhood before. We will keep
our eyes open to see if he is interested in
adopting us, even if only as a barn cat. There’s
always room for one more...
Have a purrfect day,
Daisy
Friday, November 5, 2010, 8:30 a.m.
35 degrees, breezy, fog
This kind of cold damp morning is too raw even for the
dog. I have never seen him
complete his toilette so quickly; I believe he
would have stayed in the woodshed and
lifted his leg on the firewood if I hadn’t shooed
him out. I usually enjoy fog, but the gusts
of wind and near freezing temperature have served to
detract from its basic charm. I don’t
have to travel anywhere today, so it will be interesting
to stay perched here atop Gomer hill
and see how the day shapes up. At some point I will dress
in warm layers and take a walk, in
spite of the gloom, perhaps even because of it. It is
only through indulging in less than perfect
outings that we can fully appreciate the ones that take
place on sunny blue-sky days. When
we sit indoors and look out at the fog, it is easy to
forget that one of its finer qualities is that
it intensifies any aroma in the air, diffusing the sweet
smoky smell of November in its infinite
droplets. Sounds seem to carry better as well, and every
deep woods rustle bears a hint of
mystery with it, a thrill of the unknown. If the dog
balks in the yard at walking in the mist,
then I will leave him home; he has earned the right after
faithfully accompanying me
in all kinds of weather over the years. Me, I know I
would regret staying cooped
up for the entire day without at least one small
adventure in the great outdoors.
Have a wonderful day,
Daisy
Thursday, November 4, 2010, 8:30 a.m.
38 degrees, breezy, overcast, drizzle
A fine mist of rain is falling gently, and the sky is
dull with moisture.
A flock of juncos is frolicking in the duff left after
mowing the lilies, perhaps
feasting on seeds left behind. Bluebirds were still in
the neighborhood as late as
yesterday afternoon, but I haven’t seen any this
morning. I walked up the Gomer
hill road yesterday morning with a friend and our dogs,
and the view was crystal clear
all the way to the Adirondack Mountains. The sky was
bright blue and although there was
a breeze and it was cold enough for hats and mittens, we
kept up a good pace and were warm
enough in our fleece layers. The dogs had a good outing;
both are old enough to get tuckered out
after only a few miles. While I am of a similar age, I
couldn’t let the day go, so after lunch I phoned
another friend and she came up with her bike. We set off
up the Smith Road, our helmets bedecked
with floating orange safety tape, and had a good ride
over the truck trails, which , although a bit mud-
dy from recent snow, were solid enough. Where the shade
had lain in all day there was still plenty of
ice, but it was easy to ride around those treacherous
patches. As the sun lowered in the sky, the wet
stretches became too shiny to look at directly; it was a
bit like riding on aluminum foil. Two ravens
took advantage of our temporary blindness to swoop low
over us, mumbling in their eerie croak,
a greeting that always brings me great joy. We sped home
with the sun nearly down, but just
enough left peeked through the balsams to make long
distorted shadows on the road in front
of us. We rode with our knees splayed, casting frog-like
shadows which is actually much
funnier than it sounds, in a classic case of you had
to be there. I haven’t put my bike
away for the winter yet, as next week promises to hold
several warm sunny days.
A few days of rain and snow will keep things interesting
over the weekend,
but that is certainly to be expected for November.
Have a great day,
Daisy
Wednesday, November 3, 2010, 9:00 a.m.
30 degrees, windy, sunny
Frost was so thick on the ground earlier that it
looked as if snow had fallen overnight.
It still lingers in the shady spots. Stars shone very
bright in a moonless sky last night,
so close to the ground that they could have been mistaken
for prom decorations with
a Starry Night theme. It was so cold that not a
creature was stirring except for me and
the dog, and he was darned reluctant to go out after dark.
He kept staring across the road;
we may not have been the only creatures stirring, after
all. He finally finished up his business,
and we were both happy to return to the warmth of our
cozy little house. I didn’t even open the
bedroom window at bedtime, which is rare, but the outdoor
chill seemed too invasive, and I didn’t
feel like moving any plants off the windowsill. All of
our geraniums are having a second childhood, and
the plants are a mass of red and pink blooms, one last
ditch effort before their winter rest. I will continue
to water them when they are dry, but no more feeding
until the spring equinox. They will spend most of the
winter building new greenery to support the mass of
flowers that will appear next summer. Last week I put
our christmas cactus in a dark corner, and will bring it
out on Thanksgiving day, put it on the dining room
table near a sunny window, and give it a dose of wonder-bloom;
then it should be full of beautiful rose
colored flowers in time for the Yule season. I have had
this particular plant for seventeen years; it was
rescued from the trash by a friend who thought I could
bring it back to life. Now it is huge, even after
many prunings which have been passed along to other
friends. It no longer resembles that scrawny
half-dead dried-out little orphan. It is amazing what
care and attention can do to encourage
the tiniest spark of life into a halo of flame-bright
flowers. Hrmm, is there a lesson here ?
Have a wonderful day,
Daisy
Tuesday, November 2, 2010, 8:30 a.m.
28 degrees, calm, sunny
A brilliant sea of fog fills the Black River
Valley from shore to shore, creating a second shimmering
river atop the river. The wet snow that has lingered on
the ground was loud and crispy this morning,
and the little dog and I sounded like a much bigger
expedition as we crunched our way around the
garden paths earlier this morning. Two bluebirds greeted
us from one of our big maple trees, linger-
ing far past prudence if they want to get out of town in
a timely manner. The sun is very bright, and
after I get the laundry hung out I am looking forward to
walking as far up the Gomer hill Road as
the dog is willing to go. First, I will prepare some soup
from the leftover roast chicken we have
enjoyed for the last couple of dinners. Is there anything
better than returning form a long walk
on a cold November day to a house filled with the
fragrance of homemade chicken soup?
Well, of course there is! But isn’t it wonderful to
have such a vast array of sensory plea-
sures that each and every one seems like a brand new wow!
every time we experience it?
Have a great day,
Daisy
Monday, November 1, 2010, 8:00 a.m.
29 degrees, calm, overcast
The sun rose twenty minutes ago, but not so you’d
notice. There was no fanfare of color,
no pre-dawn glow, and for sure no shining orb slowly
lifting over the mountains. Welcome to
November, the monochromatic month of silver and grey,
peaceful and filled with waiting for winter.
We had about an inch of snow yesterday, and it rests
prettily on the meadows and hedges, but has
melted from the roads, not yet a threat to travelers. We
will have to put our snow tires on soon,
always waiting until the last minute as the switch
affects our gas mileage in a negative way. The
town road crew came by last week and marked all of the
culverts and ditches for the plow truck
drivers, so they know where the road ends and the drop-off
begins. We had such an odd growing
season, with many atypical wet and dry spells all rolled
into one package. I wonder what the next
six months will hold. Yesterday a dozen bluebirds stopped
by to hang around their old nesting
boxes and mark the spot for next year’s brood. It
was neat to see them flying around in the
middle of a pretty good snowfall, their bright blue wings
and deep russet breasts very colorful
against the white flakes. The view is void of birds this
morning, not even the crows and starlings
which have been decorating our bare trees for the past
few weeks. Maybe they are sleeping in.
Wow, as soon as I observed the lack of birds, a whole
troupe of juncos has shown up, frolick-
ing in the forsythia hedge and scanning the ground
beneath the poplar tree looking for seeds.
They are so merry on this dull morn, my spirits have been
instantly lifted !
Have a great day,
Daisy
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