Wood Pile Progress

When last I wrote about cutting wood, we had plied up wood on tables.







Then we got snow, and that set us back.











But now we have almost half the cook stove wood cut and stacked.















And now the tables are ready for more wood to split. I might be getting in shape for spring work!

Orchard Work

Before the last snow Ken finished trimming trees in the orchard. First he trims what he can from the ground, and then he heads up the ladder.










He has to decide before each cut.












Here he is trimming water shoots - vertical branches that must be trimmed each season, so the energy goes into making apples.

Trimming Onions

As the onions grow, they get a bit floppy. Ken trims them so they get thicker and grow stronger roots. He often trims them over a piece of newspaper so I can use the tops like chives in salads or cooking.

Warped

As we start to move outside with wood cutting and splitting and maple syrup, I am also making a last dash effort to line up indoor projects for rainy days. Ken recently helped me wind up the warp on a small loom I can take with me when I work at artZ in Amery.



I am on one end trying to maintain even tension while Ken juggles winding on, getting a flat sheet of paper between layers of warp, and tightening knobs when I shout stop. He has about a five handed job to do.
We got the warp on and we are still married. Thank you, Ken!

The Greens Are Coming!

As the snow recedes, the days lengthen and the sun warms the inside of the hoopettes.




The greens Ken planted last fall are growing. The hoopettes form a mini greenhouse and the plants grow quickly. Soon we will be opening them daily so the greens inside don't cook from the heat!




Look for that hint of green inside.

Goose Eggs

Spring is the season for goose eggs! Unlike chicken eggs, goose eggs are only available now. They are quite large and are really nice in puddings where they add a rich smoothness.

It takes more to beat the goose egg whites, but once beaten they add real lift to sponge, angel food or other cakes.



And my parent say they make great omelettes...

And There is Always Wood

While Ken is outside, he has taken advantage of any mornings below freezing to cut down some dead trees and pull them into the yard.

Then he cuts them to length so we can split them to burn in the cook stove next winter. Pulling out logs when the ground is frozen hard means less damage to grass.


We have used 5 of the 6 ricks we put up last winter, and so far we have filled one rick for next winter.