The Dead of Winter

So often growing up I heard, in the dead of winter.  Usually the time between mid January and February this comment was made.  It was a time everything slows to only the cows being fed, milked and "drops" being cleaned twice a day.  Early morning before daylight off to the barn my dad and mom would go to get the feeding and milking done.  Way back then the milk was carried to the milk house by buckets, one in each hand.  This is called the farmer's walk.  You don't want to carry just one bucket, that would make you lop sided, two evens out the walk.  It was then poured into a large strainer atop a milk can.  Once filled my dad would lift them into the milk cooler.  Easy to see why farmers were lean, strong and hard working people.  Mom would wash the cows teats with a disinfectant.  Even back then it was important to be a clean dairy farmer.  The better milk plants only took the cleanest of farmer's milk.  Ours went to Port Allegany.  In fact when my brothers were young they hauled milk to the milk plant for farmers in the area.  Then off to the military one by one until all three had left home.  Our farm was run by mom and dad, never a hired hand.  That meant putting in hay, ensilage and oats by themselves on top of milking twice a day.  Long days, no vacations and rest only from sun down to sun up.  Now, the dead of winter was a welcome time for the farmer even getting out in the snow, cold and windy mornings at 5 am.  This was a time my dad would read or watch Gun Smoke and Raw Hide.  Mom would knit, crochet and sew trying to get as much done before Spring arrived and all the farm work that would start all over again.  As I think of all she did it amazes me how many will never know what a farmer's wife did in a day.  From meals, baking, mending, milking and cleaning.  How would the modern woman ever be able to do all this?  Can you imagine never having time to get on the Internet?  Just work and be glad you can and have what you have. 

My mom was proud of her clean house and all she could do.  Not once did I ever hear her complain.  Oh, I take that back!   She would get upset that I didn't take better care of my room.  Looking back I know why, she grew up POOR.  I mean poor, back then no free things, a man worked at what he could and that was what the family lived on.  My grandfather came from Germany at a very young age,  When old enough he worked in the Glass Factories from Ohio to southern PA and finally ending up at one in Shinglehouse.  Poor.  In fact if you want to know how poor some people were, google The Poor Houses in our area.  If they were lucky enough to get into one.  Life is what we make it, enjoy it or change it. 

Alright back to the dead of winter.  Around Cook'n by the Creek we try to keep busy, take breaks to read, check out what is new on the Internet, me knit and Dick build a few things.  He is in the basement working on a pull cabinet to go between the frig and stove at the cabin.  It is only 10 inches wide and will be on wheels so I can pull it out.  This is where I will store all of my spices, oils and types of vinegar.  Next he is building a cabinet for under the frig that will have a drawer and be used for potatoes and onions.  Finally open shelves for over the sink for what ever I decide will look best.  Every little space will have a purpose at the cabin/house.  We are still planning on selling our house and moving to the cabin.  Kind of exciting to plan the next phase of our life. 

Last but not forgotten our deer and bunny friends.  They get fed twice a day now.  Usually the deer have been coming late afternoon or after dark.  We keep a trail camera on to make sure coyotes aren't hanging around.  So far none.  We do hear them occasionally barking and yipping.  It is breeding season so we will be hearing quite a bit from them.  The deer came down at 11:30 am today during the worst part of the storm, stayed quite a while eating and then off they ran to the woods.  One lone guy stopped by about 4:30.  He got the gourmet meal.  Dick had just refilled with feed and corn but the treat was chopped up butternut squash!  The deer love it and we have quite a few left in the cellar from the garden.  Once a week Dick chops up one for them.  We have decided next spring we will be planting squash and pumpkins for winter feed for the deer.

Happy to feed the deer and bunnies.  Our entertainment in the dead of winter.

Even only being January we are already talking garden among other things.  I am hoping to stick to our plan and cut back this year.  We plant way to much and give more than we use away. Except for the potatoes, corn and squash.  I will still plant enough to give to my niece and daughter.  Gardens are had work, especially is a 4 week span of ......WEEDS!  For some reason they grown out of control for about 4 weeks, once the garden plants get big enough then the weeds get choked out.  Seed catalogues have arrived daily, fun to look at but I like to buy locally.  Dickerson's at Riverside in Wellsville have a great variety of everything we need.

Old Habits

The saying, old habits are hard to break.  Maybe because we don't want to break them, they are just fine doing what they have done for 69 years give or take.  How do I come up with this thought, who the heck knows.  It is after the storm, lots of snow, plenty of cold and wind.  It is Monday, laundry day, make a grocery list for Wednesday shopping and there ya have it.  A couple of my old habits.  For some reason sitting quietly thinking and planning meals with a piece of paper and pen is one of my favorite times to relax.  I tried putting the list on my phone but for some reason it just doesn't float my boat, light my candle, etc.  That paper and pen is like old school.  Plus.....I hate walking around with phone in hand looking at the list in a store.

The previous blog was before and preparing for the storm.  Now it is after and taking care of all the snow that piled up.  Dick's job is moving it around with the tractor, shoveling spots for the deer and birds to come eat their goodies and start engines to make sure they will start.  My two jobs, making sure the porch is cleared off and shoveling the walk to the driveway.  Now we are ready to enjoy the snow, do a little snowshoeing and maybe a nice hot dog roast in the woods.  I am not a hot dog person but there is something about a roasted one over an open fire, burnt of course.  I have also been waiting for lots of snow to get the Snow Fire blanket outdoors for pictures.  Today is the day while the snow is clean with out tracks in it.

This is by far my favorite knitting accomplishment.

Double knit, reversible.

One thing about snow storms, they always sound like it will last for days and days.  Not around here, 2 or 3 days is about it.  Today the sun is shining but oh so cold.  Still nice to be out and smell the clean fresh air.  We actually woke up at midnight last night to see the beautiful eclipse of the moon.  What a sight!   Right on time the clouds broke away to give us full view.

Let's talk old habits!  That Monday do the wash thing and change bedding.  For some reason any other day just doesn't work for me or I am not willing to change old habits.  Even when I worked the laundry went in before work or after on Monday.  Groceries were always on Thursday because that was pay day.  One habit that has been broken and long forgotten, ironing.  Now even if hung on the line outdoors there are usually no wrinkles.  The only ironing I do is if we are going somewhere special, then it is a quick press to touch up from hanging in the closet.  I just threw my ironing board away and now in the hunt for a small one that hooks on the back of a door.  Not sure they make them anymore but that is what I want.

Then there is food, it seems to always be about food around here.  Watching the snow fall, the cold winds blow and the quiet of Clara Valley calls for some good old fashioned comfort food.  Or not.  I have been watching cooking shows on you tube from foreign countries.  Asian and Eastern seems to be the ones that I have been thinking..........that looks delicious.  For Sunday we had Flat Bread or Naan, depending on the country.  Fresh sauteed yellow, zucchini, onions, red sweet peppers, carrots and garlic with some curry, cumin, coriander, garlic, salt and pepper in olive oil.  Then for a sauce it was Tatziki which is Greek yogurt, grated cucumber, onion, garlic, lemon juice and olive oil.  No meat but it wasn't missed.  Of course Dick had his requested cinnamon rolls for an early evening snack.  It has been quite interesting learning to cook new foods.  Mongolian Beef with fried rice and spring rolls have also been very good.  Not sure what next weekend will bring for something new but I am sure it will be something with a foreign flare.

Flat bread, 3 ingredients and so easy!

A little Mideastern food.

Waiting for Snow

I remember my mom saying throughout my young age of single digits and early teens.........the calm before the storm.  That was a saying that came back to me yesterday while getting ready for the "big snowfall" we are predicted to get.  Dick was busy filling the bird feeders, taking corn to the deer and putting out vegetable scraps for the bunnies. We feed them all because they are the best channel to tune into.  Nature at its finest.  We have a little 7 point buck that comes every afternoon just before dark.  Usually about the time we are setting down for our supper.  What a view, he is an alert little guy, eat a bite, look around and then move to the next treat laid out for him.  I watched him all through deer season and when he showed up it was........whewwww,  he made it through another day.  Just a small bodied buck, young but has a promising rack for years to come.  If he stays smart.  That darn "buck in rut" season can make ever the old wise one lose their common sense.

Time to feed the deer.

"Little buck"  comes a running through the pasture for corn.

 The next thing on the husband's list for storm prep was putting the blade on the tractor for plowing,  check the oils and give it a once over.  We bought that John Deere the first year we moved to Clara, 20 years ago, 1999.  It has not cost us more than oils and gas until last summer.  Dick had Dan Austin and his son Merle give it a few replacement parts.  They did a great job on getting John D. operating like a new young man.  We sure have put that tractor through the work.  From brush hogging the fields, pushing dirt, gravel, manure, snow, and hauling wood and hay,  it has earned its keep.  Here is to 20 more years..................  The last thing was getting the snow shoes and poles out.  We are hoping for some nice winter walks after the snow, come on snow.  As I set here by the fire writing a truck went by pulling a huge snowmobile trailer.  Some one is coming to their camp for the snow.  Good for them!

A few years ago but hopefully will look like this tomorrow.

 We try to stay busy during the winter days with little piddly things that we have no time for in the busy seasons around Cook'n by the Creek.  Dick is building a "shave horse" since he is going to try carving.  A shave horse is built of wood, kinda looks like the shape of a horse and holds wood while he shaves big pieces down to little ones.  It looks neat and very rustic since he built it from scrap wood and iron wood branches.  The only cost, a few long screws from Norton Supply.  From the looks of it, the shaving should begin this weekend.  Mornings are always check the traps.  There is one wise old Mr. Fox out smarting the trapper.  Who will win?   Time will tell.  Then there is skinning the fox that were taken and from the looks of them will make beautiful tanned hides.

The warmth of the basement.

 Now, what is the wife's duties for preparing for the storm?  Making sure we have everything we need to eat.  Tuesday we headed out of the valley to gather the few things.  Tomorrow homemade bread and cinnamon rolls will be warming the house and making it smell so good.  We are very lucky, if the storm takes out electric we still have gas heat and cook stove.  That is it for my duties.   The rest of my days consist of reading, knitting and watching "how to" you tube videos.  They are my go to on anything I want to learn.  Right now I am learning the German Short Row for a sweater I am knitting.  All too soon winter will be over and the busy season will begin so while I can I am going to enjoy the peace and serenity of winter snow.

Good place for coffee and you tube.

The sweater

Couldn't resist watching the fire as I knit.

I will end this with the memories of Dick's beautiful ride, Smokey.  We have had him since 2000 and everyday was about watching him, Dick riding, feeding, brushing, hauling hay and loving every minute.  Even when he would crash the fence and repairs would be made he was worth his weight in gold.
                                                              Happy Trails Smokey

He was a spunky guy!

     For the love of horse and man.

                                           7/2000 - 12/2018