new fence

It has been at least ten years since I've had deer inside the garden fence.

These two have cost me several days of repair (hard labor) and about fifty dollars worth of new fencing materials.

The little yearling is the culprit. He made his way in through a small hole, and his mother must have followed. I don't know how long they were in there...long enough to eat all of my day lily collection, and the strawberries. It was early evening. Just twilight... I went out to close up the greenhouse, and there they were in the garden, munching on my hellebore and crabapple tree. I yelled at them, "hey!! What are you doing in my garden??!! Git outa there!!"

The yearling freaked out and ran around, throwing himself at the fence and bouncing off and thrashing around on the ground, while the mamma just stood there watching. Finally, she walked over to him and they both stood still for a moment. Then, suddenly- she ran for all she was worth, got up as much speed as she could- and jumped/dove right through the 8 foot fence! The little one did the same thing right behind her. The fence had 2 big holes ripped through it. GRRRRRRR!

This morning when I took these pictures, they looked so innocent...I think I'm going to start using my air horn to keep them away from the house and garden areas. We work too hard in the garden to have them in there helping themselves! Thank goodness I hadn't planted the lettuce out yet!

walk with me wed like humans do

The warm weather has brought the frogs out. They are still dark in their coloring. This one has lived here for several years. I pass by him (or her, maybe he's a she) anyway, I pass it twice a day. Once in the morning, when I walk on my way to the henhouse to let the gals out...and once in the early evening, on my walk back at the end of the day to lock the gals up. We exchange pleasantries. Today ~we agreed~ was a nice day...a bit windy perhaps, but enjoyable.

"i'm breathin in
i'm breathin out
Like Humans Do."
David Byrne

We talk about the birds...they are looking for nesting sites, you know. I tell the frog about one that I found yesterday...in the trumpet vine.

He tells me that the chickadee wants me to clean out the nest box over on the garden fence...the one that the wren used last year. I made a note of it.

A few of the hens wander over to see what we are talking about,

or rather, to see if there is anything good to eat...the frog leaves with a kerplunk into the pool.

The hens are thinking of nests too. I've got a broody hen in the coop. There is a slim chance that the eggs are fertile, but I'll let her sit for now. I shared an exchange with the hen too (she was not as nice as the frog) and by the time it was over, she had a few ruffled feathers. I got the hint...she is quite determined.

I ask you, is this not the face of a "Moody Broody"?

attention to tension

Tension is a word that a fiber artist uses a lot. Knitting requires an even tension. A Spinning Wheel has a tensioning device to tighten or loosen -depending on the type of fiber and twist needed. Sewing machines have a dial to set the tension of the thread for the fabric that will be sewn together...and I am now discovering weaving requires the right combination of tension distributed across the heddles and the warp and woof.

I warped the Inkle loom with the help of a nice little tutorial by Ruth that I found on YouTube (with some great piano music btw). I am working on my edges and will try doing a few pick up patterns when I can master the correct amount of tension I need to make a decent edge. Grace taught me how to do the pick up patterns on the Double Hole Tape loom that Fred made. You should go and take a look at these beautiful patterns that she has woven on her tapes. I am almost finished with my first one, but I have a long way to go before I can find my "tension zone". When I look at the entire length of tape that I have woven, I can see areas that have too much tension (skinny)...and those with not enough (wide).

There is another kind of tension in my life these days, it is of a stressful nature...(you know the type, we all do)...and I am trying my best to manage it...It is not as easy as managing the tension in my knitting, spinning or weaving.... Too much tension in our lives is definitely not a good thing. The key is learning how to relax. I relax by doing fiber arts. Sometimes my tension from real life, spills over into what I'm working on, and the article I'm working on contains the tension. It makes it visible to the eyes...I can see it in the bands that I have been weaving. I strive to maintain an even tension, it takes practice.

walk with me wednesday...Crepuscular or?

Today was a busy day...full of worldly things...a "take care of business" day ...a day that didn't allow time to walk, or pause and notice the spring slowly enveloping the wood.

Days like this are hard for me. I need walking in my life..or sitting by the river... or just some time for noticing. The woods are important to me. I need to see and listen to the woods.

My walk today was no more than a trip to take the garbage out.....oh and then I carted the chicken feed from the car trunk to the storage bins near the coop.

I didn't think you would want to see pictures of THAT...so I did notice the snowdrops.

They always hang their heads...I stop and try to cheer them up. One always has to get down on the ground to see the snow drops properly...

In another week or two they will be gone already. I'm glad I stopped and spent some time with them. They are always the first flower to open around here. They are brave and stoic, blooming in the snow and cold of early spring.

They caught the last fews rays of sun as it was heading over the mountain.

So did I.

april fool

It has been a tradition in my family, to play an April foolery on unsuspecting members, that in some fashion, involves a frog.

There have been (false) frog news stories, plastic frogs (strategically placed), freak frogs, funny frogs, frogs in beer, frogs in boots (and strangely enough), frogs with beards.

As the years pass, it becomes more challenging. The mere mention of the word "frog" this early in the spring is a heads up....or two! April Fool!