Sun Sets

 Aesop, the dog, keeps trying to give Winston, the orange tabby cat, his rawhide bone.  It doesn't go well.  Winston just gets mad and defensive.  Aesop starts getting anxious because his attempts at friendship are met with anger and aggression.  I have mixed feelings.  It bothers me that Aesop gets anxious and barks a lot to try to get Winston's attention.  It also bothers me that Winston feels that he has to defend himself.  On the other hand-I'm happy that Aesop is trying to make friends and I am happy that Winston wants to protect himself.  Pets...  Things I am happy for today:

• It has been a few days since I went through one of the boxes that I brought over from being stored last week.  I only went through one of them today.  I didn't empty it, but I did get rid of a bunch of things that were in it.  Most of what is left are pictures and a book and some things to file.  
• I climbed into the netted area to check out the strawberry plants and the marigold.  A few days ago I noticed that the marigold was broken, as if stomped on.  One of the first things I noticed was a hole, like a chipmunk hole.  I'm not sure what I am going to do about this yet.  I'm glad I have a theory about the breakage and can think about this for next year.

This marigold is so big.

• With the marigold plant, it is so big I took some clippings to dry and to attempt to propagate.  I also gathered seeds from it.
• I took a walk with Aesop and got some pictures that I really like.

I love this part of the
conservation area with the birch trees.

Still some color on the property.

Setting sun.

Setting sun.

• Gideon joined TF and I while we played Minecraft tonight.  It was nice to have another player.  He watches videos on Minecraft all the time and helps us learn about more things.

☮

Currently reading:  Mount Washington A Guide and Short History, by Peter E. Randall.
        People atop the mountain started recording temperatures in the mid 1800's.

Thank you for being part of my happy things. Stay safe.

Just Some Boxes

After all the boxes I went through over Lent this year I expected (wanted?) it to be easier to get rid of things. I shouldn't have stopped going through boxes because the momentum has passed. That said, Keziah and I (mostly Keziah), went through some boxes today and got rid of things. 

I wish I could say this is the end...

Having worked last night, my energy levels are low. After more sleep, I hope for better results-and less boxes.  Here are some happy things for today:

• Let us start with some foliage.  There are some beautiful colors in New England now.

The backyard.

• One of the things found is my doll, Betsy.  I'm ready to say goodbye.  Before throwing her into the donation pile, I asked the friend I gave one of my dolls to over Lent if her granddaughter might want another friend.  She said yes.  This doll is a bit loved, she may change her mind when she sees it.  

Bye, bye, Betsy!

• We also found a newspaper clipping. I don't remember this... but my picture is there.

That is me, third from the left, holding baby Keziah.

• Aesop was nice enough to sleep during most of the Spiderman movie we watched.

As long as he is comfy.  🤪

• Mostly, I want to thank Keziah for putting up with me and all my stuff.  Some days it is easier to get rid of things than others.  Today I was just exhausted.  

☮

Currently reading: Mount Washington A Guide and Short History, by Peter E. Randall.

Thank you for being part of my happy things. Stay safe.

Full Heart

 One of the things I was hoping for when I did the YouTube videos over Lent for downsizing my stuff is that somebody else might want some of it.  I had a request for what had been my baby doll when I was a child.  The friend that I used to work with and I walk with sometimes asked if she could have it for her granddaughter.  I got the things that I had together and gave them to my friend last week when we walked through the cemetery.  Today she sent me a picture of her granddaughter playing with what was my baby doll.  The doll's new name is Charleigh.  💕

Nothing can beat that, but here are some other happy things for today:

• When I finish up with the wheelbarrow I turn it upside down onto the compost pile.  Today when I turned it over to use there was a garter snake curled up on yesterday's debris (pic).  It stayed so still I thought maybe it was not alive.  I went and started weeding and couldn't keep myself away.  I went back and there was just two or three inches of the tail and the rest was burrowing into the compost pile.
• Is it wrong that removing as much bittersweet from the garden brings me joy?

I dug deep.

The larger pieces on top are bittersweet roots.

• The rhododendron is getting ready to blossom.

For some reason I just love how this looks.

• Now that a bunch of the cypress spurge has been pulled or mowed there are other things that are seeing the light.  According to Lens the flower I noticed today is called, star of Bethlehem.  It spreads both by seeds and with bulbs so it may not have been there last year.  As with so many other plants I find, this one is also considered invasive in some places (not NH yet).  

This star of Bethlehem is in the yard,
not a garden area.
It might end up mowed,
depending on how I feel when I mow next.

• Our dryer is not working properly (not happy).  However, as we sat discussing the problem Winston decided that he would take the opportunity to check it out.

He liked it, perhaps too much!
😜

☮

Currently reading: The Burgess Book of Nature Lore, by Thornton W. Burgess.

--two chapters today!  I WILL finish this book.

Stay safe!

Happy Easter!

 It would seem that I am going to have a hard time reintegrating myself with society.  It has been over a year since the pandemic began, but only about six months since I had a job and spent time with many people.  I've always been an introvert, but I could tolerate large crowds and found ways to manage them for myself.  Today we went to Zed's parents for Easter.  There were a total of thirteen people.  We stayed outside in a spacious yard other than to get food.  It was still difficult for me.  I went for a walk (1.4 miles) so that I could be by myself for a little bit.  Walking one or two people would have been fine, but it was easier to quietly go.  So I have learned that seeing people again will be a process and today was the first step in that process.  I know that this step had to happen.  It would have been harder with my family as it would have been a larger group.  It was hard, but I am glad I did it.  Other things I am happy about:

• On the walk, I went by a street with a bluebird perched on the street sign.  It flew away quickly, flapping that magnificent shade of blue.  The street name was Finch Circle.
• On the way home, I asked the family to stop at the walking bridge that goes over the Merrimack River and runs by the train tracks.  I didn't think that Gideon had been there before and it is a short walk over and back (.35 miles). 

• The cats missed us when we were gone.  

I missed the shot where Winston 
was rubbing his head into Zed's.

• Candy.

We edited and uploaded the last of the videos for downsizing during Lent.  I'm going to take some time to regroup and work in the yard and garden.

☮

Currently reading: The Backyard Homestead, by Carleen Madigan.

Stay safe.

Geraniums

The downsizing for Lent challenge that Zed and I have been doing is over.  Well, the recording part, there is still a bunch of editing.  Zed and I had a long talk about what the next steps should be.  I still have a bunch of boxes.  It has been 46 days of going through boxes and finding places to put things and get rid of at least one thing from that box.  When I wanted to keep everything, I worked on another box.  I think that only happened once.  It has been challenging and fun, but this week -at least the end of it- has been overwhelming.  Tomorrow, Easter, there is no plan to go through a box.  Zed and I are planning to continue on some level until my boxes are sorted and I have less stuff.  This coming week though will be a regrouping.  I don't want to lose the momentum, but I also don't want to completely burn out.  When we started this I feel that I was mostly on top of the things I normally do.  The last week or two things have started to slide.  The pile of boxes in my bedroom has grown because I have put trash or recycling in boxes and then left them in my room instead of taking care of them.  After a week of playing catch up and cleaning I will get back to the boxes.  I am so thankful for the friends who suggested getting rid of things for Lent.    Other things I am happy for today:

• Today was National Find a Rainbow Day.  It is all about finding beauty, hope, or wellness.  My kind of day.  Here is more information on the holiday.
• For the month of April I joined with a group of people to do a pilgrimage.  We each log how much we walk and see how many miles we can do.  I went on a short walk around the property today, only three fourths of a mile.  I decided to cut through places that have no path again.  The little brook was babbling so I stopped for a moment to listen.
• Standing still I can listen.  The sounds of cars and children playing fade toward the back and what comes forward are the bird song and dried leaves rustling as the breeze carries them to somewhere new.  

• The cats are getting along today and they are super cute.

• The geraniums are starting to look like geraniums and not just leaves popping through soil.

I know it is hard to see, but some leaves
are getting the right shape to grow into a geranium.

☮

Currently reading: The Backyard Homestead Seasonal Planner, by Ann Larkin Hansen.

Stay safe.

Re-reorganizing

 If my parents had some kind of shady past that they kept receipts for, I feel like I would have found them with this last box I went through.  Mom kept pretty much everything when it came to receipts and cards and mail.  In my case, the apple didn't fall far from the tree.  If I ever had any doubt that I was my mother's child, that would be gone too.  I now have some of the hospital receipts from her stay when I was born.  I found some for one of my brothers, but not the other.  It is quite possible that I just missed them.  Had my birthday not caught my eye as I was going through the papers, I wouldn't have seen mine to save it.  Will I continue to save it?  No.  It is currently with things to keep, but I plan to go through many things again and scan or photograph them and then get rid of the paper.  Having this box behind me is huge.  Other things I am happy for today:

• Keziah and I reorganized the piles of boxes that I still need to go through--again.  I touched almost every single one this time.  There are only a couple more that I expect to be horrible like the one I just finished.  We did a sort-books, craft, photos/genealogy, and misc.  The craft and photos/genealogy are going to stay where they are for a bit.  Ideally we are going through the book boxes tomorrow for the last official day of downsizing.  After at least one day off (Easter) I am going to try to continue doing a box a day.  It feels good to have a little more of a plan for which boxes to go through next.

Today before the sort.

Today after the sort.

• Watching the cats play on the toys that Keziah has purchased and built for them.

Nanni and Winston.

• Before dinner I took a nice walk out back and around the yard, about 1.6 miles.
• The garlic is starting to come up.

• There are shades of green starting to show.  Here are some of my favorite pictures from today.

• It is Minecraft night.  

☮

Currently reading: The Backyard Homestead Seasonal Planner, by Ann Larkin Hansen.

Stay safe.

Turning Dirt

 Three boxes went through today but nothing as fun as yesterday's old pictures.  Most of the things I got rid of.  Well, there were a bunch of old clothes and pieces of fabric that went back into a box for Keziah to use.  It is still gone from my list of things to sort.  I found one of my favorite skirt sets and it is in the box for Keziah.  It will never fit me again and will probably not ever be in style again either.  Honestly, this is me, it was probably not in style when I made it.  Other happy things for today:

• This morning I went to see a friend and shovel sheep manure.  It has been over a year since we have seen each other (pandemic) and it was a nice visit.  Also, I got more manure for the garden.  I borrowed a spindle of hers last time we saw each other, had it in the car, and I forgot to give it to her.  Guess I'll have to help her shovel again soon.  
• After talking with Zed about getting a tiller, I went out to the garden with a pitchfork and turned some of the dirt.  I may be jumping the gun.  Last year I felt like we started late, this year early.  The ground wasn't frozen at all.  This is the part of the garden that I had insect problems-squash bugs and squash vine borers.  Disturbing the soil may reduce the number I get this year.  The squash will also go in a different part of the garden.  It is a nice feeling to have this started.

This is the first of three rows I will need to do just to
get the area that I had squash and pumpkins last year.

☮

Currently listening to: Goodbye, Things, by Fumio Sasaki.
Currently reading: The Backyard Homestead Seasonal Planner, by Ann Larkin Hansen.

Stay safe.

Old Family Photos

 When I entered the book I finished yesterday onto my Goodreads account I looked down at some of the books I've read.  One title drew my attention: Goodbye, Things by Fumio Sasaki.  I decided to listen to it again.  The author of this book is more of a minimalist than I am trying to be.  However, already listening to this is helping me as I rethink some of the things I have decided to keep.  Right now, as I downsize, the goal is to get the things I have to fit into my space or go away.  After that is done will be the time to go through it all again and cut down on things even more.  Not that I want to be a minimalist, but I have no need to be a maximist.  Other things today that helped me be happy:

• Right now, the rest of the house is asleep or trying to be.  There is the sound of Dolly Parton coming from Gideon's room.  This is new, him listening to music to help him sleep.  It seems nice to me at the moment.
• I took another block of time to work in the yard today.  This time I put on bandages where my thumbs normally blister to protect them from a blister on top of a blister.  It seemed to work.
• The box I went through today had some old pictures in it.

The boy with "Kitty" is my Great-Uncle Bernard.
The girl behind him is my grandmother.
I can only assume that the woman in the door is my great-grandmother,
that person wasn't listed on the back.

Pretty sure this is my great-grandmother.
If not, I think it would be her mother.
I'm forgetting names and that bothers me.

This is my grandmother on her,
"1st ascent Mt Chocorua."
I have no idea what she is sitting on!

Great-Aunt Marjorie, my grandmother and Great-Uncle Bernard.

Great-Uncle Bernard.

• Keziah and I picked her van up at the garage today.  It is fixed.  
• Some of the seeds that I planted in one of the milk jug greenhouses are sprouting.  I was almost ready to give up.  I need to remember to water them tomorrow.

Itty bitty leaves poking through.

☮

Currently listening to: Goodbye, Things, by Fumio Sasaki.

Stay safe.

Five Boxes

 With the help of my daughter, Keziah, we went through a total of five boxes today.  Some of that got put away, some trash/burn/recycle, and there are two quite full boxes ready to be donated.  The place where the boxes are has enough room in it now that Keziah can set up a little studio space to do her art.  Other happy things for today:

• One of the things that I unpacked was an evening dress that I think I got to go out for New Year's Eve quite a few years ago.  I'm keeping it.  I'll have to find a reason to wear it, or make a reason, but I am keeping it.  
• It was windy enough out today that I didn't feel safe taking a walk outside.  Things were flying all over the place.  Instead, I stayed inside and worked on a latch hook project and listened to my audio book.  I finished the book, Quiet.  A great deal of research went into that book.  There are many aspects to being an introvert and this book delved into them and did so from different angles.  Working on the latch hook and listening to a book was a great way to relax after going through the boxes.

This latch hook was probably started when I was a teenager.
I did five or six rows today.

• Cats.

☮

Finished listening to Quiet, by Susan Cain.

Stay safe.

Palm Sunday

 Yesterday I got the Covid vaccine.  Other than a sore arm from where the needle went in, I don't seem to be having any adverse effects.  There have been aches and pains, but nothing that I can point to and say is different than other days aches and pains.  Yesterday I helped move a couch and this morning I took a four mile walk. These things can also bring aches and pains.  I've been keeping track of my temperature since last October and there is no big change there either.  I do feel like I may be having allergy issues.  I don't think I can attribute that to the vaccine either.  All this is to say, "so far, so good."  Other things that I am happy about:

• During my four mile walk I remembered to listen to the audio book that is due Tuesday.  Just under three more hours to listen to.  
• I noticed buds on some of the plants in the front of the house.  I don't remember what came up there last year.

• Again, I enjoy editing all the video footage with Zed.  I don't think it is just the adult beverages.
• While editing there was a video that popped up on Zed's computer and started to play.  This same video started to play on Thursday too.  Zed keeps putting off watching it.  The video is about procrastination.  🤣

☮

Currently listening to Quiet, by Susan Cain.

Stay safe.

New-To-Us Couch

 Today I said goodbye to the couch I got from an aunt (now deceased).  Some of the legs had broken and the frame as well.  I'm not sure how long she had it, but I've had it for over five years I think.  Before seeing the cracked frame, I considered trying to have it kept in the apartment.  For the last 39 days though, I've been getting rid of at least one thing a day.  It isn't always easy, but it does seem to be getting a little easier.  It was easier for me to say goodbye to the couch today versus how it would have been 39 days ago.  Other happy things for today:

• We were able to get some sheep manure from a friend.  This will help the garden grow.  If all goes well, I will help that friend later in the week and either get more, or help someone else get some manure.
• Some of that manure went right into the compost bin.  I'm hoping it will help the compost break down faster.  While at the bin Zed noticed a crocus nearby.  There are a few coming up in a part of the yard that we didn't do much with last year.  Since we moved here last April, the flower was most likely already gone.  They are one of the very first flowers to come up in the spring.

One crocus so far.
There seem to be others to the left of that one.
Maybe after the rains I'll rake there.

• This afternoon Keziah brought a friend (Keziah's mother-in-law) and I to get our first covid vaccine (Pfizer).  We had an appointment and got there early.  There were no lines and we only had to wait (maybe two minutes) at the last station.  The process was relatively painless.  Even the shot didn't hurt much.  Tomorrow, who knows?  Today it went well.  Our second shot will be April 26th.
• While we were getting vaccinated Keziah got us Blizzards from Dairy Queen.  I love the snickerdoodle flavor, with extra flavor.
• As the sun was setting I went outside to appreciate it.  

• As the orange sky was darkening in the west, the nearly full moon was rising in the east.

• Saturday night was a pizza and movie night for us.  We all piled onto the new-to-us couch that they picked up today and watched Thor: The Dark World.  The couch is about fourteen and a half feet long.  Gideon says that it is a perfect couch for social distancing.  😃

There is room for two more people at the end-
or two cats.

☮

Currently listening to Quiet, by Susan Cain.

Stay safe.