weather

Nippy, chilly downright nasty blustery rain has kept it cold outside and inside. Over the past week Quarryville has had at least 13", that is a tremendous amount of water! Diehard that I am, the furnace is still silent. Its rumble and wheezing whoosh, complete with knocks and pings will be loud soon enough.  I confess temptation to adjust the thermostat.  Instead, the strategy is to bake!  Why not accomplish two objectives with one oven.  Comfort food to the rescue!  Molasses cookies, mac 'n cheese, meatballs, chocolate cake with peanutbutter icing, oatmeal raisin giants, a bubbling stew, all these provide warmth and happiness.

The weather as usual has not been conducive to production of vegetables.  Today we are washing bins and tubs, organizing stuff that has been neglected, cleaning up the wash station of storm debris and getting ready for...........winter.  One of my dreams is to grow year round using season extention tricks. Maybe next Fall it will become reality.  Then I could offer fresh greens during the Persephone days of the dark months. Another reality of short day length is a drop in egg production during the shortest days of winter. Don't worry, they reach their peak as Spring approaches. After getting my feet wet with a tiny flock of 35, I am inclined to dive in for 2011.  I really do enjoy my chickens. 

Uh oh, the timer just went off reminding me to retrieve my meatballs.