13 Saturdays to go

We have had a record number of birds at the feeders this Winter. Let's see; I have seen hundreds of finches (Purple,  Chickadees, Nuthatches, House, Gold, etc.), 20 to 30 Mourning Doves, a dozen each Blue Jays and Robins, and a Red Tailed Hawk. I have been standing on the deck trying to get the Chickadees to land on my outstretched, seed laden palm ( I hear sometimes they do that). They have been getting closer, swooping past the seed, but so far no landings. Maybe I'm ready for Spring to come.

The new snow thrower works rather well-bought it just in time. The dead Volvo wagon/storage shed looks like a weird snow sculpture.

My newest project involves designing a masonry stove to replace our steel wood stove. They say masonry stoves use much less firewood, and radiate heat into the house all day. Does anyone out there have any info on these massive gadgets. If so, tell me about it. 

I downloaded the Windows 7 beta, and loaded it onto the computer I'm using to write this post. So far the OS works great, much faster and smoother than the awful Windows Vista.  

I'll try to get down to the Market to snap some pix of the barren field. Will post next week.

 rara avis

15 Saturdays left

Well, tonight is forecast to be the coldest night in quite a while. Our thermometer registers 0 degrees f right now. I'm sure those in the traditional cold spots: Whitingham, Marlboro, etc are much colder. Our location on an east facing hill that slopes down to the river moderates our weather  conditions. We like cold, snowy winters. Its one reason we moved here from PA. 

I'll try to get some pix of the Market site to post. Happy Inauguration. rara avis

09 Countdown

Hope everyone had a great holiday. My son and family gave Galen and I a GPS gizmo for the car. I've been driving around with the map function turned on, discovering the names of little roads all over the area. I found out that we live on Sweetwood Hill. Evidently our driveway was once a town road on that very hill, so now instead of telling folks that we live down in the gully off the dirt road off another dirt road, we can now say "We live on Sweetwood Hill". Sounds a lot swankier. Maybe I should jack the price of my cookies-after all, I baked them on Sweetwood Hill. Anyway, the countdown has begun(at least in my mind) for the 09 Farmers Market-16 Saturdays to go. It's time for me to get ready to prepare for thinking about starting to form my plans for the new season. My brain hurts already. See you next week. rara avis

Christmas Day, 2008

OK, so here I am, standing on my newly built deck, looking at the snow on my newly laid roof. The woodstove inside is cranking, making the house warm, and the cats totally zonked. It's my favorite time of the year. I can't remember warm weather right now, though I suppose it won't be long before we can start to count down to the '09 Market. Let's give ourselves another week to think about this great winter. Here are some holiday snaps.

 

Final Markets 2008 Season

Well, it's all over till next year. It might be cool to have an all winter market under a heated circus tent, but I look forward to hibernating. That feeling lasts through the holidays, after which I start to look forward to the next market season. I suspect that everyone has a way to mark the passage of time, a recurring time theme. Mine is the Market. There is Market season and not-Market season. Market season feels like one long blast of all encompassing activity. Galen calls it my "market head". Not-Market season works quite differently. My activity level is much reduced, and the Thanksgiving-Christmas season breaks up the interminable Winter. Sitting around the wood stove, playing with the cats, catching up on various indoor chores etc. make up our Winter. We enjoy the relative non-activity. Here are some pix from the last Wed and Sat Markets.

Last Sat-about 25 degrees

The "bonfire" could be felt inches away.

Last Wed Market. Martha thinking "I should have stayed in school".

Amanda's version of a Mona Lisa smile.

Saturday, 10/25/08

Well here it is-the last Market of the season. It's sort of sad and a relief. Next Saturday I can sleep in. Of course, there is a very cold Market the Saturday before Thanksgiving-Pretty strange-everyone runs naked and throws pumpkins at each other. I think there will be a brass band(also naked), and a bonfire. I wouldn't miss it.

I think the kid wants to sit in.

Katherine is an avid Market booster.

These guys are great. Kind of punk bluegrass.

Saturday, 10/18/08

Oct 10, the penultimate Saturday Market. Here's my question; Why say "penultimate" when you could say "Next to last" and use one less syllable? Oh, well.

Next week makes a full six months of the Brattleboro Farmers Market. It seemed to go by fast, and although I look forward to not waking up at 5 am. on the Saturday after next, I know I will almost immediately begin to anticipate the first Market next May. Guess I just like it here. It's a nice way to spend the day; outdoors, making new friends, watching kids play. 

Market makes people happy.

Mr. Natural pays a visit to Market.

Discussing farming issues.

MMM....Donuts.......