11.06.08

It was storming when we got up this morning. Thunder cracking, rain pouring down, wind blowing wildly. Now everything is still and quiet. It's cool and damp outside. It's the kind wet chill that isn't bad at all but that creeps into your bones to remind you of more adventurous days. Like when the grape vine broke and you fell about 60 feet to the ground below, or when your sister wrecked the motorcycle you were both riding and you chipped your kneecap or when your pony threw you under two draft horses which proceeded to stomp you to smithereens. Not unpleasant memories really, just reminders that you're lucky to be here and the day should be enjoyed.

Anyway, a damp chill is nothing a warm fire and a hot cup of tea won't fix :)

And here I am, back in from morning chores with a hot cup of Chai.

We had buttered corn pones with strawberry preserves for breakfast. Baked corn dogs with BBQ beans and baked fries for lunch. Chicken salad on pitas for supper. Homemade cinnamon rolls and hot tea for dessert.

Yesterday was a fine and blustery day. I hung 2 loads out, one was heavy towels, and they were all dry by noon. I so love the wind. I always have. Maybe it's because my hair is always so wild anyway :)

Nik tilled more of the garden bed and I blew leaves into both gardens and chopped some to put around the flowering almond. I also worked in the Spirit Garden a bit and had a good idea for a small fence made of old tree limbs. We have tons and we use plenty for other things, firewood and kindling included. But there's always enough :)

I watched The Mill on the Floss, it was ok. The scenery was wonderful, I love the houses and buildings and furnishing and fireplaces.

I also finished one of the books I'm reading. I was going to start Into The Forest but started Deluge instead and finished it this morning. Deluge was very good except for the sci-fi parts. Which is odd for me to say because I love sci-fi! But in this case it seemed to take away from the tale of surviving an apocalypse. I did still like it a lot tho.

I haven't finished Door to December yet and plan to start Into the Forest soon.

I've also been reading a lot about storing vegetables, trying to find alternatives to canning and root cellars that will work here in the tiny Burrow. I was storing potatoes in the vegetable section of the fridge, there are two big drawers and I kept potatoes there for years but they've begun to shrivel and get weirdly soft and overly white (starchy), so I need a new place. Cool and damp, in a bin in the bottom of the cabinet nearest an earthwall. It seems to be working marvelously. I used to keep stored water there but found another place for that.

So today will be mostly indoor things, some more sewing and hopefully working to get my work table sorted out. I'm wanting to make a skirt for it but I haven't enough materiel in anything I would like. I'm sure I'll find some more old sheets to use soon tho.

Oh, I forgot, yesterday when we were bringing wood to the porch I came across a giant spider *o* I'm not at all a spider person !!!!!!!! Tho I would never kill one unless I truly thought it would harm someone. I've never seen one like this one. It was huge but not as big as the local tarantulas, which I've seen a few of. It was brown and had brightly striped legs in brown and yellow. Like it was wearing wonderful little stockings :) I called Nik over to see then we flicked the piece of wood it was on away and shivered terribly before getting back to work.

Merry day :)