How Many Books Friday, Dec 6 2013 

Esperanza acairfearann 17:24

I periodically contemplate our stated number of volumes in this place: 14,000 give or take; and decide it must, must be an overstatement.  I mean really? That is absurd.  I periodically work at a house museum where everyone (visitors included) routinely agrees that 4,000 is a lot.

And then I clean a minor bookshelf, in a minor room (as far as books go seeing as it only has two bookcases) and realize that it has about 150 books on it.  And then I refill a file cabinet in which the top drawer is devoted to pamphlet manuscripts, and then I look at the top of my desk (19 books) and next to my desk (41) neither are areas which Should have books…and figure that the number probably isn’t that Off.  Considering the library, the other twenty plus rooms with books, the two cottages, the barn, under my bed….

 

Winter Fog Thursday, Dec 5 2013 

Landscapes acairfearann 14:26

While we still aren’t getting much in the way of rain, the really dry weather seems to have quit.*  Yesterday morning there was a lovely bit of hoar frost down in the river valley.  Today, is one of those foggy still days, with visibility at about 100 ft.  I can just see the top of the big Norway Spruce so visibility upwards is about 110 feet (a handy measuring stick there!) The meadow, of course, with nothing in it is just a solid grey cloud bank, a wall; the fog in the woods gradually obscures things so there is more apparent depth. I like days like this; somehow they are quieter, calmer.

*the water companies seem to have decided that if the reservoirs are low they might as well do work, took a trip over to Boston yesterday and I think that every single reservoir/water facility had some work being done!

 

 

 

Old Sugar Maples Tuesday, Dec 3 2013 

gardening and Landscapes and Modern Photos , , acairfearann 14:38

Out beyond the big garden, lining the old road.  It is essentially impossible to get a good picture of them, too big and too close! I cannot touch the bottom of those lower limbs, however, even on my toes and arm outstretched. We have planted beneath them with a mix of evergreens, as the new road/highway is only about fifty feet away from this point, off to the right of the photo.

IMG_4061

 

Apples and Woodpeckers Monday, Dec 2 2013 

gardening , acairfearann 14:02

The ‘Wolf River’ apple tree that did its once every few years, at random, massive apple crop this year (necessitating marathon sessions of applesauce making) still has a few apples on it.  It shouldn’t, for the health of the tree, but I am glad it does.

The apples are frozen solid at the moment, and look a bit like Christmas ornaments as they are scattered picturesquely through the upper branches*.  That is nice enough.  But what is especially pleasant is the discovery that the odd pockmarks/toothmarks which have been slowly appearing on them belong primarily to the woodpeckers.  Sapsuckers, Downy, Hairy, and the lot.  I don’t know if the Red Bellied has been past or not, but I wouldn’t be surprised.  A nice treat for them and for us.

 

*It was Supposed to be a semi-dwarf.  Ten years on and it is quite clear that we got a standard instead….

 

Thank You! Sunday, Dec 1 2013 

Uncategorized acairfearann 15:13

I’d like to thank Steve of Gardening in Greenwood http://gardeningingreenwood.wordpress.com/ for nominating me for The Very Inspiring Blogger Award.  Thanks!  It is great to be part of a community that exists both grounded in the very earth itself and yet is spread out and connects through the ether.

viba-2

The rules of the award are here below and I will be working on them as I get a chance and will update this post.

Rules of the Very Inspiring Blogger Award

  1. Thank the person who nominated you and supply a link to their blog.

  1. Display the Award on your post.

  2. List the Award rules so your nominees will know what to do.

  3. State 7 things about yourself

  4. Nominate 15 other bloggers for the Award.

  5. Contact your nominees to let them know you have nominated them and provide a link to this post about it.

  6. Proudly display the award logo (or button) on your Blog, whether on the About page, your sidebar, or on a special awards page.

 

Gambling Man Saturday, Nov 30 2013 

Historical Events , acairfearann 14:31

From a letter by Morris to Julie, 1856 (she was in Brockport, NY; he was in New Orleans)  He was thirty (I think), managing the New Orleans branch of the business, in what was a boom town.  Julie was 38, managing three children (another on the way), and elderly parents in upstate New York.  The letters are a testament to a rock-solid marriage…

“For preface you must understand that Dick made a bet with John P. Fowler and Geo W. Helm on his account, in connection with Shepard and myself. As the odds were 1,000,000,000 to 1 in our favor, of course Shep and I went in. The bet was this. If Fowler got married the ensuing summer and Helm did not, Helm was to pay a dinner costing $100 – and if Helm was married and Fowler not – Fowler was to pay. If neither were married the bet was off. If both were married – Dick, Shep, and I were to pay.  The extreme improbability of our losing was great odds in our favor. I had forgotten all about it – and was surprised when called on for the payment of the bet.”

The company (it ended up being a dinner for 13) involved got their money’s worth…. “Among the curiosities that were shown me next day was the following wine bill: 1 Bottle of Hock, 4 Bottles of Claret, 6 Bottles of Sherry, 12 Bottles of Champagne, 1 Bowl of Whiskey Punch.”

I am hoping that either the Champagne was actually glasses, or the bottles were small, or something.  If not….

 

Fixing a door 1915 Wednesday, Nov 27 2013 

Esperanza and Historic Photos , acairfearann 14:36

I do know the door is Happy Thought’s east door, I don’t know who the person is.  I do like the knee socks and pork pie hat though.  This is Not, by the way, how one is supposed to fix a door.  It would appear he is shaving off the bottom of the door rather than rehanging it.  Which, come to think of it, accounts for the gap….

(No idea why the door looks like it came off a funhouse, the negative may have had an odd curl?

1915008008

 

On stairs Tuesday, Nov 26 2013 

Esperanza acairfearann 17:37

There are certain things, a large number of things, that I don’t particularly care for.  Open stairs are one of those things.  Which is unfortunate, seeing as this house has a three-story open staircase, with the stairs cantilevered off the exterior walls so there is only a single central post.*  It makes a lovely architectural statement, which I greatly appreciate.  But I have always navigated the upper, attic level clinging to the wall.  Always have, always will, and no number of engineers or carpenters or hundreds of trips up and down will change my mind.

Now this wouldn’t be an issue, except said stairs are also made of lovely amber-shellaced hard pine which was re-shellaced  a few years ago and so is back to a high gloss finish.  That glowing, dark amber color is wonderful, but I know of no other surface (especially when backlit by low angle western sunlight) that shows dust quite so well.  It got dusted today, in preparation for the holiday season, and it needed it*; but that is one dusting job I never enjoy…you can’t do it without leaning over the balusters.  That is not enjoyable!

Fun and games.

*story number four goes into the basement.

**Yes I am fully aware that I haven’t finished the attic landing.

 

Paper Wasps Monday, Nov 25 2013 

Uncategorized acairfearann 22:12

They hibernate, at least the queens, but that doesn’t make as good a story.

 

Paper Wasp Nest

When the wind came

It carried down the leaves

Their long summer’s toil

Was naked to the sky

By November

It was torn to pieces

And in their anger

And in their despair

They died

 

Was that necessary? Sunday, Nov 24 2013 

Uncategorized acairfearann 13:15

Thirteen degrees Fahrenheit (16 by another, north end vs south end porches) with a howling wind last night?  It is noon, and the quarter inch of snow, in full sun, on a dark gravel drive-way has yet to melt!

Apparently, we need to stop thinking about fall, and start thinking about winter….I probably ought to get the carrots, rutabagas, and parsnips under a bit of cover…which reminds me of some beets I put in the basement….

 

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