I've reached it. The point I reach every winter. The snow stretches across our fields, pristine and white but no longer lovely to my eyes. I'm not bitter about winter yet (though that may well come), but the visit has been long enough.
I long for the breezes blowing through the open windows, the snap of sheets as they blow in the wind on the clothesline, the smell of pure freshness after the clothes come in, the green - the green!
Green grass, green trees, little green seedlings poking up through the soil, green everything. Can it come soon?
Thursday, 28 February 2008
Wednesday, 27 February 2008
home ec at home
R discovered sewing yesterday, and she quite enjoyed it. I had made the first layer of her medieval dress (pics to follow when all three are done; only A's remains) and, considering the fabric and seams required on her kirtle (the top layer, basically a sleeveless tunic covering the main dress) I decided it was good for her to learn to use the machine. I showed her step-by-step how to thread the machine, how to adjust the speed with her foot, how to pin the fabric and then run it through for a seam that we then pressed.
I had flashbacks to my own time learning to sew, the terms in junior high Home Ec class where we learned lots of rules and how-tos, the time spent sewing with my mom where I learned much that broke those rules but made more sense, born as it was of years of experience and coming from someone who was and is a great teacher. I particularly remember one instance of pressing out a certain seam, and Mom showing me a trick. "Where did you learn that?" I asked, to which she replied, "When you do it wrong enough times, you figure out a way to do it right!" How true.
Of course, that led to recalling the cooking terms of Home Ec class, telling R about it and how we were docked marks if we dared to actually taste the food while it cooked. R met that with a blank stare ("what? How can you know if it's seasoned right?" ah, my good little chef) and we laughed as I realized that she is learning from me much as I learned from my mom, that sometimes (and often) experience takes the day.
After everything was put together R put it all on and proceeded to run about the house looking like an extra out of Rivendell. I almost expected to see her ears had taken on elvish points. She loved it, and I was amused and surprised at my camo girl twirling around in *gasp* a dress. I had thought that getting them to dress like medieval girls for the feast might be a problem (A had been talking armor at one point), but it seems we shall be a proper nobleman's family at our dinner. And thanks to donations from Goaliemom's freezer of a duck and two pheasants, that has taken on a more authentic tone.
Today will be spent at home, sewing A's dress, editing Seren's book which continues to delight me even as I apply what we now call the Red Pen of Doom, and coming up with something good for supper. Sole and risotto with brussels sprouts (sauted with carmelized onions), I'm thinking. And yes, I will taste it as I cook. Dock marks if you like. I don't care. HA!
I had flashbacks to my own time learning to sew, the terms in junior high Home Ec class where we learned lots of rules and how-tos, the time spent sewing with my mom where I learned much that broke those rules but made more sense, born as it was of years of experience and coming from someone who was and is a great teacher. I particularly remember one instance of pressing out a certain seam, and Mom showing me a trick. "Where did you learn that?" I asked, to which she replied, "When you do it wrong enough times, you figure out a way to do it right!" How true.
Of course, that led to recalling the cooking terms of Home Ec class, telling R about it and how we were docked marks if we dared to actually taste the food while it cooked. R met that with a blank stare ("what? How can you know if it's seasoned right?" ah, my good little chef) and we laughed as I realized that she is learning from me much as I learned from my mom, that sometimes (and often) experience takes the day.
After everything was put together R put it all on and proceeded to run about the house looking like an extra out of Rivendell. I almost expected to see her ears had taken on elvish points. She loved it, and I was amused and surprised at my camo girl twirling around in *gasp* a dress. I had thought that getting them to dress like medieval girls for the feast might be a problem (A had been talking armor at one point), but it seems we shall be a proper nobleman's family at our dinner. And thanks to donations from Goaliemom's freezer of a duck and two pheasants, that has taken on a more authentic tone.
Today will be spent at home, sewing A's dress, editing Seren's book which continues to delight me even as I apply what we now call the Red Pen of Doom, and coming up with something good for supper. Sole and risotto with brussels sprouts (sauted with carmelized onions), I'm thinking. And yes, I will taste it as I cook. Dock marks if you like. I don't care. HA!
Tuesday, 19 February 2008
family day ... and week
A long weekend is making Tuesday feel like Monday. Yesterday was the first Ontario "Family Day" statutory holiday (yes, that is what it's called), meaning that D had a long weekend. And there was much rejoicing.
The weekend was a relaxing mix of sewing medieval dresses, having our Valentine meal (roast beef, risotto, and a made-up though not likely original mix of mushrooms sauteed with bacon), church, having Seren's family and B's family over for dinner, going to another friend's farm for dinner last night, and spending some of yesterday at the War Museum. The girls and I have been several times, Derek none.
In the course of the visit we walked through a recreation of a first-world war trench, landed on the Normandy beaches on D-day, saw the changes in weapons and uniforms from the earliest conflicts to modern peacekeeping, D took in a computer simulation of World War 3, M stuck her head in a cannon from the Louisbourg fortress from the 1750s and the girls became aware of how glad we are that we don't use the medical equipment from back in the day. Most of them appeared to be of the limb-removal type; especially nasty was the hand-driven circular cutter for relieving pressure in the brain. Ew.
So now we're back into a week although it won't be the norm, thanks to the arrival of Goaliemom this evening for a short visit. Hopefully the Canal will recover from Sunday's melt so we can take her out skating.
The weekend was a relaxing mix of sewing medieval dresses, having our Valentine meal (roast beef, risotto, and a made-up though not likely original mix of mushrooms sauteed with bacon), church, having Seren's family and B's family over for dinner, going to another friend's farm for dinner last night, and spending some of yesterday at the War Museum. The girls and I have been several times, Derek none.
In the course of the visit we walked through a recreation of a first-world war trench, landed on the Normandy beaches on D-day, saw the changes in weapons and uniforms from the earliest conflicts to modern peacekeeping, D took in a computer simulation of World War 3, M stuck her head in a cannon from the Louisbourg fortress from the 1750s and the girls became aware of how glad we are that we don't use the medical equipment from back in the day. Most of them appeared to be of the limb-removal type; especially nasty was the hand-driven circular cutter for relieving pressure in the brain. Ew.
So now we're back into a week although it won't be the norm, thanks to the arrival of Goaliemom this evening for a short visit. Hopefully the Canal will recover from Sunday's melt so we can take her out skating.
Wednesday, 13 February 2008
snow day
It being February, with March break a while off and the girls having put in six weeks' hard work in school, and some lovely new snow having fallen last night, I have declared a snow day. The public school kids have already enjoyed a few of these, and we haven't taken advantage of the weather for a day off before today.
This morning was an early start, D and I out putting the rogue chain back on the tractor. This is far better to do as a two-person job, as one (me) sits in the tractor and edges it back and forth while directed by the stronger one (D), who lifts, adjusts, tightens, and arranges the chain. Once it was on D headed in to shower and get ready for work while I cleared a path through for him to drive. It'll need a little more work this afternoon but is more passable than it's been for a few days.
We will be doing our medieval work today, but that's it. We're playing inside with the hamster, Lego, My Little Pony, and whatever else strikes our fancy. The girls are eager to get their costumes started, and after browsing several medieval clothing sites and trying to find something that's as authentic as possible but still doable, I think we're ready. Apparently A's Bionocle characters are going to help. Hmm.
Valentine's Day is tomorrow, and the girls and I had thought of doing our fancy dinner today, but with D at the church's annual meeting tonight, band practice tomorrow, and dance on Friday, it looks like it'll be a weekend meal. Maybe lobster will drop from its stupidly high price of $17 per pound by then? Wishful thinking, I know. But I think that on a snow day wishful thinking is allowed. Even encouraged.
This morning was an early start, D and I out putting the rogue chain back on the tractor. This is far better to do as a two-person job, as one (me) sits in the tractor and edges it back and forth while directed by the stronger one (D), who lifts, adjusts, tightens, and arranges the chain. Once it was on D headed in to shower and get ready for work while I cleared a path through for him to drive. It'll need a little more work this afternoon but is more passable than it's been for a few days.
We will be doing our medieval work today, but that's it. We're playing inside with the hamster, Lego, My Little Pony, and whatever else strikes our fancy. The girls are eager to get their costumes started, and after browsing several medieval clothing sites and trying to find something that's as authentic as possible but still doable, I think we're ready. Apparently A's Bionocle characters are going to help. Hmm.
Valentine's Day is tomorrow, and the girls and I had thought of doing our fancy dinner today, but with D at the church's annual meeting tonight, band practice tomorrow, and dance on Friday, it looks like it'll be a weekend meal. Maybe lobster will drop from its stupidly high price of $17 per pound by then? Wishful thinking, I know. But I think that on a snow day wishful thinking is allowed. Even encouraged.
Tuesday, 12 February 2008
stuck
First: medieval immersion is so far (all of one day) a big success with the kids. The feudal system was covered yesterday, and shopping for fabric for tunics and kirtles for the girls.
Last night a meeting with some of the sound & tech guys from church was planned, so when we got home I started supper, left R in charge, and headed out to plow the badly-drifted driveway. This would be fine if the drifting hadn't also blocked the tractor's route to the driveway. After almost getting stuck going forward, executing a 46-point turn to get the blower facing the drift and starting to get some of it out of the way, I realized that the tractor wheel was spinning inside the chain. Uh oh.
Our tractor wheels are what are called 'turf tires' - that is, not the big knobby agricultural ones. Turf tires don't chew up the ground when you drive, so we can use them to mow our lawn. Because of that they need chains in the winter. Big, 60- pound chains that must be wrapped around each huge tire and then fastened in place. So as I watched it spinning inside the chain, I figured a move-forward-and-try-to-fix-it might be in order. Good idea, had not the entire chain fallen off when I next moved forward. And it didn't even have the courtesy to fall on the outside of the wheel, but instead sat smugly around the axle. Under the tractor I went, trying to find the junction point and undo the chain, which needed bare hands to finally get it undone. Oh yeah, and it's about -23C while all this is happening.
After all that, the chicken curry, basmati rice and warm naan were a welcome supper!
I did get it back to the barn, D shuttled the guys in from the road in the truck, and the meeting was great. Tonight is, of course, putting the chain back on. Brr.
Last night a meeting with some of the sound & tech guys from church was planned, so when we got home I started supper, left R in charge, and headed out to plow the badly-drifted driveway. This would be fine if the drifting hadn't also blocked the tractor's route to the driveway. After almost getting stuck going forward, executing a 46-point turn to get the blower facing the drift and starting to get some of it out of the way, I realized that the tractor wheel was spinning inside the chain. Uh oh.
Our tractor wheels are what are called 'turf tires' - that is, not the big knobby agricultural ones. Turf tires don't chew up the ground when you drive, so we can use them to mow our lawn. Because of that they need chains in the winter. Big, 60- pound chains that must be wrapped around each huge tire and then fastened in place. So as I watched it spinning inside the chain, I figured a move-forward-and-try-to-fix-it might be in order. Good idea, had not the entire chain fallen off when I next moved forward. And it didn't even have the courtesy to fall on the outside of the wheel, but instead sat smugly around the axle. Under the tractor I went, trying to find the junction point and undo the chain, which needed bare hands to finally get it undone. Oh yeah, and it's about -23C while all this is happening.
After all that, the chicken curry, basmati rice and warm naan were a welcome supper!
I did get it back to the barn, D shuttled the guys in from the road in the truck, and the meeting was great. Tonight is, of course, putting the chain back on. Brr.
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