Above are the shadows of my house and my favorite tree this morning. Yesterday was an interesting mix of weather. We had snow, sleet, freezing rain and mostly just plain rain. All day long. Rick made a batch of Caraway Swiss (cheese) and I made broth for turkey soup by boiling down the turkey carcass. Not much else to do. Bella was a bit stir crazy not being able to go out in her yard and play, but otherwise we all managed to stay snug and cozy with a fire going all day in the wood stove to keep off the damp chill emanating from the windows.
We had a good Thanksgiving. How about you? We had more than enough food (we’ll be eating turkey for the next week) and it was good to see friend Carolyn again.
We relaxed and took it easy.
And, best of all, Carolyn got to see bears! Can you believe they made a grand appearance just for her? Friday we were watching movies in the living room just before dark, TV turned up for surround sound and had a fire burning pretty merrily in the fireplace. I happened to see something black out of the corner of my eye through the sliding glass door and thought that Rick must have let Alex outside on the deck. Wait a minute, that’s not Alex, it’s a BEAR. On the deck. Not four feet away from where we were sitting! I kept a calm voice so the dogs wouldn’t be alerted and start barking and said to Carolyn “Quick, look, there’s a bear on the deck.” Rick was in the other room and came to see. Myrtle was up on the deck too but not quite where the cub was. He was standing up on his hind legs trying to reach the bird feeder. They heard us talking and started leisurely back down the stairs to the yard. We stood on the deck outside and watched Myrtle and the cub for a few minutes until they left the yard. Myrtle and the one cub got to the edge of the grass and the cub climbed up the big oak, showing off, as Myrtle decided whether to give up the bird feeder idea or not. We could see other black-ish moving things in the woods—the other cubs. It was hard to see them in the dusky gloom, but they were there.
They came back again on Saturday night around the same time (4:30 or so). I was sitting in the sun room reading when Rick walked in. He glanced out the sliding glass door and said, “Every time I see that old tree stump in the woods I think it’s a bear.” Two seconds later he said, “Wait a minute—that is a bear!” Sure enough, Myrtle and the cubs were roaming around just outside our fence, foraging for food. They were pretty far apart and we could only account for four of the five cubs. They are not staying as close to momma as they used to. They are really getting big.
So we are going to have to keep a closer eye on the yard now. I assume they are getting ready to hibernate (or as much as they ever do here; more like a mini-hibernation.) and trying to fatten up for Winter. It’s nice with all the leaves on the trees gone that we can now see them.
While the weather was nice on Friday, Rick got some slow motion footage of Bella running. I love the second vid of her and what her ears are doing! Check them out below. She continues to grow and amaze us with her intelligence. She’s a very good puppy.
I finally wrested the blog away from Bella for a few minutes. whew. Now I know how mothers with young babies feel. Since that is what they do every single minute of their day all they can think about is baby baby baby. Or in my case, puppy puppy puppy! As I type frosted flakes drift lazily past the window. We have the ever-so-slightest skiff of snow this morning. It’s cold and I’ve got a good fire going out in the wood burning stove in the sun room. Alas, I am stuck in front of the computer in a different part of the house and can’t take advantage of its cozy warmth. No matter, it’s doing it’s job.
The little snow was enough to stick to things.
Such as dog butts.
We really *must* get the leaves taken care of this weekend before we get any real snow. The weather is supposed to be cold but clear. Fingers crossed.
I had a visit from the bears yesterday. Unfortunately (or fortunately, however you want to look at it) I was not home. When I got home I let Alex out and he went racing across the yard barking. hmmm, always a sign of something. Once down in the yard it was obvious. The pole that the bird feeder hangs on was toppled over, pulled completely out of the ground. The bird feeder was in the woods. Here you can see the pole on the ground and Bella inspecting the feeder. what’s it doing out here mommy?
She sniffed the area all around where the bear had obviously been and didn’t like what she smelled one little bit. Her tail was down the whole time as her nose worked overtime to take in the scent. The dogs pretty much showed me the path the bear (or bears) had taken. They stood at the foot of the big oak tree and looked up as if to tell me that the cubs had probably had a good time climbing, and then walked along the fence until they showed me where the bears had probably come over, the chain link sagging.
I am assuming it was Myrtle and the Fab Five since my neighbors saw them just a few days ago. My neighbor was on his little forklift driving down their back driveway (sort of to the side and back of our house) when he met all six bears walking toward him on the road. Imagine six bears headed straight for you! How many people ever see six bears at once? He wiggled the forklift tines at them and they headed off in another direction. The cubs are getting big! I’m hoping they visit next week some time when my friend Carolyn is down for Thanksgiving. But you know wildlife will appear where and when it wants to so there are no guarantees.
I even managed to exercise for a half hour this morning with the Wii Fit. I put on the jogging program and was jogging along (in place) when my Mother waved at me from the sidelines as I went by. It just about stopped me in my tracks. It wasn’t really her, just her Mii (the digital avatar that you make for each person that uses the Wii). I remember when my sister and I made her Mii. It was Christmas, the year before she died. We were just about rolling on the floor with laughter as we chose her eyes, nose, hairstyle, glasses. She thought it was a hoot. Now here she is. I had forgotten that the Wii will add in any Miis that have been created into various programs. Rick went jogging by in the other direction, or rather his Mii did. Very odd. I’m glad she’s in the system.
hey mom, i’ve got dandruff ...
Well, that’s about it for now. Just wanted to let you know I’m still here.
Let me preface this by saying that we live at the end of a dead-end (or cul-de-sac, if you prefer) street. We know the cars that go up and down on a regular basis. Our personal vehicles, the UPS driver (who likes to park down the street from my house and take his lunch hour pulled off by the woods), and a few people who can’t read the “No Outlet” sign that is posted at the beginning of our little rural street. Those people who can’t read usually end up driving to the end and making the circle only to head back down. People or things that don’t belong get noticed.
A few weeks ago I noticed a strange vehicle parked out in front of my house. I watched it for awhile and not much was happening. A man who was wearing a vest like a highway worker (florescent so as not to get run over) got out once in a while and stood by the side of the car. I got out the binoculars for a closer look and he seemed to be looking through paperwork. Curious. Soon another vehicle of the same type (SUV, burgundy, unmarked) joined him. As I watched, the second man took a huge piece of stiff cardboard and various other things out of the back of his SUV. They kept looking through a stack of papers they were holding, and pointing and gesturing and looking at my house. Then finally decided to put the big cardboard thing down. Out came the paint roller and out the door I went, no longer able to contain my curiosity as to what exactly they were doing.
When I got to the end of my driveway I could see they were painting a huge white arrow on the road. Okay, I said. I can’t stand the suspense any longer. Just what are you doing here? Why are you painting a huge white arrow on the road that just happens to be pointing at my house?
All kinds of reasons were going through my head. The arrow meant: burglarize this house; aliens land here; the woman who lives here likes bears, etc. You get my drift.
They replied that they were from a gas company and were marking lines for aerial photos. Hmm. Sounded a bit fishy to me especially when I know there are no existing gas lines in our street, a much bemoaned fact for all of us who would like to have gas appliances.
But there are no gas lines in our street I told them.
Well, we’re mapping out gas lines that exist around here they said. And by the way, they said, this is our 95th arrow that we’ve painted and we’ve only had five people ask what we are doing.
How disturbing it that? People in unmarked vehicles get out and start messing around in front of your house, painting arrows on the street that point to your house and no one says anything?
After talking with them for a few more minutes and telling them to tell whoever they worked for to put gas lines in our street, I deemed them honest and went back inside, still feeling a bit like I had a target on my back.
I knew I would hear from Neighbor Kim. I just knew I would. Not much gets past her and how could you not notice this huge white thing in the road? Sure enough, she called to find out what I knew about the suspicious arrow. I told her what I knew but I could tell she was not buying any of it. And I don’t blame her. After 9-11, people here in New York / New Jersey are very suspicious of things like this. Can you blame them?
Here is her portion of the story in her own words. Go Kim!
“After getting a few details from Lynne, I was driven to solve the mystery of the Big White Arrow pointing to her house.
The fact that they told her that they were “marking gas lines so that there would be a clear aerial view” was a curious statement from the suspicious men, since we do not have any gas lines on our street! It’s not an offered utility to us.
I began with a call to the local gas company, PSE&G. No, the 2 men skulking around in civilian clothes and unmarked vehicles were not theirs. They suggested to me to try our local municipalities, although, if the project had to do with Gas, it should be theirs. My dilemma was that it was already past their closing time and I would have to wait until the next morning to call. There was no way I could wait! I called the police department, and the dispatcher wrote the details as I told her. She said that she would research this and get back to me ASAP. Ten minutes later she called back to inform me that they mystery men were not marking Lynne’s house for the next robbery, nor marking hers as the perfect yard for the space ship landing. They were from the Tennessee Pipe Line, who’s pipeline ran through the east coast, and yes, through Hewitt, NJ, and they would be working in our area for the next few weeks.
Boring! I was already planning what I would take on the space ship when it landed.”
About three days later, just before dark one of the unmarked burgundy SUVs showed up and set up some equipment. He sat in front of our house and waited. It felt a lot like a stakeout. When I looked ten or fifteen minutes later both he and his equipment had disappeared. I hadn’t been watching. Maybe they beamed him up? My house was still here though, and that was a good thing. I had expected to hear low flying aircraft at least, but didn’t.
Kim reported in that she had talked to him on her way home and that he had assured her this was the last that we would see of them. She also told him to put in her reservation on the alien ship. (At least that’s what she told me.)
So what happens the very next day? Back they come, only a different person this time than the day before and at an earlier time. This time instead of lurking in front of my house, he set up the equipment and left. I snuck out and took pics.
Within a half hour all the equipment was gone once again and they haven’t been back. No aliens did a happy dance in my yard either. Now we are left with this eyesore of an arrow still pointing at my house accusingly. What to do? Ignore it? Paint over it? Write “Welcome Brother Aliens” on it? Suggestions?
Becky awarded me this lovely award the other day and I am just now getting around to posting about it.
Thank you Becky! I will get it posted in my side bar soon. I don’t know how to make it appear there myself! The rules say I am supposed to pass it along to five other bloggers. Most of the blogs I read don’t display awards so I am not going to participate in the same way. Instead I will just tell you my five top favorite blogs. In no particular order they are:
1. I would return the favor to Becky but she already has one.
2. Reya
3. Letty
4. Susan
5. Paula
I have many others I enjoy as well, but these are the ones I will always read first. If your name is there and you’d like the award, please help yourself!
Our cheese making class on Sunday was just wonderful! We really enjoyed it. But more on that later. What’s that? Did I take photos? Of course I took photos! What a silly question!
I’ve been knitting almost every day now after taking the summer off. I have three projects going at the moment. I just finished one of Rick’s fingerless mitts (except for the thumb and finishing),
I am working on this drop stitch ribbon scarf (a gift perhaps?)
and trying to add a few rows to my Three Button Sassy Shawl each day. I got this pattern in my email yesterday and it’s calling to me. One can never have too many fingerless gloves/mittens. The pattern looks fun and interesting.
I have many more things to blog about this week so I’ll probably be posting every day. Check back for updates! Plus, there is something very special in the works for this weekend. Something exciting is arriving all the way from Bozeman, Montana.
Please get out there and VOTE today!! I’ll be there standing in line this afternoon waiting to cast mine and then I am going to hide under the covers until they count all the votes and we finally know who our next President will be. Depending on the outcome I may be moving to Canada!
Guess who forgot about setting the clocks back last night, both external and internal? That’s why I got out of bed at what I thought I was 7:00 this morning and jumped in the shower so I would be ready to leave the house at 8:30. As I was standing there with hot water pouring down over my neck and shoulders, Rick came in and told me that it was really only 6:00. Well, I was already wet so going back to bed was not an option at that point. So, here I am in front of the computer instead. Aren’t you lucky? This is one of those random-not-planned posts.
We have plans for today. We enrolled in a cheese making class at a creamery about an hour’s drive from here. We get a tour of the farm and then make our own round of cheese which they will store and age for us. I think we get to pick it up sometime after Christmas. Should be a fun day.
Yesterday we took care of all the leaves carpeting our front yard. I think they make a lovely carpet but if left they will kill the grass. In the two years that we’ve lived here we had someone professional come and blow the yards of leaves. It’s a lot of leaves! It’s also very expensive as you might imagine. This year we took Johnny Jr. (who has a mulching attachment) and drove very slowly over the leaves mulching them into tiny pieces that just disappeared into the grass. Good for the grass; good for the pocketbook. It worked like a charm. We’re very pleased at how well this worked. Here you can see before and after.
We also replaced our little wood stove in the sun room. It was old and tired and needed new stove black. You couldn’t dampen it down to burn efficiently and it ate wood like it was candy. Our new stove will burn very efficiently and heat the sun room and kitchen area very nicely. Here they are side by side for comparison. The difference is like night and day. (Pun intended as I took the photos at different times of the day obviously.)
The man who installed it is also the chimney sweep that didn’t show up last week in our deluge of rain, so that was handy. He took a look at both chimneys and gave us a reasonable quote for sweeping them soon. They need it if the amount of chunky soot that came out of the little stove’s pipe is anything to judge by. We need to break it in so we had two little fires in it yesterday. What a difference! The tiny pile of wood burned for a very long time, giving out the kind of warmth that only wood can provide. Cozy.
As I type our little turkey family is out there in the front yard pecking away at the seed I threw down yesterday afternoon. It’s pretty light out there now at 6:59 a.m.
The trees are still beautiful. The colors are now all burnt yellows and oranges since we’ve had some pretty good frosts.
Gorgeous color, crisp days, frosty nights and cozy fires. What’s not to love about this season?
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