We found the tiny Episcopal church in Cottage Grove last Sunday, and it seems like a congenial congregation, though the 20 members in attendance (every pew was in use! ) were not any more musical than your average subway car. It made us think of home, however, and I thought I'd drop you these lines.
John and Gayle left a few days ago- they came and visited and we rewarded them with the task of literally making their own beds. The few days they were here were a nice change of pace for us, though the getting settled is taking all our time most days, getting some fresh viewpoints was a welcome perspective on our organizational efforts.
I will be spending inauguration day 20 minutes north of here in Eugene, buying a generator and a chain saw to clear some of the fallen trees and branches from the last ice storm, and cut down a maple that wants to eat the yurt, starting with the stovepipe. I took a walk around the property and found that I will need to be a forester before I get to be a gardener, it seems. In the end, the forestry may yield some fenceposts for the eight foot deer fence that is mandatory for any garden in these parts. I'm building a two-wheel dolly to strap onto the rear of a towed log, to help the process, and a winch to help draw them in. There are probably a dozen logs already cut and more in the recent wreckage that I must clear before someone gets hurt. Made some progress on the winch and mount- just have to get the electric power figured out.
It probably won't rain much, and if we're lucky the temp will get over 50 for a few minutes in the afternoon. All in all, I feel better preparing for an abundant year (with flowers!) than contemplating the storms to come in DC.
The next day, Saturday, I will be returning to Eugene attending a home and garden show/ expo and get a big dose of Carol Deppe, who will be holding an all day series of 5 talks, on home gardening, breeding locally adapted strains of veggies, and other matters important to sustainable gardeners. And she will be selling the locally adapted seeds from her genetics research- squashes, beans, corn, and greens- which I want to plant this Spring.
It's been a busy two weeks since we first turned the key in the lock of our new place. I am seeing fewer cardboard boxes and finding more of the basic stuff we need for living. Meanwhile the stack of cardboard to start garden beds is growing.
The chest cold from Hell is still hanging on, but it's starting to improve incrementally.
We ordered and received an almost-cord of imperfectly seasoned firewood and we are using it to augment our electric heating, Keeping a wood stove going day and night in the large windowed common room off the open kitchen.
I've been shopping for a pan to rebuild the semi cylinder frame we found here into a greenhouse once more. Territorial Seed Company has the covering I need, though I must improvise the two flat ends with framed doors.
I found a box of sweaters and coats and now I can put my two flannel shirts in the wash.
I'm putting my garage shop together and making maximum use of the pegboard on the walls.
Got a jumbo mailbox to replace the small one we had, and we're all set now to get small packages delivered.
In between I'm walking the land and planning out gardens and terraces and play areas for the grandchildren.
I got a heating pad for my worm bin in the garage to keep them working- it's been between 40 and 50 out there, and though they won't freeze, I want them working harder.
Got satellite-based internet and local wifi last week. Now we can get Netflix and HBO on our TV, get text messaging on our phones. We switched to a mobile phone company that is received pretty well in this valley.
Still looking for a beat-up blue pickup truck for carrying garden materials, but I imagine it won't be long before I start shopping for it in earnest on Craig's list.
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