Published with Blogger-droid v1.7.2
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Paddling around the Pond
I forgot to tell you the funnest thing! Today Donnie and I got a 30 minute aerobic workout, paddling the perimeter of Maquan pond.
It is almost one year since my life altering surgery that well, gave me my life back, not to mention the cadaver bones of some body else! Since I never ever ever want to go through such a surgery again and since I value and respect the bones donated to me I try to carefully follow all the doctor's rules and recommendations. One rule was no canoe-ing or kayaking until this summer.
It was so lovely to paddle around the pond and really move, really stretch my arms and work them! I could feel the muscles in my back and all my joints and sinews and fibers.......ahhhhh..... being in a canoe and moving across the water is a full body experience and boy did it feel great!
That pond has been in my life since I was 7 years old and I swear I know every inch of it. I have swum the length of it, canoed, kayaked, row boated, paddle boarded and oodle noodled it every summer since 1970. I have swum in it in clothes, in a bathing suit, in my undies, and yes in the raw! (under the cover of darkness of course). I have been in the water in all four seasons and at all hours of the day and night. Midnight canoe rides on a sultry summer evening. Crisp spring and fall canoe trips where even a splash from the oar set my teeth chattering. I have been there alone, with Campfire girls, with friends, with family and with my best friend. I have camped on its shores, sat by bonfires and luaued on it beaches, dancing in the sand.
Today, as the canoe skimmed across the surface and the only sounds were the paddles dipping into the water, that sense of wonderment and flying just filled my being. S U M M E R
It is almost one year since my life altering surgery that well, gave me my life back, not to mention the cadaver bones of some body else! Since I never ever ever want to go through such a surgery again and since I value and respect the bones donated to me I try to carefully follow all the doctor's rules and recommendations. One rule was no canoe-ing or kayaking until this summer.
It was so lovely to paddle around the pond and really move, really stretch my arms and work them! I could feel the muscles in my back and all my joints and sinews and fibers.......ahhhhh..... being in a canoe and moving across the water is a full body experience and boy did it feel great!
That pond has been in my life since I was 7 years old and I swear I know every inch of it. I have swum the length of it, canoed, kayaked, row boated, paddle boarded and oodle noodled it every summer since 1970. I have swum in it in clothes, in a bathing suit, in my undies, and yes in the raw! (under the cover of darkness of course). I have been in the water in all four seasons and at all hours of the day and night. Midnight canoe rides on a sultry summer evening. Crisp spring and fall canoe trips where even a splash from the oar set my teeth chattering. I have been there alone, with Campfire girls, with friends, with family and with my best friend. I have camped on its shores, sat by bonfires and luaued on it beaches, dancing in the sand.
Today, as the canoe skimmed across the surface and the only sounds were the paddles dipping into the water, that sense of wonderment and flying just filled my being. S U M M E R
Summertime.
Today was the first swim day at the pond for the year. A little late as we have always gone on the last day of school. But since my kindergarten kids gave me bronchitis as a party gift, I was sick the first few days of vacation. (please note I was not sick I was SICK -bronchio fluenza strepto numonia -at the very least!)
Last year was the first time Donnie ever came with us on the first swim day since he always had to work. It was kinda fun having him there with us, one of the few perks of his being unemployed. Sadly he was with us again this year and it is with great unease we face the month of July this summer. Still no full time work for him and unemployment runs out mid July, no extensions no nothing.
He has cards made up to offer his services as a handyman and he is now actively seeking even part time work, like Shaws, if it will offer health insurance. Perhaps if he does 3 part time jobs it will take the place of his full time salary. He does not talk about it much, but his worry lines deepen. All the man wants to do is get up every day and go to work, put his 40 or so hours in and know he is providing for his family.
Our bills are caught up, though our savings gone, we are not quite sure how this will all work out, but we are well aware that so many people are so much worse off. Something will change, something will give, right? When God closes a door...
Meanwhile...... last night we ate fresh garden green beans. I had gone out to gather the beans and to harvest the snap peas and was shocked to find the peas already eaten. Baffled as to what could have gotten them I mentioned it to Don during supper. Joe sheepishly admitted that while he was cleaning out the koi pond he could not help himself and ate ALL the snap peas.
I also tried my hand at making a mesophyllic starter which helps separate the curds and whey for some cheese recipes. Then I made up blueberry muffins using our chick eggs and goats milk and made up another batch of goat cheese.
Eating the food we have grown and harvested, sharing the goats milk and eggs, brings great comfort and satisfaction. I feel so rich and happy milking my Mama goat or reaching under a lady hen to find a still warm egg. If only Donnie had a job I would not complain about a thing.....
I suppose we all say that though. If only this then that. If I won a scratch ticket, if he got the job, if she would just.....
I am all for hard work and appreciation and it is lots of fun making my daily bread. But hard to not fret about the other kind of dough....
Ah well like Scarlett I will just have to think about it tomorrow because tomorrow is another day. Meanwhile I am pouring over cheese making recipes and trying to understand the science of it all. I am also trying to get Galaxy weaned and he is not the least bit interested in cooperating with me, much like the other teens around here! He pulls off tape and even nurses her when I have put hot sauce all over her teats, the little piggy. He is totally eating solid food and is almost 3 months old which is a teenager in goat years. But he insists on doing things his way.
I try separating him from her during the day (at night I crate him like a dog so we have lots of rich goat's milk in the morning. But he nurses off and on all day long and that is what we need to break him of! As long as she can see her baby Mama is perfectly willing to be in a separate pen. But he maaaas and whines and I do not want to aggravate the neighbors. Donnie thinks I am being foolish and says its not that loud, its during the day, and I should just suck it up and do it. So starting tomorrow I will milk her at 6:30 and then let them be together until around ten then I shall separate them until the evening milking. See how that goes.
It is so interesting and fun plotting and planning and thinking about goat things. Our first goat show is in mid July at Barnstable fair and I have to get the paperwork in soon. I am a nervous wreck as I really have no idea what to do. Big difference BEING in a show instead of watching. I think I have to get her use to walking next to me on the otherside as I do things left handed with her.
Meanwhile we spent a couple of hours trying to catch a baby bunny the last few mornings. Donnie grumbled and complained when he had to help once at about nine thirty at night and then the next two mornings until we finally caught the little darling. Her name is Lightning needless to say and boy could she move. He would have been perfectly happy leaving her ot her fate for being such a little brat. But she is already sold to a fellow breeder (she is the allusive orange color!) and it was like watching 25 dollars flutter just out of reach.
Ah well at least we were not chasing goats up the road like he feared before we got them!
Last year was the first time Donnie ever came with us on the first swim day since he always had to work. It was kinda fun having him there with us, one of the few perks of his being unemployed. Sadly he was with us again this year and it is with great unease we face the month of July this summer. Still no full time work for him and unemployment runs out mid July, no extensions no nothing.
He has cards made up to offer his services as a handyman and he is now actively seeking even part time work, like Shaws, if it will offer health insurance. Perhaps if he does 3 part time jobs it will take the place of his full time salary. He does not talk about it much, but his worry lines deepen. All the man wants to do is get up every day and go to work, put his 40 or so hours in and know he is providing for his family.
Our bills are caught up, though our savings gone, we are not quite sure how this will all work out, but we are well aware that so many people are so much worse off. Something will change, something will give, right? When God closes a door...
Meanwhile...... last night we ate fresh garden green beans. I had gone out to gather the beans and to harvest the snap peas and was shocked to find the peas already eaten. Baffled as to what could have gotten them I mentioned it to Don during supper. Joe sheepishly admitted that while he was cleaning out the koi pond he could not help himself and ate ALL the snap peas.
I also tried my hand at making a mesophyllic starter which helps separate the curds and whey for some cheese recipes. Then I made up blueberry muffins using our chick eggs and goats milk and made up another batch of goat cheese.
Eating the food we have grown and harvested, sharing the goats milk and eggs, brings great comfort and satisfaction. I feel so rich and happy milking my Mama goat or reaching under a lady hen to find a still warm egg. If only Donnie had a job I would not complain about a thing.....
I suppose we all say that though. If only this then that. If I won a scratch ticket, if he got the job, if she would just.....
I am all for hard work and appreciation and it is lots of fun making my daily bread. But hard to not fret about the other kind of dough....
Ah well like Scarlett I will just have to think about it tomorrow because tomorrow is another day. Meanwhile I am pouring over cheese making recipes and trying to understand the science of it all. I am also trying to get Galaxy weaned and he is not the least bit interested in cooperating with me, much like the other teens around here! He pulls off tape and even nurses her when I have put hot sauce all over her teats, the little piggy. He is totally eating solid food and is almost 3 months old which is a teenager in goat years. But he insists on doing things his way.
I try separating him from her during the day (at night I crate him like a dog so we have lots of rich goat's milk in the morning. But he nurses off and on all day long and that is what we need to break him of! As long as she can see her baby Mama is perfectly willing to be in a separate pen. But he maaaas and whines and I do not want to aggravate the neighbors. Donnie thinks I am being foolish and says its not that loud, its during the day, and I should just suck it up and do it. So starting tomorrow I will milk her at 6:30 and then let them be together until around ten then I shall separate them until the evening milking. See how that goes.
It is so interesting and fun plotting and planning and thinking about goat things. Our first goat show is in mid July at Barnstable fair and I have to get the paperwork in soon. I am a nervous wreck as I really have no idea what to do. Big difference BEING in a show instead of watching. I think I have to get her use to walking next to me on the otherside as I do things left handed with her.
Meanwhile we spent a couple of hours trying to catch a baby bunny the last few mornings. Donnie grumbled and complained when he had to help once at about nine thirty at night and then the next two mornings until we finally caught the little darling. Her name is Lightning needless to say and boy could she move. He would have been perfectly happy leaving her ot her fate for being such a little brat. But she is already sold to a fellow breeder (she is the allusive orange color!) and it was like watching 25 dollars flutter just out of reach.
Ah well at least we were not chasing goats up the road like he feared before we got them!
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Garden musings
I have been reading a lot of books and articles about sustainable farming and small scale agri business. Clearly my dreams surpass my one acre with its couple dozen chickens and one Mama goat. A lot of the books are written by farmers and my guess is they make more money from writing about how to have a business than from their business itself.
But that is ok though. If we were not all secretly certain that we could do something better we never would have left caves! For me being with the animals and working the land is so right so comfortable so clearly genetic that I feel in my bones there must be a way to do it 'more' and have it sustainable.
Of course my real world plans are continuing. I am waiting to hear from the two Masters programs I have applied to and I will remain in the kindergarten another year. Hopefully by the Fall of 12 I will be largely thru my Masters and in my own classroom.
But that is not what this blog is about. This blog is about sitting in the garden on a lovely day. This blog is about watching the crops grow and planning a Farmer's market day. As you know this year I only planted easy to grow sure selling crops. No space hogging corn or potatos, no funky gourds or sprawling but not very productive pumpkin and watermelon. Forget about the space the peanuts took up to grow (and they did grow even tho the Burpee lady insisted we were too far north.)
This spring I was very practical and grew sure thing crops. But then of course we lived through the month of May 2011 or as I will always remember it the month of GRAY 2011. The peas are putting forward pathetic little pods, their 6 foot vines a sad lackluster 18 inches.
The crops I always sew early, tomatos and cucumbers fared no better and are also off to a sluggish start. Even the broccoli which like cool days bolted because of the almost no sun and then that freakishly hot weekend just before June. Then there is my strawberry patch which Inew last Fall I should dig up and replant somewhere else. But I decided to risk one more growing season out of it. Well I am clearly not a good gambler because I got more berries from the rogue plants popping up under the apple trees and blackberry patch than in the actual strawberry bed.
Whew real farmers face these weather related crop failures albeit on a much larger scale.. Hey, this makes me a real farmer too I guess! The funny thing is after carefully selecting sure thing crops and not growing some of my favorites.....I ended up with a couple of potato and pumpkin plants that self seeded from last year. THEY are doing spectacular.
I love when a plant secretly seeds itself and up it crops either in an aisle or compost bin- in which case I carefully replant it- or it appears in a bed now devoted to a different crop. (since we practice crop rotatation.) So the very plants I thought would take up too much time and space are of course doing the best! Ha.
I am thinking in 5 years of moving to a farm here in town, 5 acres at least, and combining teaching with farming. Of course the thouht of moving away from my little acre makes me weep. The apple trees I have raised since they were pups, my lilacs, all the little burial sites of beloved pets... but I doubt my nearby neighbors are intested in selling me their land while moving their houses. Although wouldnt that make a funny caravan?
But more space would be nice. For instance right now we have been trying to hide 4 roosters in the dark because of course they learned to crow and the livestock auction is not until tomorrow. I like the sound but it is not very neighborly and so I do not want to aggravate them. 5 acres at a minimum would be a nice buffer. Land enough for a rooster or two and pastures not just paddocks for milking goats and docile sheep.
In the meanwhile I read up on everything I can and work with what I have. Basic goat and chicken care is not very expensive although the commitment to milking is considerable. The bunnies have begun to be more successful after our breeding program languished for a number of years.
As for the crops. Well a slow start is not a total failure and thigns are starting to perk up in the garden. The grapes, apple trees, blackberry, and lbue berry bushes look like they will have big crops this year. So perhaps it will be the year of the fruit!
Also I think I will try to learn how to make wine. Er if that is even legal. Guess I should investigate more. I vow to go to at least 2 wineries this year and try those wine tasting expereinces. I would love to make fruity wines I think and learn what wine goes with what food. It sounds so sophisitcated, doesn't it?
There is so much to do and so much to explore. My recent bout of strep bronchitus crap has forced me to pause and sit in the garden and be an observer and dreamer today. Its fun to make plans and relaise they are even possible.
I wonder how hard it is to make wine? Ohh and we will have great goat cheese to go with it!
But that is ok though. If we were not all secretly certain that we could do something better we never would have left caves! For me being with the animals and working the land is so right so comfortable so clearly genetic that I feel in my bones there must be a way to do it 'more' and have it sustainable.
Of course my real world plans are continuing. I am waiting to hear from the two Masters programs I have applied to and I will remain in the kindergarten another year. Hopefully by the Fall of 12 I will be largely thru my Masters and in my own classroom.
But that is not what this blog is about. This blog is about sitting in the garden on a lovely day. This blog is about watching the crops grow and planning a Farmer's market day. As you know this year I only planted easy to grow sure selling crops. No space hogging corn or potatos, no funky gourds or sprawling but not very productive pumpkin and watermelon. Forget about the space the peanuts took up to grow (and they did grow even tho the Burpee lady insisted we were too far north.)
This spring I was very practical and grew sure thing crops. But then of course we lived through the month of May 2011 or as I will always remember it the month of GRAY 2011. The peas are putting forward pathetic little pods, their 6 foot vines a sad lackluster 18 inches.
The crops I always sew early, tomatos and cucumbers fared no better and are also off to a sluggish start. Even the broccoli which like cool days bolted because of the almost no sun and then that freakishly hot weekend just before June. Then there is my strawberry patch which Inew last Fall I should dig up and replant somewhere else. But I decided to risk one more growing season out of it. Well I am clearly not a good gambler because I got more berries from the rogue plants popping up under the apple trees and blackberry patch than in the actual strawberry bed.
Whew real farmers face these weather related crop failures albeit on a much larger scale.. Hey, this makes me a real farmer too I guess! The funny thing is after carefully selecting sure thing crops and not growing some of my favorites.....I ended up with a couple of potato and pumpkin plants that self seeded from last year. THEY are doing spectacular.
I love when a plant secretly seeds itself and up it crops either in an aisle or compost bin- in which case I carefully replant it- or it appears in a bed now devoted to a different crop. (since we practice crop rotatation.) So the very plants I thought would take up too much time and space are of course doing the best! Ha.
I am thinking in 5 years of moving to a farm here in town, 5 acres at least, and combining teaching with farming. Of course the thouht of moving away from my little acre makes me weep. The apple trees I have raised since they were pups, my lilacs, all the little burial sites of beloved pets... but I doubt my nearby neighbors are intested in selling me their land while moving their houses. Although wouldnt that make a funny caravan?
But more space would be nice. For instance right now we have been trying to hide 4 roosters in the dark because of course they learned to crow and the livestock auction is not until tomorrow. I like the sound but it is not very neighborly and so I do not want to aggravate them. 5 acres at a minimum would be a nice buffer. Land enough for a rooster or two and pastures not just paddocks for milking goats and docile sheep.
In the meanwhile I read up on everything I can and work with what I have. Basic goat and chicken care is not very expensive although the commitment to milking is considerable. The bunnies have begun to be more successful after our breeding program languished for a number of years.
As for the crops. Well a slow start is not a total failure and thigns are starting to perk up in the garden. The grapes, apple trees, blackberry, and lbue berry bushes look like they will have big crops this year. So perhaps it will be the year of the fruit!
Also I think I will try to learn how to make wine. Er if that is even legal. Guess I should investigate more. I vow to go to at least 2 wineries this year and try those wine tasting expereinces. I would love to make fruity wines I think and learn what wine goes with what food. It sounds so sophisitcated, doesn't it?
There is so much to do and so much to explore. My recent bout of strep bronchitus crap has forced me to pause and sit in the garden and be an observer and dreamer today. Its fun to make plans and relaise they are even possible.
I wonder how hard it is to make wine? Ohh and we will have great goat cheese to go with it!
Monday, June 13, 2011
High School Musical...not! Class of 81.
Saturday night I drove the ten minutes (back roads) to Sacred Heart High School for my 30th reunion. THIRTY YEARS.
I have already had four kids graduate high school and each time I am shocked because I think it was only a couple of years ago since mine. As I sat in the auditorium at Carver High those 4 times I also thought about how we could sure use Sister Johnette the Dean of Discipline to keep the gum chewers from looking like grazing cattle.
Nothing I mean nothing in this world garners more fear than the beady eye of a nun silently warning you. We would not need torture at Guantanamo Bay if the Feds would get over that separation of church and state business and just get the teaching sisters of any Order to question the terrorists. Nuns do not even need to raise their voice to get a true confession.
I came from a generation of Catholic education that did not have sisters who made do with a sturdy ruler or the back of their hand. That was my parents' generation although they always spoke with the utmost respect for the nuns who taught them.
Sister Francesca, Sister Ida Mary and Sister Alice Marie were there for our reunion. They absolutely remembered each of us and were not above sharing a story or two about our mischief.
The Class of 81 had the largest turnout that I could tell, about 15 out of 73. As far as I know only 3 in our class have passed away.
All the Classes ending in 1 or 6 were crowded in the front foyer of the school due to the iffy weather. We were the 25th class to graduate from the school and one of the largest at that time. My sister's class the year before only had 43 students! You know how high schools have cliques? Well her class was so small there were only 2!
I sat with Dave Conway a boy from my home town who was very shy in high school but warm friendly and talkative now. I also got to sit with Dicky Fagan, one of THE cool kids and his very lovely wife. He was as always kind and interesting and great fun. John Maginness also sat with us and brought along his friendly wife. He was very shy in school but apparently had a devilish side to him that i did not know about. It was apparent throughout the evening however and he was very entertaining to sit with. Tim Hardy completed our little table. He and I went together to our Junior prom and he spent quite a bit of time chatting with Margaret about the reason why he always tormented her. Turns out he had a crush. Gabby made it all the way from Mexico and it was fun going up to her old dormitory room (now a classroom) to reminisce. She, Charlotte, Martha, Lisa, and Kim were all borders and their stories were very rich with a lot of behind the scenes info!
Louise and her husband and Lisa also came and I think Lisa may have talked quite a few of us into showing up for the evening. I even had a great time unraveling a mystery from freshman year with Sue Carr. She and I and 3 other girls all were named some version of Sue. Freshman year one of the fresh Sues (not me, I did not become fresh until much much later) drew on the wall a love heart with Sue and a boy's name. Sister Johnette dragged all the girls in our class into the bathroom and issued dire threats if one of us did not confess. I lay in bed that night in a cold sweat certain the nuns would throw me out. Sister talked about the wheat and chaff and I assumed she meant all the Sues were chaff. Anyway Sue got a good laugh about it although she could not remember the incident.
I did ask each one if they felt they were like their 18 year old self or if they had changed. It was fascinating hearing the answers. I of course think I have remained much the same although certainly more confident. Martha felt however that she was a completely different woman.
We spent very little time discussing kids jobs or husbands. It was remembering the past with fondness and a little wist fullness mostly. We were the last class to leave, Sister Alice Marie actually locked the door behind us! We wanted to tour the building....much of it unchanged since our tour of duty.
The Chapel, the cafeteria, the mezzanine (ok the mez is now a teacher's room!) the biology lab. Such wonderful memories of such a wonderful part of my life.
I was a geeky good girl surrounded by caring teachers and nice kids. I did however feel a little lost without my side kick from those days.( she was on a cruise with her sister) Eileen and I went everywhere together then and did everything together. We were section editors of the year book, we played softball, winter track, did National Honor and International Club together.
We dressed up in togas, shared clothes and shoes. Once we even dressed as red hearts for Valentines Day all to get around the dress code. I am not sure which one of us came up with the idea of handing out Valentines Day cards to administration but it worked. We did not get in trouble! When we went to pick up our senior pictures at Mr St Onges, the photographers, we were both in devils costumes. Years later at a friend's wedding he remembered me! apparently 2 little 17 year old innocent chickies dressed in red hose and pumps made an indelible impression.
When I got home I friended everyone I could and Charlotte made a class of 81 FB page for us. I could go on and on. How gorgeous Kathy Reale still is for instance (and she just got engaged!) How sharp and engaging Margaret still is. Margaret, remember Miss Walsh from Spanish class? She is the organist at our church and still remembers us...I think she is 100 or there abouts:>)
Oh I could go on and on but I do not want to bore you. But Saturday night I felt such comfort and love. Of course it made me miss my parents. And my sister. She is quite mean to remain way out in Ohio raising her girls when I want her close to home! But what a night.
Everyone looked the same to me. Still young still skinny still radiant with the promise of good things to come.
I have already had four kids graduate high school and each time I am shocked because I think it was only a couple of years ago since mine. As I sat in the auditorium at Carver High those 4 times I also thought about how we could sure use Sister Johnette the Dean of Discipline to keep the gum chewers from looking like grazing cattle.
Nothing I mean nothing in this world garners more fear than the beady eye of a nun silently warning you. We would not need torture at Guantanamo Bay if the Feds would get over that separation of church and state business and just get the teaching sisters of any Order to question the terrorists. Nuns do not even need to raise their voice to get a true confession.
I came from a generation of Catholic education that did not have sisters who made do with a sturdy ruler or the back of their hand. That was my parents' generation although they always spoke with the utmost respect for the nuns who taught them.
Sister Francesca, Sister Ida Mary and Sister Alice Marie were there for our reunion. They absolutely remembered each of us and were not above sharing a story or two about our mischief.
The Class of 81 had the largest turnout that I could tell, about 15 out of 73. As far as I know only 3 in our class have passed away.
All the Classes ending in 1 or 6 were crowded in the front foyer of the school due to the iffy weather. We were the 25th class to graduate from the school and one of the largest at that time. My sister's class the year before only had 43 students! You know how high schools have cliques? Well her class was so small there were only 2!
I sat with Dave Conway a boy from my home town who was very shy in high school but warm friendly and talkative now. I also got to sit with Dicky Fagan, one of THE cool kids and his very lovely wife. He was as always kind and interesting and great fun. John Maginness also sat with us and brought along his friendly wife. He was very shy in school but apparently had a devilish side to him that i did not know about. It was apparent throughout the evening however and he was very entertaining to sit with. Tim Hardy completed our little table. He and I went together to our Junior prom and he spent quite a bit of time chatting with Margaret about the reason why he always tormented her. Turns out he had a crush. Gabby made it all the way from Mexico and it was fun going up to her old dormitory room (now a classroom) to reminisce. She, Charlotte, Martha, Lisa, and Kim were all borders and their stories were very rich with a lot of behind the scenes info!
Louise and her husband and Lisa also came and I think Lisa may have talked quite a few of us into showing up for the evening. I even had a great time unraveling a mystery from freshman year with Sue Carr. She and I and 3 other girls all were named some version of Sue. Freshman year one of the fresh Sues (not me, I did not become fresh until much much later) drew on the wall a love heart with Sue and a boy's name. Sister Johnette dragged all the girls in our class into the bathroom and issued dire threats if one of us did not confess. I lay in bed that night in a cold sweat certain the nuns would throw me out. Sister talked about the wheat and chaff and I assumed she meant all the Sues were chaff. Anyway Sue got a good laugh about it although she could not remember the incident.
I did ask each one if they felt they were like their 18 year old self or if they had changed. It was fascinating hearing the answers. I of course think I have remained much the same although certainly more confident. Martha felt however that she was a completely different woman.
We spent very little time discussing kids jobs or husbands. It was remembering the past with fondness and a little wist fullness mostly. We were the last class to leave, Sister Alice Marie actually locked the door behind us! We wanted to tour the building....much of it unchanged since our tour of duty.
The Chapel, the cafeteria, the mezzanine (ok the mez is now a teacher's room!) the biology lab. Such wonderful memories of such a wonderful part of my life.
I was a geeky good girl surrounded by caring teachers and nice kids. I did however feel a little lost without my side kick from those days.( she was on a cruise with her sister) Eileen and I went everywhere together then and did everything together. We were section editors of the year book, we played softball, winter track, did National Honor and International Club together.
We dressed up in togas, shared clothes and shoes. Once we even dressed as red hearts for Valentines Day all to get around the dress code. I am not sure which one of us came up with the idea of handing out Valentines Day cards to administration but it worked. We did not get in trouble! When we went to pick up our senior pictures at Mr St Onges, the photographers, we were both in devils costumes. Years later at a friend's wedding he remembered me! apparently 2 little 17 year old innocent chickies dressed in red hose and pumps made an indelible impression.
When I got home I friended everyone I could and Charlotte made a class of 81 FB page for us. I could go on and on. How gorgeous Kathy Reale still is for instance (and she just got engaged!) How sharp and engaging Margaret still is. Margaret, remember Miss Walsh from Spanish class? She is the organist at our church and still remembers us...I think she is 100 or there abouts:>)
Oh I could go on and on but I do not want to bore you. But Saturday night I felt such comfort and love. Of course it made me miss my parents. And my sister. She is quite mean to remain way out in Ohio raising her girls when I want her close to home! But what a night.
Everyone looked the same to me. Still young still skinny still radiant with the promise of good things to come.
Saturday, June 11, 2011
Farm Chores and rogue strawberries.
I am trying to rescue two baby bunnies. They were born yesterday to a first time mom. Well technically a second time mom. The very first time she did not have a live litter. This time she did have these two in the nest box and she pulled a lot of fur to keep them warm. But the bunnies were scattered in the nestbox not snug together and it is clear she never fed them.
Both bunnies were still alive this morning but cold and sluggish. I brought them in to Joe who stopped his video game to hold them close while I prepared their warming sock. What is a warming sock? Simply a rice filled clean sock heated up in the microwave. When the babies are placed on it it helps warm them. Because the rice has give to it the babies are able to snuggle into the warmth.
Sure enough by the time I finshed feeding and watering and checking on the other rabbits the two little ones had perked up a bit. The little broken black I put in with Joe's new mom since she only had two. I rubbed the baby along the mom (as well as my hands) to get mom's scent on it. Then I tucked the babe in the warm nest with her other two little ones. By tomorrow morning we will know if she has fed and accepted the foster or if she has rejected it.
The other bunny, a little broken chocolate I have greater concern for. It was smaller than its littermate and did not become quite as active when it warmed up. I put it in with a more experienced mom. Naturally the weakest one has to be the one with the rarer color. We have been trying to get chocolate colored bunnies for a while know. Fingers crossed that Mother Nature is kind and the two do ok.
As I went about cleaning bunny cages, checking on does and litters, removing empty nests to be sterilised, etc I marveled at how far we have come since restarting our bunny program last year. It takes time to get the animals in condition to breed and nurture their young. A lot of rabbit genetic studying goes into choosing the right bucks and does to put together. Consistant breeding, feeding, watering, and grooming goes a long way too. Plus quite simply it takes some luck and good weather, neither which is very predictable.
I moved one doe to a larger cage so that she and her litter have more room to stretch their legs. The babies are 5 weeks old now. The cage was a handmedown, one of those expensive outdoor hutches that has both a caged part and a sheltered wooden part. It sits, freshly painted, just outside the garden entrance. Every time you head for the house from the driveway, or walk out the front door, or go to the garden you can clearly see the bunnies in their new digs. It is too cute. That 2 of the bunnies are broken oranges and one a chocolate otter is amazing only if you breed rabbits around here and know how difficult it is to get those colors. Of course a true dwarf breeder can already tell that the bunnies will be only of average show quality. Oh but the colors and personalities....
The entire time I was working with rabbits Mama goat and Galaxy maaaaaaa at me. They wanted to keep me company. But it has been a slow steady rain all day and neither goat likes the rain. In good weather both goats pop in and out of the bunny barn while I work. I have to remember to keep the lid on the rabbit feed good and tight or Mama tries to sneak some.
I visited with them in their loafing shed for a while and gave Galaxy his second CDT shot. He was castrated Thursday and still moves about a bit gingerly. I also spent some time tidying in the chicken coops. In a couple of weeks I will move all hens into one coop but for now the kindergarten chickens prefer to roost seperate from the other hens. We have tried a new way to water them which is working out well with no more spilled bowls of water! I still cannot figure out the best way to keep them from pooping in their nests but I imagine farmers everywhere struggle with this.
The animal chores (even the messy or smelly ones!) fill me with a great sense of satisfaction. The garden has not been as rewarding (except for the strawberries). This terrible weather has really stunted the growth of all things green, except the weeds of course.
But I continue to weed and nurture and replant and support the garden, trying to coax things to grow at their proper place.
We have a pumpkin that quite crazily reseeded and that is growing like mad. We also keep finding rogue strawberry plants everywhere, under apple trees, in the lily patch, along the garden pathways etc. To be weeding or planting and suddenly come upon a cheerful red strawberry is a lovely treat!
I am sitting here now trying to update bunny pedigrees all the while munching on a bowl of strawberries.
Gettign ready tonite for my 30th class reunion. I wonder if there are any gardeners in our group? I wonder if some one else has goats? Did anybody gather eggs this morning? Or come upon a patch of berries tucked by the grapevines?
Monday, June 06, 2011
Busy beats the alternative!
This weekend was filled, every single solitary moment. Not just filled, but overflowing with events and intrigues so various from the mundane to the sorrowful to the sublime. All in 48 hours.
So much emotion and energy and excitement that I dragged myself around today barely able to stay awake, even when we did the Hokey Pokey in school.
Lets see, Friday afternoon I took care of my little special friend who is mute, has significant physical and mental challenges, and may I add is cute a button.
She is just a bundle of energy and after helping her for a few hours I always feel the need for a nap. Instead I drove to the train station to pick up my Corey and 7 of his college friends. While driving a son who shall remain nameless called me on my cell to say "The porch is on fire " then click, his cell phone dies.
As I frantically tried to retrieve the call and find the Kingston train station (I swear they hide it!) my mind was racing. How could the porch be on fire? Turns out he said the 'pork' as in ribs on the grill were burning. He made it sound like a dire emergency. When I scolded him for using a life and death tone for food he simply interrupted me with some urgency. "But what should I do?" About what? "The pork, its burning!" shut off the damn grill, feed the meat to the dogs, I don't care!!! As long as its not the porch I do not need to be chased down via cell phone ARRRRRG.
Anyway..... the college kids were loud and cheerful and....possessing of their own money. they insisted the first stop be Shaw's 9and the adjacent liquor store) where they bought THEIR OWN FOOD and drink. Then THEY cooked it and shared.
It was stunning. Perhaps the most amazing thing.... turns out my Corey is known as a chef among his friends, handy with both a skillet and a bread machine.! wow. They really do grow up!
That night we sat around the fire and played with the animals, ate, and sang along with the guitars. They raved about the goat cheese, introduced me to a new fruity champagne called "ANDES" -peach flavored- apparently a big hit with classy ladies and homeless men. (And no I have no idea what the connection is!)
As I sat with my college kids and the other children and my brother Yon, all I could think about was the funeral service the next day for my 20 year old friend. I was so acutely aware of the ecstasy and agony. It was just so poignant to sit with my children while 2 streets over a mother was preparing to bury her only child.
Well I finished off the night smoking my first cigar and trying to learn to blow smoke rings. I was not successful.
The next morning dawned bright and early for me. As the college kids moved in slow motion due to their late night carousing I (blessed with good Irish drinking genes apparently) hurried about getting ready for the funeral Mass.
It was standing room only, a full Catholic Mass. Tears flowed in spite of Acacia's mom pleading for a cheerful joyous celebration of her young daughters' life. Julie wept throughout the service for her friend (they graduated together) and her friends Mom who losing her own battle with cancer. As Jubee wept I simply held her hand.
We were both disappointed that the priest did not address the question on every ones mind. We all wanted to know why one young person had to suffer so much...she was deathly ill for ten years and then just as she was getting better...boom she died. Her mom, her greatest supporter is also dying although both thought mom would go first. How can God do such a thing?
But perhaps it is unfair to expect answers from the man..... As we were returning to our seats from Communion we passed by her mom. a relative was hugging her but we were going to continue past her, not wishing to intrude on her sorrow, so much greater than our own.
She looked at me without recognition but when she glanced at Julie her eyes flew open wider in recognition. she looked back at me again quickly in acknowledgement. As Julie realised Acacia's mom knew her she began to cry harder and I placed one hand on Julies back. Mama Rizzo reached over and grabbed both Julie and I and tried to comfort Julie.
We spoke for a moment and then moved on. Acacia's mom glanced back at Julie one more time to make sure she was ok and then became swallowed up in the line of loving mourners.
Classmates, teachers, doctors, nurses, friends and relatives all gathered to honor the bravest girl we ever knew.
After Mass and the parking lot chatter we moved over to the hospice garden around the corner. There a laughing sobbing touching celebration took place that included food, slide shows, and the freeing of bubbles and butterflies. One butterfly hovered with us for a moment and then went straight up up up.
My friendship with Acacia had deepened through Facebook that marvelous modern phenomena. Her relationships with most of the people there, their claim on Acacia was so much greater thas my own.
Mostly I felt a deep sense of gratefulness for my 7 children and their good health. I wish someone could give me a good answer on why Acacia was chosen to suffer so. A freckled face, fresh kid who greeted every day with big plans and enthusiasm.
Just as we were heading into the chow line we got a text from Corey. He and his buddies needed rides to the beach. So it was a crazy drop off pick up day for me. Plus agonizing over bathing suit shopping with Nikki. BTW ladies it took forever to get a simple suit to fit her perfect body. If SHE cannot have good bathing suit luck the rest of us are screwed.
Another night of campfire sing a longs this one complete with Mary and Matt...and then. Well Sunday was a wake for my 96 year old friend. Now THAT was a celebration.
She lived life the way she wanted independent and controlling! She had 2 great kids and devoted grandchildren and great grand children. So Jamie Nikki and i spent the day at the wake and the feast afterwards, sharing anecdotes and being a support to me dear friend Reenie.
Whew. So that was my 48 hours. Oh I left out a few things..... one of my children is giving us a run for the money so that child managed to cause some heart ache. The baby goat learned how to remove the tape from his mama so he keeps stealing our milk! The other kids needed various and sundry things and had various and sundry friends about. Oh yes and my periodic insomnia is back visiting!
Even for our life it was a busy 48 hours. but looking at 2 funerals....all I can say is busy beats the alternative.
So much emotion and energy and excitement that I dragged myself around today barely able to stay awake, even when we did the Hokey Pokey in school.
Lets see, Friday afternoon I took care of my little special friend who is mute, has significant physical and mental challenges, and may I add is cute a button.
She is just a bundle of energy and after helping her for a few hours I always feel the need for a nap. Instead I drove to the train station to pick up my Corey and 7 of his college friends. While driving a son who shall remain nameless called me on my cell to say "The porch is on fire " then click, his cell phone dies.
As I frantically tried to retrieve the call and find the Kingston train station (I swear they hide it!) my mind was racing. How could the porch be on fire? Turns out he said the 'pork' as in ribs on the grill were burning. He made it sound like a dire emergency. When I scolded him for using a life and death tone for food he simply interrupted me with some urgency. "But what should I do?" About what? "The pork, its burning!" shut off the damn grill, feed the meat to the dogs, I don't care!!! As long as its not the porch I do not need to be chased down via cell phone ARRRRRG.
Anyway..... the college kids were loud and cheerful and....possessing of their own money. they insisted the first stop be Shaw's 9and the adjacent liquor store) where they bought THEIR OWN FOOD and drink. Then THEY cooked it and shared.
It was stunning. Perhaps the most amazing thing.... turns out my Corey is known as a chef among his friends, handy with both a skillet and a bread machine.! wow. They really do grow up!
That night we sat around the fire and played with the animals, ate, and sang along with the guitars. They raved about the goat cheese, introduced me to a new fruity champagne called "ANDES" -peach flavored- apparently a big hit with classy ladies and homeless men. (And no I have no idea what the connection is!)
As I sat with my college kids and the other children and my brother Yon, all I could think about was the funeral service the next day for my 20 year old friend. I was so acutely aware of the ecstasy and agony. It was just so poignant to sit with my children while 2 streets over a mother was preparing to bury her only child.
Well I finished off the night smoking my first cigar and trying to learn to blow smoke rings. I was not successful.
The next morning dawned bright and early for me. As the college kids moved in slow motion due to their late night carousing I (blessed with good Irish drinking genes apparently) hurried about getting ready for the funeral Mass.
It was standing room only, a full Catholic Mass. Tears flowed in spite of Acacia's mom pleading for a cheerful joyous celebration of her young daughters' life. Julie wept throughout the service for her friend (they graduated together) and her friends Mom who losing her own battle with cancer. As Jubee wept I simply held her hand.
We were both disappointed that the priest did not address the question on every ones mind. We all wanted to know why one young person had to suffer so much...she was deathly ill for ten years and then just as she was getting better...boom she died. Her mom, her greatest supporter is also dying although both thought mom would go first. How can God do such a thing?
But perhaps it is unfair to expect answers from the man..... As we were returning to our seats from Communion we passed by her mom. a relative was hugging her but we were going to continue past her, not wishing to intrude on her sorrow, so much greater than our own.
She looked at me without recognition but when she glanced at Julie her eyes flew open wider in recognition. she looked back at me again quickly in acknowledgement. As Julie realised Acacia's mom knew her she began to cry harder and I placed one hand on Julies back. Mama Rizzo reached over and grabbed both Julie and I and tried to comfort Julie.
We spoke for a moment and then moved on. Acacia's mom glanced back at Julie one more time to make sure she was ok and then became swallowed up in the line of loving mourners.
Classmates, teachers, doctors, nurses, friends and relatives all gathered to honor the bravest girl we ever knew.
After Mass and the parking lot chatter we moved over to the hospice garden around the corner. There a laughing sobbing touching celebration took place that included food, slide shows, and the freeing of bubbles and butterflies. One butterfly hovered with us for a moment and then went straight up up up.
My friendship with Acacia had deepened through Facebook that marvelous modern phenomena. Her relationships with most of the people there, their claim on Acacia was so much greater thas my own.
Mostly I felt a deep sense of gratefulness for my 7 children and their good health. I wish someone could give me a good answer on why Acacia was chosen to suffer so. A freckled face, fresh kid who greeted every day with big plans and enthusiasm.
Just as we were heading into the chow line we got a text from Corey. He and his buddies needed rides to the beach. So it was a crazy drop off pick up day for me. Plus agonizing over bathing suit shopping with Nikki. BTW ladies it took forever to get a simple suit to fit her perfect body. If SHE cannot have good bathing suit luck the rest of us are screwed.
Another night of campfire sing a longs this one complete with Mary and Matt...and then. Well Sunday was a wake for my 96 year old friend. Now THAT was a celebration.
She lived life the way she wanted independent and controlling! She had 2 great kids and devoted grandchildren and great grand children. So Jamie Nikki and i spent the day at the wake and the feast afterwards, sharing anecdotes and being a support to me dear friend Reenie.
Whew. So that was my 48 hours. Oh I left out a few things..... one of my children is giving us a run for the money so that child managed to cause some heart ache. The baby goat learned how to remove the tape from his mama so he keeps stealing our milk! The other kids needed various and sundry things and had various and sundry friends about. Oh yes and my periodic insomnia is back visiting!
Even for our life it was a busy 48 hours. but looking at 2 funerals....all I can say is busy beats the alternative.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)