2003 bear harvest

The 2003 Bear Harvest appears to have been a great success. I did not hear of anyone taking a bear around our mountain. The closest was a few miles away, where a 14 yr. old took one that was about 150lbs. When he was asked if his heart was pounding when he took it, he answered, "it did not have time to pound, the bear came up behind me and I shot it!" I say, "Well done, young man!" The scuttlebutt at the local weigh station was the biggest weighed in at 450lbs (still waiting for the stats to see if this is rumor or not)
Opening day for the deer season is Monday... and there is a nice 4 pointer that has been roaming around. He has such a nice rack, I would think at first glance he is a 6 pointer. We don't normally see buck around here. Mostly I see doe and their fawn. Naturally, we are all worried for Sweet Pea. If anyone shot her she would be missed.
I have been busy making the felted bags (that I should have started long ago) I have also been asked to attend a Craft Fair and feel ashamed of myself because I do not have a larger inventory to offer. Oh well, there are only so many hours in the day and I have not figured out how to do without sleep yet.
There is snow in the forecast (with the A word in it :o!). I am torn between pulling all the carrots and the beets and storing them in the basement, or leaving them out there with a heavy layer of straw. I have started to harvest the purple carrots (as pretty as they are tasty). I always get a kick out of the fact that purple carrots have been around since about 900AD.
The kale is still hanging in there, but I am starting to lose the battle where the parsley and sage and other herbs are concerned, so I have been clipping as much as I can to dry or freeze. The rest of the garden is in good shape with the winter rye and the garlic coming up nicely. I cannot remember a year when I have had every bed ready for winter this early. It is a good feeling. So, SNOW??? BRING IT ON.....or not....

when eagles dare

Today I heard my rooster putting out the alarm call. It was not at the best time, as I had just stepped out of the shower. I quickly dressed and put a cap on my head so I could go outside to see what was the trouble. He had all the girls held up inside of the big forsythia bush. I tried to tempt them out with some sunflower seeds, but they weren't having any of it. Now I know something is wrong! Just then I heard something that sounded like a fox, wait a minute, maybe it is a raccoon. I go walking down the hillside in search of the sound...looking under bushes and behind trees...nothing. Oh well....I start up the road on my way back to the house when suddenly about 8 foot over my head swoops an eagle! I was so startled that I almost hit the dirt! (Now I know how the chickens feel!) His wingspan was larger than my windshield! What a beauty!

This afternoon I had the opportunity to visit with two fellow spinners. What a delight! I think I am going to join the local guild of spinners and weavers. One of the women I met knows how to spin flax. She offered to teach me if I would teach her how to needle felt! Sounds like a deal to me!

to blog or not to blog

Anyone here listen to Scott Simon on NPR ? He is one of those people who think that blogs are inane. In some ways they are. I guess it depends on the blog, or blogger for that matter.
Today was still cold and blustery. The black stars are becoming good layers and are picking up the pace....however...there is one drawback. They have discovered the bird feeder on the deck and fly up there and eat all the seed and then poop on the deck. This has to stop.
I spun a good amount of Finn wool today and will ply it tomorrow to exhaust the butternut dyebath. I really really like the color. It is a purplish (extremely faint purple almost rose) brown. I read that the confederate army used butternuts to dye the wool for the uniforms. That is why they called the soldiers "butternuts." I would love to see what they looked like in their time. I think the color has changed over time and now looks grey.
I had moved the triloom into the basement until after Christmas. Trouble with that was I got too cranky, so I brought it back upstairs and started a November loom. I am using a nice cardinal red colour against a grey tweed. Reminds me of the cardinals against the grey november landscape. It be winter folks!
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crossing things off

FINALLY finished the October Triloom Weaving. Now I just have to full the shawl. This is only the 3rd shawl I have completed, and the 1st one on the new loom. I do like the larger loom much better. The size of the finished shawl is generous and cozy, however, it uses much more yarn and takes longer to weave. I did not fringe it while it was on the loom (I was much to anxious to take it off)...I have not decided if I will fringe it, perhaps I will just add a crochet edge.....humm...I guess I am not really FINISHED after all!
On the other hand, the pontiac safari now has a "new to you" radiator. Mark removed the old one, and put in the new old one. Works like a charm! Figured with the temps going into the teens lately that it was time. Thanks to Curt for looking out for us!

fall is leaving

This past week, the big old oak tree out back dropped all of it leaves inside of 2 days! It was snowing leaves. They covered everything. They are so big and heavy that the leaf blower hardly works, and one must resort to raking them. I have been raking all week and now I am starting to see the ground again. Schwew! I have been wondering why the tree decided to drop all of its leaves at once. It reminded me of one of my chickens (Freckles). Freckles is a silver spangled hamberg. About 2 weeks ago she started laying these mini eggs....the smallest one sits in a thimble....like a jellybean...anywey...I researched why she would be laying these mini eggs and I found out that sometimes this happens when a chicken is preparing to molt. Sure enough, she went into a molt, but it was not gradual like most of my other hens...she was like the mighty oak, and she dropped all her feathers at once! The feathers were everywhere inside the coop, and she looked pitiful. Now she just looks like a porcupine, as her feathers are just beginning to come in. Yes, I am reminded that it is fall...and with the forecasted temp for tomorrow, I would say that fall is leaving (would you believe they are telling us it will go into the teens?!) One more reminder! Oh, and speaking of reminders...tonight is the full lunar eclispe...so find a good seat, light the barbecue one last time and enjoy the show!