Wednesday

Winter has me switch focus: my daily weather assessments is now a two factor analysis: is there adequate snow for skiing and do I need my ancient and massive parka to keep me warm outside. Oh, I appreciate the sunshine and I do watch the long term weather patterns to get a sense of where we're going, but really, what matters to me is the snow and the right covering for outdoor activity.

So let's take a look out today: hmmm, I wouldn't exactly call that a good snow cover. It's borderline skiable. But we've done borderline before! So maybe a ski day after all?

 

 

But even with a light layer of the white stuff, the cheepers all have a hard time moving around.

They try to make their daily trek to the garage, but give up quickly. Their feet can't stand the cold and their eyes don't like the glare from the snow.

For us, it's a pretty day. Not cold enough for snow pants or my bulky parka, but still, well below freezing. After a cozy breakfast, during which I argue with Ed about whether it is a sign of my not loving cats to want Dance to leave me alone during the morning meal...

... we set out for our first trip to ski the local county park.

And lo, they've groomed the trails! How I love a county that takes care of its parks! 

This makes for slick and wonderful skiing. 

The hills are icy and Ed avoids them completely, but otherwise, it's a spectacular gilde out there, among the snow dusted trees.

On the last stretch of our usual loop, where we ski into the sun across a field covered with snow -- it's just sublime! I could go on forever. And I love my new well fitted boots. And the air feels so crispy clean... I tell you, heaven!

 

In the afternoon, the kids are here again. I'm half tempted to take them to the park, but I know Sparrow will need help and will likely tire of it quickly. So we stick to the farmette lands. First, I take out the sled. The farmhouse is on a slope and you can actually get quite a good slide from the courtyard down to the barn and beyond. Sparrow is a bit apprehensive...

 But the going's great, especially if I give it a good pull at the beginning.

We're good for a handful of runs!

 A hearty appetite calls for a load of snacks and a stack of books inside.

And then they want to try the skis again. I warn them that it's like an ice sheet out there and that the hill will pose its challenges, but they're up for it.

(She wanted the poles, so of course, now he wants them too...)

Skiing very much depends on the conditions of the terrain and I'd say that yesterday, the kids had an easier time moving around, even on the slopey terrain. But of course, good skiers can handle even ice patches, so it's good to get them used to any and all snow conditions. And of course, we end the day with hot chocolate at the farmhouse.

I'd say we are mighty lucky to be skiing in December. It's nearly always cold by now, but having snow on the ground is a hit or miss thing. May it last and grow deeper! We are all on a roll!

 

Tuesday

Morning Thoughts:

 

If yesterday I focused my attentions on my daughter's post-Christmas home, today I target my own space. Outside, a light snow is falling, reminding me of the frustrations of winter weather patterns in south central Wisconsin: you think you're getting a good snowfall and instead you get a wintry mix that makes your driveway and path to the house totally slippery, without giving you the beauty of a snow that would be good for skiing. 

 

 

 

As the flakes and ice crystals cover our walkways, I start in on taking down the Christmas tree. Normally I would do this on the last day of December, but honestly, I've had the tree up for many weeks. It's time to refocus my attention on the rest of winter.

I hear a friend of Ed's remark that we are in this terrible place where everything we looked forward to has happened already and what's left is the rest of winter, a Covid surge, and a spring that's months away. I agree about the futility of seeing joy only in what happens at the end of March. But I don't agree that we have nothing immediately before us except for dark and cold winter days. Just one example: a good snowstorm, followed by a period of intense winter sunshine would be very lovely, don't you think?

I am also a little bit looking forward to teaching the kids to ski. I know that Snowdrop and Sparrow are at different learning ages and have different reserves of patience for winter sports, nonetheless, I am really hoping that I can make some progress here. I watched youtubes last night about the important elements of teaching young ones the art of Nordic skiing. The one piece of advice that I see again and again is to keep it fun and keep it short, and reward it with cocoa at the end, preferable with marshmallows on top. I think I can handle that!

But we need more snow.

Breakfast...

And farmhouse tidying. With an eye out toward the gently falling snow.

 

Afternoon Thoughts:

 

The two older kids come here after lunch. And several things happen: First, they play a little in the snow. (The play consists mostly of throwing snowballs at a willing target. Me.)

But a few minutes is enough for both of them. They want to read/play/eat. Inside.

Outside, the snow keeps falling. Still lightly, but with greater conviction. I'm thinking maybe tomorrow I could dare take out the skis. But Snowdrop has other ideas: what's wrong with today? She has had her snacks and indoor play time. Can't we please try out the skis now? 

I look outside. There does seems to be a nice build up of snow. Are we up for it? It's nearly dusk. There are all these steps you have to take: the thicker socks, the pants, the mitts, the scarves, the caps. Snowdrop is independent, but Sparrow is just three. He needs help. Still, they're motivated and so am I. We step outside. I let Snowdrop try hers on first. Everyone says -- leave the poles behind initially! So I do. And she is off!

Sparrow follows closely behind. What about my skis??

He's a boy who pretty much likes to do anything that his big sister chooses to do, but last winter, he drew the line at snow play and so I'm thrilled to see him actually want to join in this year.

The snow is on the wet side and so speed is going to be limited, but that's a good thing for first timers.

Eventually, Snowdrop wants to try using the poles. The goal is to keep them excited about the sport and to have them take some ownership of it, so I'm pretty agreeable to anything.

I'm suddenly thinking that maybe I'll have a coupe of skiing buddies soon. Maybe they'll love the trails through forests and up and down the hills. Maybe they'll beat me in speed and endurance. Maybe they're already on their way to loving this sport as much as I do!

 

Of course, the skiing is followed by the warm chocolate. With marshmallows swimming on top.

Monday

A light, wet snow fell last night -- nothing to set you out on any winter sport, but it does create a prettier landscape out there.

Of course, the cheepers are grumbling. They were hiding in the garage when I came out to feed them. The brave ones followed me to the barn, but peach the oldest, gets stuck in the snow. It's the only time she willingly lets me pick her up so that I can give her a ride to where the food is.

I'm always uneasy about their treks from one end of the path to the other when there is any snow on the ground. It's such a slow slog for them, that any predator can dance circles around them. It's a good thing that the hens spend most of their waking hours exploring the barn or messing up Ed's tools in the garage. Out of sight and out of mind for the hunters out there.

We are to have a real snow event tomorrow. Let's hope it's enough for skiing!

In the meantime, breakfast ---

--- and a visit to my daughter's, where I promised I'd help with the take down of the tree. I read on some reputable news source that you should not keep a tree indoors for more than two weeks. That seems mighty ridiculous to me. Way too short a time, if you're watering it successfully. Still, our trees have slowly stopped drinking. Time to say goodbye to hers. 

 

 

 

The kids are enormously helpful: 

 

 

 

... they are the taker-downers and I am the wrapper and storer. we get it done in no time at all.

 (Sandpiper wants to help, I know he does! Hey, are you getting ready to crawl?)

(Maybe not.)

 

Tomorrow I'll take down my tree. Today, it still blows me away in its utter perfection.

the day after starts at noon

Is there any Christmas celebrant out there who does not feel they have to vacuum the day after the holiday? What, you? Well then your tree was trimmed too late (or else it would be nearly dry by now), or you didn't bake enough cookies and then were too strict about eating them only at the kitchen table. 

So the farmhouse needs a good power sweep, which arguably is Ed's one cleaning job here (I'll take a medium good job over having to do it myself), but today, at noon, I threw him out of the house and picked up the vacuum myself. Here's why:

The day started off beautifully. 

 

 

 

We continued Christmas with a video visit with my daughter, her husband, Juniper and Primrose.

 

 

 

Everyone was in good spirits. Shockingly, even Ed, despite the fact that it was a very holiday-themed visit (he prefers to keep things low key). We wished each other happy days ahead and then I fixed breakfast.

And things began to unravel for him then. He began to fret about an unresolved issue that had necessitated legal advice. He doesn't stew over stuff often, but today he stewed. (Ed has been knocked about too many times by the omissions and stumbles of trades people and professionals -- anyone from a roofer to a builder, or a plumber, or an accountant, or most recently -- an internet repair person. He's paid through the roof -- forgive the pun -- for their errors.) He asked my advice on some documents. I offered a bit of reassurance, but honestly, I'm not an expert in that branch of the law. He continued to fret. He called, he emailed, but everyone is hiding behind the holiday banner and so he got basically nowhere at all and this is when I threw him out to go to a place he really wanted to go to all along -- the Brooklyn Wildlife Preserve, where volunteers were sowing seeds on the prairie as a special Boxing Day event. 

I passed on tagging along: someone does have to vacuum, and do the laundry, and mend rips, and put away the dishes. Besides, I have before me a golden opportunity to clean out and rearrange my baking pantry, inspired by my daughter's -- probably both daughters' -- attention to order and neatness on their supply shelves. I have taken to guessing rather than checking what's behind the big sacks of flour, leading me to over-purchase such items as medium grade cornmeal and under-purchase baking necessities such as plain old sugar.

By noon he was out and I said what the heck, and clicked on my Christmas playlist, even though in all my years, I have never played Christmas music on the day after.

 

 

In the evening, the young family comes for Sunday dinner.

They are my walk in the Wildlife Area, not at all because they are wild, but because the kids bring with them that gust of fresh air and clear vision and having them here offers the best distraction from news headlines, Ed frets, and just about anything else that might otherwise dampen and sag the spirit.

Dinner...

 

 

 

 

 

Followed by one more cleanup and then quiet. With a glass of wine (La Petite Soeur) for me and a bowl of popcorn to share. We're celebrating a productive day that starts well and ends well. What more could you possibly want in life!