Personal thought on 9/11

I have heard several families via NPR today talk about the loved ones they lost during 9/11. I feel as though I might have a unique (and hopefully thoughtful) perspective.

A good bit of what the media is talking about now are those family members who have very understandable and serious concerns that remains still lie at the site.

-------

I entered what became known as "the pile" the early morning of September 12th to deliver medical aid and water to the firefighters, and ended up carrying remains that were found on the pile to the makeshift morgues that were located at either the Burger King or the basement of 1 Liberty Street. It was called "the pile" because it was a burned out wasteland 3 or 4 stories tall. It was blocks wide as I am sure you know. A one point I ventured north and smashed in the massive plate glass window of an abandoned Starbucks so I could "steal" their remaining ice to take back. I left them a note of apology.

Every time we found remains, no matter how small, it was like the most bittersweet miracle. They were treated with reverence. It was the world's largest haystack created from hatred and bigotry, and we had to find all the pieces of life and laughter and love it had destroyed. To bring them home to be with those who loved them.

We couldn't do it. We were tasked with the impossible.  For the thousands of tons of steel and concrete and building detritus, we could never have found everything. I am sorry we couldn't. It was impossible.

To the families: I am so sorry. I have thought about you every day for 13 years. I wish I could have done the impossible and brought everyone home. I am sorry we failed.

Why hello there.

No matter how many times I do this, the first sprouting seed of the year seems like such an impossible miracle. All is takes is soil, water, light, warmth and hope.

Brushing off winter

It has been a very long, hard Winter. The snow is piled up chest-high against the house, and our only egress is a warren-like maze of paths cut into the frozen white banks.

We are ready for Spring.

I was given one of these adorable little Pot Makers as a Christmas gift, and was excited to try it out. I had actually made my own many years ago using my father's lathe and a chunk of cherry. While I am still pretty proud of my effort, it was missing a couple of key design elements that made it not quite as effective as a store-bought one.

So Z and I gave it a go yesterday:

I have to say, it's pretty quick and easy! I used twine to reinforce the pots, and Z expertly filled each one.

Thirteen pots down, 211 to go! We should be done just in time to get our seeds started in anticipation of Spring.

New Sign!

IS OPEN!

I am pleased to announce that I have both a woodshop sign AND an actual woodshop to hang it next too!

Both need a bit of tweaking, of course, but the talented folks at Fabhaus Beacon will take care of the signage portion of this project and engrave this in wood for me....

Christmas for Chickens

If you were able to speak Chicken, the girls would have surely told you with great enthusiasm that today is by far their favorite day of the year. It's Leaf Raking Day!

Every year we shred the endless multitude of maple leaves that end up in the backyard, and add them to our raised beds. Each year the primary focus is the section of garden that was recently planted with garlic - usually we try to put a 5-6" bed of shredded leaf mulch over the ground to protect the cloves over the winter.

Once the girls arrived on the scene, I started setting aside a pretty hefty leaf pile to add to their run. Sometimes the leaves were so high they would get lost in the drifts, and then suddenly pop out, chest deep and startled.

I spent most of today cleaning out a room to make into a proper wood shop. (Yay! More on that later - definitely!) From where I was working I heard contented scratching, kicking and clucking from the run all day. Bugs and leaves and the best presents I supposed.

Friday Night

Curtains and Chamomile Tea...

Fall Photography

Late this afternoon, Zooey, her friend Lucas and I took a walk in the woods together to hunt down the perfect leaves for our flower press book. We didn't find any spectacular ones (although we did find more bittersweet, black walnuts and acorns....) but we did see some very pretty colors in the sky.

The tide was out, so the Fishkill Creek estuary was low, and great Blue Heron landed nearby.

Bittersweet

Campfires, walks in the woods, a little bit of snow on the ground this morning. Collecting bittersweet and acorns and leaves on our hikes. New shearling mittens for my little one. Deliveries of stew beef from a friend (and newly-minted butcher.) Bluejays, Juncos, Woodpeckers, Chickadees, Sparrows, Titmice and Nuthatches circling the feeder. Pumpkin pie recipes.

Two and fro

Every morning for the last week, I woke up, got Z fed, dressed and off to school, and then raced back to build build build. I had this overwhelming (occasionally compulsive) need to get this gift from both sets of her grandparents done in time for Z's birthday celebration with her friends.

Last weekend came home to find a colossal pile of lumber on a double-sized wooden pallet in my driveway. (And half the hardware missing. Sigh.) There is no interesting story about the building of this thing - it was challenging, it was fascinating, it was occasionally maddening. Most of all, it was an exercise in tenacity.

But! But! I got it done. All by myself. And just in time. To see the kids go crazy and have such a great time was so worth it the sore back and arms. 

I am very proud of myself. And I love seeing my daughter so happy.

Blue Hubbard

Homegrown! This is one came from the farm plot and is going to become a squash and sage soup today. Seeds are being saved for next year....

Seed Saving

I finally got around to properly learning how to save tomato seeds! GardenWeb has a simple tutorial, and it took no time at all to start the process.

I'm also saving my purple podded pole beans, Kentucky pole beans, and loads of nasturtium. Fun, easy, and I am already dreaming about next Spring!

Adirondacks

An gorgeous night on the Clearwater

From the garden

Good Company

This fearless little guy has been hanging out with me every day while I hang laundry.

New plot fence is up!

Our extremely functional (although perhaps not-so-pretty) deer fence is up at the farm! Tomorrow the ground cloth goes down, and the pumpkins, squash, gourds and corn go in!

First time climbing a tree

It was a little scary.

A perfect little present

Dill from a friend's garden, when I had forgotten to plant some myself.

This rainy, quiet Friday morning...

My wonderful new job

I have a new job! Come this Fall, I will be the Livestock Manager at Stony Kill Farm. It's a working farm that exists to further environmental and agricultural education, and has a long and storied history. The barn itself dates to 1860, and the farmstead is simply gorgeous. Take a look at their site. I can't to it justice here.

I will be caring for six Hereford cows, four Jersey cows, a dozen or so Tunis sheep, two pigs, and a flock of turkeys and chickens.

These are some of the animals:

I am so grateful to have the chance to work with these animals and learn more about their care. Waking up to go to "work" in the morning is going to be a breeze.