tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7735889699705473872024-03-13T17:22:24.688-04:00Living in the RoundHannah Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04025605055616671109noreply@blogger.comBlogger37125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-773588969970547387.post-82256080949391382582012-06-01T18:28:00.000-04:002012-06-04T18:29:51.932-04:00A few things have changed!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
First, our yurt really feels like a house these days. We're getting so close to living in there full-time... being about ready to have a baby sure does help projects get done! Here's the kitchen...</div>
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The loo (tub is to the left of the sink there, but it's filled with birth supplies, and not hooked up at the moment... neither is the sink for that matter)...<br />
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The hearth...<br />
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Bedroom...<br />
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Dining room, and the entry way. <br />
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Pretty fantastic, huh? <br />
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It's amazing how many things have popped in the natural world these last few weeks too!<br />
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This was me at 37 weeks- we finally hit our due window! Now, our baby can be born safely at home whenever it chooses to come...<br />
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Britty came to visit! <br />
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And the hooties have re-appeared... this time in the form of the cuteness on the left for our baby, and the cuteness on the right for DJ and Kathy's baby Mia. Jon and I made them the other week... I'm not sure this project encouraged absolute fondness for the sewing machine, but he did an awesome job!<br />
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I also found myself inspired by Chelsea's handiwork to make these for Mia... I wonder if they'll fit her when she arrives sometime in late June/ early July?<br />
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My overwhelm at the greenhouse effect inside the yurt due to the awesome dome window inspired a sewing project. We rigged up this fancy octagonal window shade that can be opened and closed from the floor of the yurt by pulling a series of ropes through eye bolts. It's pretty cool! Jon was the master installer, of course. We're calling it the jellyfish.<br />
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These ladies have shown up all over the place in the fields and forests here! They're one of my favorite signs of spring... (the pink lady's slipper orchid, for those of you that don't know her.)<br />
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We had a pre-baby bash at our house in the hopes that we might see a few friends before we disappear for a little while into "Aaah! We just had a baby! Wait, what just happened? How do we... uhmmm?"<br />
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Isla is getting so big these days. She's almost 2 1/2!<br />
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We most recently have been enjoying walking down to the gazebo on the Eastern Promenade to watch the fog roll in...<br />
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I've been drinking lots of tea...<br />
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And working on continuing the manifestation that the baby stays head down for birth! We had a worried spell there for a bit, but I think we're good now. Jon and I successfully turned the baby on Monday morning (doing a manual version in our bed in the yurt), and I'm working hard at maintaining postures and positions that the baby seems to like. </div>
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We're getting closer every day... our due date is this Sunday. When will the bambino arrive, we wonder?<br />
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<br />Hannah Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04025605055616671109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-773588969970547387.post-88660439819243742162011-12-12T14:13:00.001-05:002011-12-13T08:14:50.107-05:00Changes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
So this little story began way back in September...</div>
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And at this point, it looks more like this:</div>
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I was out of commission for the first trimester, but now I am feeling much better. My energy is starting to return, and I am feeling a lot less picky about exactly what I eat. I am still eating about a quart of yogurt every day, and a lot of pickles, but have added many other lovely foods back into my repertoire. Being that I am a foodie at heart, this feels much better to me. It's so strange to genuinely love a particular food, but to have no interest in eating it!</div>
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(A while back now) we finally put our wood stove in!</div>
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Now the cold nights are warmer. We're still figuring out exactly what we need to do to keep it warm all night long, but as our wood has gotten a bit more dry and we've had a chance to learn more of the nuances of the stove, it has improved. <br />
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We have had many visits from the herd of wild turkeys- all 18 of them! They particularly love the crabapples that are still hanging onto the trees in the yard. Incidentally, so do I!<br />
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Our own turkeys made their way to the freezer just before Thanksgiving. We kept 5 Bourbon Reds for breeding- one tom and 4 hens. It's amazing how much noise a single tom still can make when he gobbles!<br />
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Winter arrived, and made everything so lovely here. Just before Thanksgiving we got about 8 to 10 inches.<br />
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and overnight, everything was transformed into a quiet, blanketed wonderland.<br />
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The sound of the snow falling slowly off of the yurt roof was thunderous from inside. In my sleepy state, I couldn't figure out WHAT was going on!<br />
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In the morning I was stricken by beauty everywhere. Look! Our compost bins held up well.<br />
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The pines looked like perfect gnome forest trees.<br />
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The sheep girls weren't sure exactly what to think.<br />
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Magical frost covered each catkin and branch of the trees out front.<br />
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Since then the snow has melted, the muddy path down to the yurt got deeper, and we had our annual holiday sale here at the house. Jon and I didn't have a ton to add, being that we've mostly been working on the yurt. We did manage to get a few things into the mix though. I made these advent calendars, taking inspiration from my mom who makes Mer and I one every year.<br />
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And Jon and I had some macrame we had made in Argentina to add to the mix.<br />
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Kathy's beaded snowflakes adorned the tables...<br />
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along with Erin's finger puppets...<br />
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There were wall hangings, bears, and applique pillows,<br />
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yarn spun from our very own sheep!<br />
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hand-dyed scarves, and hand-felted hats and mittens that Mary made...<br />
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tiny stockings, ornaments,<br />
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felted soaps that Erin and I crafted,<br />
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and hand stitched ornaments of every kind...<br />
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little wooden people,<br />
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gnomes and needle felted critters<br />
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magic wands, fat cats...<br />
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and so many beautiful glass ornaments and window decorations...<br />
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not to mention delicious treats (including jellies and jams, flavored vinegars, dipping oils, and vanilla)<br />
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Nanny's woolen mittens,<br />
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and a lovely assortment of other wooden toys that Dick carved<br />
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to add to the splendor...<br />
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Here are just a few more things to see, all crafted by hand throughout the year by our family...<br />
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Mike was particularly fond of Erin's fat cats. He always has appreciated his likeness in felt. If you recall, when I needle felted him for Jon's birthday mobile, he peed on the gift. I can only assume this was meant as a demonstration of his gratitude and affection.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eSgxf43eNN4/TuZMWJ14jFI/AAAAAAAADl4/ipYAyfiKVIU/s1600/IMG_2810_2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eSgxf43eNN4/TuZMWJ14jFI/AAAAAAAADl4/ipYAyfiKVIU/s320/IMG_2810_2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Hannah Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04025605055616671109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-773588969970547387.post-63896213477212940282011-11-01T10:27:00.000-04:002011-11-01T10:46:33.429-04:00Have you noticed...?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
The jellybean ticks that fly off of Jake as he runs through the door... How can their bodies expand so much? It's crazy! This one landed on the floor upside-down and couldn't get up at all until I turned him to snap this shot.</div>
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I've been loving the frosty mornings we're having. Have you looked closely at the frost? It's so beautiful!<br />
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Frozen raindrops from the previous night:<br />
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And more perfectly-edged sparkly delights:<br />
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including vetch,<br />
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and yarrow...<br />
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Our windows had this 3-dimensional star... it's hard to see that it's poking out at you, but it is!<br />
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Every blade of grass was covered...<br />
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and garden foliage too...<br />
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The turkeys came by to eat crabapples and pebbles from the driveway...<br />
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And then yesterday morning we had our first little hoar frost!<br />
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It made me so excited that I couldn't stop myself... each thing was its own natural wonder to behold!<br />
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Even our front door...<br />
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the solar panel...<br />
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and more leaves and grasses... aren't they stunning?<br />
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I love looking at footprints in the snow. The wild turkeys have big feet, don't they?<br />
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Our own turkeys are getting pretty big too... soon many of them will be joining the lambs in the freezer.<br />
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But for now they're here and as sweet and curious as ever. Yesterday Merry and Isla came up for a few hours and we stopped in to visit the turkeys- one of Isla's favorite activities. We fed the them leaves from the lawn, which made Isla laugh. Her laugh made the male turkeys gobble reflexively. This made her laugh harder, so the turkeys gobbled more, and the whole game continued... it was so funny! I wish you could have been here to see it. We couldn't stop laughing!Hannah Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04025605055616671109noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-773588969970547387.post-51596149590968573942011-10-26T11:40:00.002-04:002011-10-27T11:07:06.033-04:00Cider, Leaves, Firewood<br />
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Fall has come! <br />
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Last night as I walked down to the yurt I noticed how much I appreciated the cold mud beneath my feet, and how it was stiff enough that I didn't sink in- like cold play dough, before you warm it up in your hands. </div>
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Many projects have been going on here over the last couple of weeks. Kathy made her pine cone wreaths for the holiday sale...<br />
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Jon and Dick dug potatoes... about half of them had rotten spots from sitting in the puddles left by the many days of rain we got recently. Still, we have a ton for the winter. This little wheel barrow is only just one tiny sampling.<br />
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Jon harvested in the rain (we were worried more would rot!), and I have never seen anyone so covered in mud. We literally had to hose him off from tip to tail before he went inside in his rain gear!<br />
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We had a very lovely meal at Bresca, thanks to Merry and Stephen. They've been coaching us on the importance of dates, and supplied us with this gift certificate to their favorite date spot in Portland- so sweet, and so delicious! If you can, you should go too! We'd highly recommend it!<br />
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We carved many pumpkins! As you can see, some were more happy about that than others. <br />
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Mer, Isla, and I went back to Vermont last weekend to harvest apples for cider and applesauce. It was just passing peak foliage there, and the colors were amazing!<br />
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Mom knit this sweater for Isla, complete with sparkly green buttons! It was perfect for walks through the orchard on chilly days.<br />
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Not surprisingly, like her mama, Isla loves apples.<br />
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So does Paco, the donkey that lives at the bottom of our driveway! <br />
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The goats prefer cuddles...<br />
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but they're willing to sniff the apples and eat grasses if we pick them something special!<br />
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We decided to use a new method of picking this year: shaking the trees! We found that it made for quick collection, and we soon had plenty for our cider adventure.<br />
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Every year we make a big batch of hard cider with Julian, our childhood best friend and brother equivalent. This is him, pouring the first few pressings into the 5-gallon bucket they'll be hanging out in as they ferment over the next few months.<br />
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Here's the process if you're not familiar: collect apples<br />
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turn the crank, which turns the grinding wheel...<br />
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Feed your apples into the grinder, </div>
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and watch them come out the chute into the mesh bag!</div>
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Once it is full, pull the edges of the bag together, and put the wooden plug in the top.<br />
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Turn the press screw (using a lever toward the end), filter the cider that is squeezed out... and voila! That's it! <br />
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Repeat with friends!<br />
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We boiled some cider down into cider jelly. To do this, just let it bubble away on the stovetop until it has reduced to 1/8 of its original volume (so 1 gallon of cider makes 1 pint of jelly). It gets thick, and dark and molasses-y, and I bet it will be lovely this winter stirred into hot water as a tangy fall-like beverage. It's also delicious used in cooking, much like pomegranate molasses.</div>
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So here we are now, back in Maine. Things on the farm are plugging away as usual. Lots of crafts are being finished for the holiday fair, and firewood is being cut. We're firing up our wood stove in the driveway before putting it into the yurt (to burn of any nasty paint chemicals that may be lurking). Pumpkins have all been harvested and sold, and leaves are falling off the trees. And I knit myself a new winter hat using Jared Flood's Koolhaas hat pattern (I left my other one on a bus in Argentina). It's nice and warm, and thank heavens for that- it's 40 degrees outside today!</div>
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Next I'm going to knit myself another pair of wristers... </div>Hannah Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04025605055616671109noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-773588969970547387.post-23550209401590747892011-10-12T15:28:00.000-04:002011-10-12T15:34:37.972-04:00Circle Game<div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
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I have been trying to figure out what happened to this past week. I can tell you for sure that we've been distracted! It was Jon's birthday, and rather than doing yurty projects I put all of my energy into making him a present.</div>
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It took me three and a half full days, but here it is, all done!</div>
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Jon spent his 'spare' time delicately handcrafting the wooden frame for our hearth pad. I wish I had pictures to show you, but I was... distractedly trying to work on his present between his frequent visits to the kitchen where I was camped out. It took a few tries and some troubleshooting with the various table saws in the basement, but he finally made a beautiful beveled frame out of a raw piece of ash that has been hanging out above the shingle mill for quite some time. With the frame in place, I wasted no time in grouting, and only half a day's work produced this:</div>
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Grouting itself doesn't take that long, but the repeated wiping with the sponge was what took the majority of my time. The goal: getting a smooth grouted space between each tile, and a relatively clean surface before I let it dry for a day or three.</div>
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Our little Argentine potatoes got hit by the last frost (even though we had them covered), but they're still hanging on! I was contemplating digging them today before we get a few days of rain, but Kathy said we might as well let them grow more and dig them once they die back. So here they are, still boogying:</div>
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It's really starting to feel like fall here now that the weather is cooling down and the leaves are changing. Jake doesn't seem to mind. I found him here under the apple trees, ready for a cuddle...</div>
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This weekend we went on a birthday trip to Attean Pond in Jackman (about 3 1/2 hours North of here). Oh. My. Goodness. It was so beautiful! And peaceful. And we had the place to ourselves to boot, which really made the trip seem special.</div>
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We canoed across the lake from where we put in, and found a lovely camp site on a natural sand beach at the foot of Sally Mountain. We hadn't planned on it, but we ended up staying there both nights because it was so lovely. <br />
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We hiked Sally Mt., relaxed on the beach, made some wonderful campfires, and some stellar food too!<br />
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The colors of the changing leaves were phenomenal!</div>
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And there were so many interesting natural world tidbits to appreciate and wonder at... <br />
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On the mountain top Jon saw what he believed to be a fisher, eating berries off the Mountain Ash tree.<br />
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This fellow with a rather long bottom came by to say hello...</div>
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And we sat for 15 or 20 minutes watching a red squirrel try to untangle a small rope he had found from a tree. He worked hard shoving the rope into his cheeks and then pulling with all his might in every direction. <br />
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He seemed to be getting himself quite worked up, so eventually Jon snuck over there and cut the rope off the tree for him. The squirrel came right back and shoved his cheeks full of rope and ran off to some undisclosed location. Hopefully that rope will keep him snuggly and warm this winter!<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HBMKmqXfvEs/TpXklJvO7aI/AAAAAAAADQ0/6JTUXtuOzus/s1600/IMG_2123_2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HBMKmqXfvEs/TpXklJvO7aI/AAAAAAAADQ0/6JTUXtuOzus/s320/IMG_2123_2.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a></div>Hannah Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04025605055616671109noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-773588969970547387.post-73234008029006526572011-09-29T19:26:00.000-04:002011-10-11T18:08:20.506-04:00Our hearth begun and a cranberry harvest<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Our wood piles are growing- we're cutting and stacking... we even have a cord stacked under tarps down by the yurt!</div>
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Jon showed me how to cut tiles with the wet saw, which was fun...<br />
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Not fun: wearing a respirator that reminded me of dissecting cadavers in med school. Hello claustrophobia!<br />
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So, I just decided not to breathe while the saw was running... it worked ok. Thankfully our tiles weren't too big!<br />
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And ta-da! Here it is, in all its glory- our beautiful new hearth pad, tiles all stuck down with thinset and everything!<br />
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Next we'll make a beveled wooden frame to contain it all. Once that's done, I can grout!</div>
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It's a beautiful fall.</div>
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Dick, Erin, and I went to the Brownfield bog to pick cranberries on this gorgeous sunny day...<br />
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If you have never walked around a bog, it's quite an experience. There are little floating islands made of roots, moss, and shrubs that you launch your canoe onto. When you step out, your feet sink into the water, but mostly just above the ankles. In the really bobby places you might sink up to your knees. <br />
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There were lots of pitcher plants<br />
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and many cranberries to hunt for growing amidst the moss and puckerbrush<br />
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Together we picked about five gallons! <br />
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and enjoyed lots of time bobbing and floating with the other plant life. I sense cranberry chutney in our future!<br />
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Hannah Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04025605055616671109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-773588969970547387.post-50102230994622731082011-09-25T11:58:00.002-04:002011-09-25T12:07:51.047-04:00Common Ground<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
We strained our first batch of blueberry E.M. into this bottle... it's delicious! We added a little more sugar on top of the berry mash, and put the cloth back over the top to let it continue making its wonderful healthy microorganisms! We'll pour off the new batch again in a month or more.</div>
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I also strained the blueberry wine mash that I started with Kathy last week. We each are making our own 3-gallon carboy full of blueberry wine, using two different recipes. Mine is inspired by Sandor Katz, and has a few apples and some honey thrown into the mix as well as blueberries from Mom and John's farm.<br />
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Here it is, nearly ready for its cork and airlock. Isn't it beautiful?<br />
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And some food for thought from Michael White, the cat god:<br />
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We just got back last night from two glorious days at the Commonground Fair. It's the very best fair I have ever been to, full of sympatico people, creativity, home-grown fun, music, dancing, art, and delicious food (local, organic, and not your stereotypical fair fare)! <br />
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Unfortunately I didn't think to get out my camera very often, but here are a few snapshots from our time there... This llama (or is in an alpaca?) was humming at us as we raided the fleece tent for roving.<br />
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These turkeys couldn't agree on which one of them was more impressive. Perhaps the won't leave the fair being the best of friends, but they had some good displays for the onlookers amidst their territorial gobbles.<br />
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$5 roosters:<br />
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the biggest pickles on the planet... for Jon: garlic (of course!), and for me: horseradish!<br />
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We were lucky to find DJ and Kathy before nightfall on Friday! We got to camp together in a sea of tents and music makers on the far side of one of the parking lots. <br />
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I think this sums up the feeling of the fair for me. So very cool! So positive! So alternative, and full of new and interesting ideas and things to stimulate thinking, learning, and personal growth! Isn't this a nice way to think about other peoples' poop, for example?<br />
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Oh, inspired art... you will be mine someday!<br />
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A band of roving accordion players singing old-time tunes!<br />
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And miracle of miracles, Sarah found me! We had a lovely time walking together and checking out the splendor for a bit of time on Saturday (it's never long enough!)<br />
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And Jon and I started making fire with a bow drill and what smelled like cedar to me. We got lots of smoke, and Jon even got some good coals going! We'll have to perfect this art at home... But we did learn more about the Primitive Skills School here in Maine where we'd like to study. We want to make moccasins! And bows and arrows! ...And everything else too!<br />
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This morning on our walk back to the house from the yurt, we spied these amidst the apple trees...<br />
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Funky, huh? These last ones are stinkhorns, and they definitely have a distinct odor as you walk past. We will NOT be eating any of these, but they sure are interesting to look at!Hannah Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04025605055616671109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-773588969970547387.post-15436032890051687952011-09-22T11:34:00.000-04:002011-09-25T11:34:43.018-04:00Ditch Complete!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Right, so where did we last leave off? Dig a big ol' trench, with the bottom 20 feet level (in our case, the bottom 12 feet are level, and we felt like that was good enough!)... and then... put that row cover netting under the last 20 feet of pipe (the only part with holes for drainage). This row cover is meant to keep roots from invading the drainage system. Fill with 2-3 inches of crushed rock (lucky we still have quite a stash from building our pilings earlier in the summer!) and lay the perforated pipe on top. Fill with more rock around the sides, and about 1 inch on top, and fold the fabric over the whole thing. You want a good rock burrito!</div>
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Then we just filled in the rest of the hole with the dirt we had dug out. The pipe above the 20 perforated feet is solid, and just has dirt around it- no gravel necessary.<br />
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Our pipe joints were stuck together with some kind of purple liquid and gooey glue made for this purpose. It was pretty to look at, but it stinks up the place!<br />
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After we got most of the ditch filled, we attached our up-spout (where our house drainage will lead, after exiting the floor) and filled in the rest of the trench around it. We even replaced the sod we had dug- you can barely tell we were there, amazingly! All we really have left is a little pile of dirt I will spread on the gardens. We thought the proper way to celebrate was with some Native American corn cakes. This recipe is adapted from one a Wampanoag woman shared. I found it on a site called Chop Onions, Boil Water (an awesome world-food site)</div>
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<b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Tahoma;">Nokake</span></b><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Tahoma;"> (Corn cakes)

<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Tahoma;">2 cups cornmeal</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Tahoma;">1/2 cup flour
(we used rice)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Tahoma;">2 TBS honey
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Tahoma;">1 heaped TBS baking powder
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Tahoma;">1/2 tsp salt
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Tahoma;">1 bunch scallions/green onions (green part only), chopped
(we
used chives, about 1 c.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Tahoma;">1 cup fresh sweet corn kernels
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Tahoma;">Pepper, to taste
(1/2 t.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Tahoma;">3 TBS olive oil<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Tahoma;">Butter<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Tahoma;">1 egg, beaten

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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Tahoma;">1-1/2 cups water
</span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Tahoma;">Mix all but water together in a large bowl.

Slowly add the water until the resulting mixture is
the consistency of hot oatmeal.

Heat a big pan, and add some oil. Pour as much batter as you'd like, making a pancake of sorts (we used 1/4 cup for each). Cook until done on one side, and flip to cook other side. When done, b</span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Tahoma;">rush the surface with
butter.

Continue making corn cakes, adding more oil as needed. These are g<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;">reat with roasted squash
on top, and then smoked pork on top of that. Yum! </span></span></div>
<br />Hannah Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04025605055616671109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-773588969970547387.post-39109122951921758192011-09-21T11:12:00.000-04:002011-09-25T11:37:10.537-04:00Recipe for heaven: A day on Long Island, ME with my amazing family<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />Hannah Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04025605055616671109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-773588969970547387.post-82171375932842338372011-09-17T19:00:00.000-04:002011-09-19T19:01:07.880-04:00Early fall in Pownal<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Our girls eating grass in the morning light...</div>
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So many beautiful sights here as fall progresses! You can just begin to see the changing colors now!<br />
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Apple harvest will come soon...<br />
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When we walk by the bee hives on the way to and from the house (in the morning and at night especially, when the air hangs low and there's not much breeze), you can smell the intoxicating scent of rich honey. It's an indication that the hives are getting full!<br />
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I might literally have cucumbers coming out my ears soon! But first, I'm going to stuff them in baskets, bowls, and jars. Pickles abound!<br />
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Sarah came up for our weekly visit on Friday, so what did we do? We pickled carrots! Of course!<br />
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Jon found this little Eastern Red Bellied snake under the wood pile... and five baby Garter snakes under the yurt! Cuteness!<br />
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We have started to dig the drainage ditch for the yurt. Our friend John (who just so happens to be the best plumber in the world) is helping us to figure out the details. Lucky us!<br />
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First, dig a long, straight trench from just under the yurt down the hill. Try really hard to get the bottom 20 feet to be level. This part has taken us a few days... more to come soon!<br />
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And we had our first frost! I, of course ran outside in the morning (after getting warm by the fire in the house) to see if I could capture the wonder... I got an "are you crazy?" look from Kathy just before I ran out the door...<br />
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Hannah Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04025605055616671109noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-773588969970547387.post-90804534148700336252011-09-13T13:38:00.002-04:002011-09-13T13:38:12.813-04:00A walk in the woods<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
We went out on a foraging expedition this morning, and didn't have to look too far... can you see the mushroom here? To find black trumpets you really have to tune your eyes because they're hard to spot amidst the decaying leaves!</div>
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Erin spotted this sea of caterpillars which clung to this tree trunk and remained very still unless you blew on them, at which point they would all squirm about en masse. It was the strangest thing I have seen in a while!<br />
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Kathy, searching amidst the witch hazel...<br />
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We didn't pick this one, but I thought it sure was purty!<br />
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This is what a short two hours allowed us to find. Our winter cabinets will be chock-a-block full of mushroomy delights!<br />
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Hannah Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04025605055616671109noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-773588969970547387.post-38014026968446603622011-09-13T13:30:00.007-04:002011-09-13T13:51:23.007-04:00Images from the farm<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Jon, playing with Isla in the medicine wheel garden:</div>
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Lazy wife beans, getting toward the end of their growing season:</div>
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Older rows of spinach and lettuce, buckwheat cover crops in far back:</div>
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Checking out the pumpkins (which have completely taken over the back and side of the gardens):</div>
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Dick and the turkey lurkeys:</div>
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Kathy and her beautiful compost:</div>
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Jon and I beside our little taters from Argentina:</div>
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The "terlet" (as Kathy calls it), at home in our yurt bathroom:</div>
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Little butter bean, checkin' it all out:</div>
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Sink and tub:</div>
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Duckie:</div>
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Isla is cute, but she has surprisingly big feet!</div>
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Lying the the yurt with Tula, who has come for her first visit here!</div>
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And hanging out with everyone...</div>
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The someday kitchen:</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vztFhIj6_do/Tm-ScDdXg6I/AAAAAAAADJw/p8TKAVWE3_4/s1600/IMG_1398_2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a>The tractor ride that made Isla nervous at first:</div>
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Isla and Mer:</div>
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And Jake the kitty- Isla's favorite:</div>
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Hannah Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04025605055616671109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-773588969970547387.post-25776134966525004502011-09-07T09:02:00.000-04:002011-09-08T10:29:23.444-04:00A day of firstsEnergy for getting projects done has been building with the fall weather, and today I figured out how to remove sliding drawer hardware so that I could fix the faces of the drawers back onto the cabinet. Once we make and set our countertops, our kitchen sink will fit here right in front of the window.<br />
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We cut the cement board that will go underneath the tiles around our wood stove, and screwed them into place. Tomorrow I hope to start tiling!</div>
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We used our composting toilet for the first time, and we brought our bed down to the yurt! It was interesting to see how much we will be affected by the moon with our big dome skylight. It reminded me of the Mama Roja jungle, sleeping out in the elements, under the moonlight every night. I remember nights when I could barely sleep because the moon was so bright. I'm sure we'll get used to it, but it was different! And chilly! We were warm under our blankets though...</div>
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I'm excited to move more things in so that it really starts to feel like home!</div>
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Hannah Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04025605055616671109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-773588969970547387.post-44420919301075474072011-09-04T08:37:00.000-04:002011-09-08T08:49:10.369-04:00Preparing for winter<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
We have had a very busy week indeed! I have been in full food preservation mode, and spent much of the week collecting and drying things for winter. First up, the mushrooms we found at camp. We dried the winter chanterelles, even though everyone says not to. It's not that they don't dry- they do! But apparently they're a different beast afterwards. Since the point for us is that we have little fridge and freezer space, drying food is a great way to preserve food long-term without using many resources, so I'm giving it a go anyhow. I'll let you know how they turn out! (Speaking of using resources, I will admit that here you see our dehydrator, which does use electricity... but we actually dry most of our mushrooms in baskets in the attic, which is quite warm during the days! We use the dehydrator for things that take longer or when the attic isn't warm.) On the right you can see a chicken of the woods. We ate most of that, and dried a tiny bit that was left. </div>
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We brought the amazing toilet that Jon made down to the yurt!<br />
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Doesn't it look inviting in there? No? But we worked so hard! Actually, we moved everything we had done up until this point so that we could finish waxing the floors. And now they're done, and we don't have to use any of that pink paper any more!<br />
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Kathy, Erin, Lois, and I went foraging. We found a ton of winter chanterelles (also known as yellow foot) and black trumpets that we dried. And Kathy and Erin found these beech nuts too! We're going to try eating them and see how they taste. <br />
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It was Merry's birthday on the 30th, and in the same vein as our skirts, I wanted to make her something unique, interesting, and beautiful. I found this soft cotton sweater, made a chrysanthemum stencil, and got to work appliqueing this mum onto the shoulder. <br />
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It was really cute when it was done, and I think Mer loved it!<br />
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She and Isla came up for a post-birthday visit to the farm. We fed the turkeys comfrey and Jill-over-the-ground leaves, pet the sheep, played with Nanny's bunny statues, and also with the many felted critters that live in the house here!<br />
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It was a lovely visit, and we all had loads of fun playing together.<br />
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We had some other visiters the other day too! Did I tell you that someone dug into the turkey pen and ran off with three of our turkeys? Well, the following night Dick put out a bunch of traps, and since then we have caught 9 visitors! 8 raccoons, and one skunk.<br />
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These guys actually managed to squeeze themselves into a cage together...<br />
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They joined the brother coon relocation service, and off they went to a new home somewhere far from the turkeys. We think they will be very happy there.<br />
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Sarah also came to visit! We started planning our own wintery brews- lip balms, and salves, herbal cordials, and cough syrups for starting soon. </div>
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It's exciting around here now that the weather has cooled down a bit! There are many things going on, and so much still to do!<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hunX-twSrH0/TmixwkPHlqI/AAAAAAAADIs/D5U1-qdOWX4/s1600/Photo+58_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a></div>
Hannah Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04025605055616671109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-773588969970547387.post-46902663144640526042011-08-28T08:25:00.003-04:002011-08-29T12:15:03.738-04:00Blog slackers back in business!<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jWFwpk1cMqQ/Tlu3BMF24CI/AAAAAAAADHo/G0hrN_bnfAk/s1600/IMG_0911_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jWFwpk1cMqQ/Tlu3BMF24CI/AAAAAAAADHo/G0hrN_bnfAk/s320/IMG_0911_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646307788892594210" /></a>So... we weren't so good at posting throughout August. We had too many trips away to have much yurt activity going on, but we did manage to dry 24 quarts of blueberries from Vermont in the bits of time we were home!
<br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Boq8PQjMxik/Tlu3A9llCyI/AAAAAAAADHg/olEL0VADXfo/s1600/IMG_0904_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Boq8PQjMxik/Tlu3A9llCyI/AAAAAAAADHg/olEL0VADXfo/s320/IMG_0904_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646307784999111458" /></a>They became 6 quarts of delicious dried blueberries that we'll save for this winter when fresh food is sparse.
<br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-H6KCN42Gglo/Tlu3AmLrFAI/AAAAAAAADHY/1iqu5v712XY/s1600/IMG_0905_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-H6KCN42Gglo/Tlu3AmLrFAI/AAAAAAAADHY/1iqu5v712XY/s320/IMG_0905_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646307778716439554" /></a>Now that we're back, the weather is cooler and I feel like my energy for getting things done has returned. We have made long to-do lists for the fall, and we're hoping to get enough done to move in within the next few weeks! <div>
<br /></div><div>Yesterday we brought another kitchen cabinet down to the yurt, along with the driftwood flagpoles that Jon found canoeing on the pond last week.
<br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GddX1zs2byI/Tlu3AVOCIRI/AAAAAAAADHQ/tJWjI99bIyU/s1600/IMG_1285_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GddX1zs2byI/Tlu3AVOCIRI/AAAAAAAADHQ/tJWjI99bIyU/s320/IMG_1285_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646307774162936082" /></a>We built up the sides of our potato patch, and secured our little plants with more dirt, both to help them grow upward rather than outward, and also to help brace them in the hurricane, which should be here by 2 according to the weather radio. </div><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JFTq1A3nKtE/Tlu3AES4Y0I/AAAAAAAADHI/8NwOoFDEDaQ/s1600/IMG_1289_2.JPG" style="text-decoration: none;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a></div><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JFTq1A3nKtE/Tlu3AES4Y0I/AAAAAAAADHI/8NwOoFDEDaQ/s1600/IMG_1289_2.JPG" style="text-decoration: none;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JFTq1A3nKtE/Tlu3AES4Y0I/AAAAAAAADHI/8NwOoFDEDaQ/s320/IMG_1289_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646307769619866434" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); ">Is it going to be a doozie? They say we're out on the very edge, but Dick has already been out on calls for most of the day, removing fallen logs from the roads with the rest of the fire department crew... I guess we'll just have to wait and see. It's really windy outside right now, and it feel so alive and exciting!</span></a>
<br /></div>Hannah Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04025605055616671109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-773588969970547387.post-70649562359197861302011-08-26T08:24:00.023-04:002011-08-29T11:56:28.491-04:00A week on Parker Pond<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8SPWQaMbL_k/TluY0XgG8kI/AAAAAAAADAw/qz8-g-3rMTI/s320/IMG_1223_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646274583268356674" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OFEeB8uz810/TluZ5scKV5I/AAAAAAAADBo/I5dtv4mvWX8/s320/IMG_1189_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646275774299920274" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GMvOzmzOzz0/Tlucu_Hw2yI/AAAAAAAADF4/w-P1LFHIJoo/s320/IMG_0949_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646278888870959906" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-b6BoJxp5kCQ/TlueKtGYhjI/AAAAAAAADGw/ie64rpf2mio/s1600/3b87a57112c49a04b08c5fcfdc5f930f.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a>Every year Jon's family rents a camp somewhere in Maine for a week-long family vacation. So, we spent this past week falling in love with Parker Pond in the Belgrade Lakes. It was a week outdoors in magical forests, swimming off of our rocky knoll, hiking, paddling, fishing, and hand crafting for everyone.<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-D3Mke9e794k/Tlubu-hgdtI/AAAAAAAADEI/z9T5nNswFXs/s320/IMG_1096_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646277789198874322" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></div><div>Before the trip, Erin found Natalie Chanin's website and books, and reminded me of a project I have wanted to do for years since Merry gave me Natalie's first book: The Alabama Stitch Book.
<br />This is a picture from her book of the skirt we both planned to use as our template:<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tL9fv2uDi6c/TludNKaQCYI/AAAAAAAADGo/8ZB5W-B8rFc/s1600/IMG_0923_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-b6BoJxp5kCQ/TlueKtGYhjI/AAAAAAAADGw/ie64rpf2mio/s320/3b87a57112c49a04b08c5fcfdc5f930f.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646280464581297714" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 187px; " /></span>We made stencils, and laminated them at home before cutting them out with an exacto knife. The night we got to camp we started stenciling our jersey skirt panels with textile paint we made from acrylic paints and textile medium.
<br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tL9fv2uDi6c/TludNKaQCYI/AAAAAAAADGo/8ZB5W-B8rFc/s1600/IMG_0923_2.JPG" style="text-decoration: none;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px; " src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tL9fv2uDi6c/TludNKaQCYI/AAAAAAAADGo/8ZB5W-B8rFc/s320/IMG_0923_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646279407297366402" /></a>And then we let them dry, and basted the two layers of each panel together.
<br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mCee8NrhmS0/TludHJ75U4I/AAAAAAAADGg/QmqHvwhtCkc/s1600/IMG_0927_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mCee8NrhmS0/TludHJ75U4I/AAAAAAAADGg/QmqHvwhtCkc/s320/IMG_0927_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646279304090833794" /></a>We spent days in the woods around the camp. Kathy was the first to begin crafting inspired new spots for the fairies to live...
<br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0bgMRVvatV8/TludGjxodzI/AAAAAAAADGY/f0bFsY6nhPQ/s1600/IMG_0929_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0bgMRVvatV8/TludGjxodzI/AAAAAAAADGY/f0bFsY6nhPQ/s320/IMG_0929_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646279293847238450" /></a>complete with stone pathways and a silo for grain so the fairy animals will be well-fed all winter.
<br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-37gD8tQljZc/TludGG8oGbI/AAAAAAAADGQ/CEeGWfW5Tis/s1600/IMG_0933_2.JPG" style="text-decoration: none;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-37gD8tQljZc/TludGG8oGbI/AAAAAAAADGQ/CEeGWfW5Tis/s320/IMG_0933_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646279286108723634" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AKPBQRmIxSo/TludFyZGKBI/AAAAAAAADGI/9cbJ0PiLWJg/s1600/IMG_0940_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AKPBQRmIxSo/TludFyZGKBI/AAAAAAAADGI/9cbJ0PiLWJg/s320/IMG_0940_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646279280590989330" /></a>Nanny, Mary, and Bob came on Monday to celebrate Dick's birthday with us, and enjoy the pond...
<br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5fMq_PgMf-o/TluctyaUR3I/AAAAAAAADFo/_MipEibwM3Q/s320/IMG_0956_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646278868279248754" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ND89huFeXuc/TludFaktcQI/AAAAAAAADGA/H_Z1OZi4X_4/s1600/IMG_0946_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ND89huFeXuc/TludFaktcQI/AAAAAAAADGA/H_Z1OZi4X_4/s320/IMG_0946_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646279274197250306" /></a>and Jon and Erin got right to work catching crayfish. Not surprisingly, Jon quickly re-discovered that they pinch, and it hurts!<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GMvOzmzOzz0/Tlucu_Hw2yI/AAAAAAAADF4/w-P1LFHIJoo/s1600/IMG_0949_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zgI-lM57d1o/TlucuQlacZI/AAAAAAAADFw/UwJx1epFc4s/s1600/IMG_0954_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zgI-lM57d1o/TlucuQlacZI/AAAAAAAADFw/UwJx1epFc4s/s320/IMG_0954_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646278876378853778" /></a>One of the most wonderful parts about the camp was how peaceful it was. No motor boats. No float planes. No neighbors nearby. It was just us, the beavers, loons, and fish on 65 acres at the tip of the pond.<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5fMq_PgMf-o/TluctyaUR3I/AAAAAAAADFo/_MipEibwM3Q/s1600/IMG_0956_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OOVesl56QD8/TlucthRt9NI/AAAAAAAADFg/Cc89zffraAs/s1600/IMG_0961_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OOVesl56QD8/TlucthRt9NI/AAAAAAAADFg/Cc89zffraAs/s320/IMG_0961_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646278863679780050" /></a><div style="text-align: left;">We built camp fires every day...</div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ofKjwOmQCFk/TluctK8qwkI/AAAAAAAADFY/42eVhEA_6-c/s1600/IMG_0966_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XEGg16I1rtM/TlucMKj1yvI/AAAAAAAADFQ/pw8bWkt8MHs/s1600/IMG_0976_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XEGg16I1rtM/TlucMKj1yvI/AAAAAAAADFQ/pw8bWkt8MHs/s320/IMG_0976_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646278290646092530" /></a>hoaned our knife-sharpening skills in style...
<br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JGd4Hgp5WKw/TlucL18VjII/AAAAAAAADFI/_g9OXHbvJwk/s1600/IMG_0988_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JGd4Hgp5WKw/TlucL18VjII/AAAAAAAADFI/_g9OXHbvJwk/s320/IMG_0988_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646278285111692418" /></a>and explored in our canoes.
<br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0Y4ARJXpby8/TlucLcjMdQI/AAAAAAAADFA/YyrCYtZIc3o/s1600/IMG_0994_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0Y4ARJXpby8/TlucLcjMdQI/AAAAAAAADFA/YyrCYtZIc3o/s320/IMG_0994_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646278278295352578" /></a>Nate caught more fish than I have ever seen anyone catch... mostly perch, who found their way back into the pond, only to be caught again on the next cast. Apparently memory isn't their strong suit.
<br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Re1jhgxl0so/TlucLJ-9oDI/AAAAAAAADE4/M1jfevt8gHw/s1600/IMG_1003_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Re1jhgxl0so/TlucLJ-9oDI/AAAAAAAADE4/M1jfevt8gHw/s320/IMG_1003_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646278273311547442" /></a>Erin and I stitched during spare moments around the campfire, or when we all sunned ourselves on the rocks by the water. (And for curious folks: we stitched around the borders of our stencils, and then cut them out carefully, leaving a painted border that prevents fraying, and allowing the underneath layer of fabric to show through.)
<br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MNOw4-XE2u8/TlucKkxa0oI/AAAAAAAADEw/tWLzZ8SnHag/s1600/IMG_1008_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MNOw4-XE2u8/TlucKkxa0oI/AAAAAAAADEw/tWLzZ8SnHag/s320/IMG_1008_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646278263322628738" /></a>Jon and I got up at 5 one morning to canoe out in search of otters... </div><div>We didn't find any, but we did see two beavers paddling in the early morning light. They slapped their tails at us, and dove down. Inevitably, they would pop up in a new location and do the same stunt all over again. We eventually left them to continue on their way... (can you see one of their faces here on the left, along with its watery trail?)
<br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nfBvI3Q9qz8/TlubwV4DGEI/AAAAAAAADEo/ZIarcbIwZVY/s1600/IMG_1010_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nfBvI3Q9qz8/TlubwV4DGEI/AAAAAAAADEo/ZIarcbIwZVY/s320/IMG_1010_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646277812647303234" /></a>We also sat to watch a mama and papa loon feed their baby as the sun rose. They both dove for fish while the baby stuck his head underwater, watching them. When they popped up with a snack, they would paddle over and pass it on. I was amazed at how quickly they could catch fish, and also at how much that baby ate!
<br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wQ8a56lhU9Q/Tlubv19hwEI/AAAAAAAADEg/0_f5s-0w-vY/s1600/IMG_1050_2.JPG" style="text-decoration: none;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wQ8a56lhU9Q/Tlubv19hwEI/AAAAAAAADEg/0_f5s-0w-vY/s320/IMG_1050_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646277804080349250" /></a></div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-glg9asWin4E/TluybfeOI9I/AAAAAAAADHA/K2-f58-NJOY/s1600/IMG_1051_2.JPG" style="text-decoration: none;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-glg9asWin4E/TluybfeOI9I/AAAAAAAADHA/K2-f58-NJOY/s320/IMG_1051_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646302743213515730" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BMEg-_YTdZY/TluybLMNtpI/AAAAAAAADG4/GntEn4ddL-0/s1600/IMG_1052_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BMEg-_YTdZY/TluybLMNtpI/AAAAAAAADG4/GntEn4ddL-0/s320/IMG_1052_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646302737769281170" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></a><div>I have always loved the way droplets make waves on the water, and how canoe paddle splashes form little balls that skim across the water untouched before rejoining the pond again.
<br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XOTQhgCyoyo/TlubvjUdKJI/AAAAAAAADEY/DN9f_oJSSlc/s1600/IMG_1067_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XOTQhgCyoyo/TlubvjUdKJI/AAAAAAAADEY/DN9f_oJSSlc/s320/IMG_1067_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646277799076243602" /></a>On our way home we found a big beaver dam, but it seemed that no one was home.
<br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tw_1WGW_aWQ/TlubvbtY79I/AAAAAAAADEQ/UokR0S7U62A/s1600/IMG_1073_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tw_1WGW_aWQ/TlubvbtY79I/AAAAAAAADEQ/UokR0S7U62A/s320/IMG_1073_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646277797033340882" /></a><div style="text-align: left;">Later in the day we all adventured a ways down the pond to an area of conservation land where there are great hikes...</div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-D3Mke9e794k/Tlubu-hgdtI/AAAAAAAADEI/z9T5nNswFXs/s1600/IMG_1096_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2c-VsBlSECE/TlubN-VhK_I/AAAAAAAADEA/Cq2mX_B7Orw/s1600/IMG_1098_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2c-VsBlSECE/TlubN-VhK_I/AAAAAAAADEA/Cq2mX_B7Orw/s320/IMG_1098_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646277222212905970" /></a>...even the Hooties came!
<br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LLUfpzyUjls/TlubNmusqoI/AAAAAAAADD4/AqUt31r3q_g/s1600/IMG_1104_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LLUfpzyUjls/TlubNmusqoI/AAAAAAAADD4/AqUt31r3q_g/s320/IMG_1104_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646277215876065922" /></a><div style="text-align: left;">We pulled our canoes and kayak ashore, and off we went...</div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ra9Fy6f1WsQ/TlubNaod-2I/AAAAAAAADDw/fy89Yqr3Ptw/s1600/IMG_1107_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RqEV0r74NLo/TlubNIgEg5I/AAAAAAAADDo/-BpCVA8daKA/s1600/IMG_1116_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RqEV0r74NLo/TlubNIgEg5I/AAAAAAAADDo/-BpCVA8daKA/s320/IMG_1116_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646277207761650578" /></a>The woods were full of moss, and ferns...
<br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qOugr3Fqrns/TlubMvZOOoI/AAAAAAAADDg/mx14vnIkZ1g/s1600/IMG_1118_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qOugr3Fqrns/TlubMvZOOoI/AAAAAAAADDg/mx14vnIkZ1g/s320/IMG_1118_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646277201022040706" /></a>and so many interesting mushrooms!
<br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zVl5Gj6UI_8/TluazJ3SE0I/AAAAAAAADDY/JlX2Cyla5bE/s1600/IMG_1125_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zVl5Gj6UI_8/TluazJ3SE0I/AAAAAAAADDY/JlX2Cyla5bE/s320/IMG_1125_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646276761450844994" /></a>Who uses these black q-tips, I wonder?
<br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5vUBTll5Nfw/Tluayw7q99I/AAAAAAAADDQ/9pRGBotWl3A/s1600/IMG_1128_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5vUBTll5Nfw/Tluayw7q99I/AAAAAAAADDQ/9pRGBotWl3A/s320/IMG_1128_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646276754758367186" /></a>and did you know that the bumble bees also work indian pipe? We didn't!<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4sRxIbQxbQ4/TluaysIp60I/AAAAAAAADDI/huG4IUWHNsI/s1600/IMG_1131_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ofKjwOmQCFk/TluctK8qwkI/AAAAAAAADFY/42eVhEA_6-c/s320/IMG_0966_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646278857685910082" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px; " /></span><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MHUurT7hlWk/TluayVOMO4I/AAAAAAAADDA/D8YwQU3Q64A/s1600/IMG_1132_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4sRxIbQxbQ4/TluaysIp60I/AAAAAAAADDI/huG4IUWHNsI/s320/IMG_1131_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646276753470647106" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px; " /></span>We ate our picnic lunch overlooking the lake...<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MHUurT7hlWk/TluayVOMO4I/AAAAAAAADDA/D8YwQU3Q64A/s1600/IMG_1132_2.JPG" style="text-decoration: none;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px; " src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MHUurT7hlWk/TluayVOMO4I/AAAAAAAADDA/D8YwQU3Q64A/s320/IMG_1132_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646276747319851906" /></a>and on the way home we found a great big grandfather oak tree...
<br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eflDMCQabFU/Tluax8XdK4I/AAAAAAAADC4/zMsiMxT0iJg/s1600/IMG_1138_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eflDMCQabFU/Tluax8XdK4I/AAAAAAAADC4/zMsiMxT0iJg/s320/IMG_1138_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646276740647824258" /></a>Erin made Jon this delicious whoopie pie... we are in Maine, after all!
<br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Lc87hrCEEcY/TluabqaNUUI/AAAAAAAADCw/GlCdvrWYI0o/s1600/IMG_1142_2.JPG" style="text-decoration: none;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Lc87hrCEEcY/TluabqaNUUI/AAAAAAAADCw/GlCdvrWYI0o/s320/IMG_1142_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646276357870408002" /></a>and we paddled home again...<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fnyXT3aiu6A/TluabGfRhgI/AAAAAAAADCo/l94MGEyoMw8/s1600/IMG_1146_2.JPG" style="text-decoration: none;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fnyXT3aiu6A/TluabGfRhgI/AAAAAAAADCo/l94MGEyoMw8/s320/IMG_1146_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646276348227978754" /></a></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "></span>to enjoy the afternoon sun on the point...<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2y6VKSZQr4k/Tluaa4f91rI/AAAAAAAADCg/4xfe5W00pSs/s1600/IMG_1152_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2y6VKSZQr4k/Tluaa4f91rI/AAAAAAAADCg/4xfe5W00pSs/s320/IMG_1152_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646276344472786610" /></a>and make sailboats for the frogs...
<br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZOFN3LYRj50/TluaatwcWbI/AAAAAAAADCY/aFTczsMCcG8/s1600/IMG_1161_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZOFN3LYRj50/TluaatwcWbI/AAAAAAAADCY/aFTczsMCcG8/s320/IMG_1161_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646276341589105074" /></a>Jon and Dick both brought their favorite stumps, and we had wondered why... until the morning that Jon split his and started working, and working, and finally a shape appeared...
<br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7wSHSPlvA4A/TluaaEtTVlI/AAAAAAAADCQ/UK6Tb41RF_E/s1600/IMG_1167_2.JPG" style="text-decoration: none;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7wSHSPlvA4A/TluaaEtTVlI/AAAAAAAADCQ/UK6Tb41RF_E/s320/IMG_1167_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646276330570077778" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-u4D7YN6vUis/TluZ6kDZDAI/AAAAAAAADCI/Dlvt3O1A7bc/s1600/IMG_1171_2.JPG" style="text-decoration: none;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-u4D7YN6vUis/TluZ6kDZDAI/AAAAAAAADCI/Dlvt3O1A7bc/s320/IMG_1171_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646275789228411906" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tXn7QkkPJyo/TluZ6Uqk0NI/AAAAAAAADCA/AGAiDf87hMs/s1600/IMG_1172_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tXn7QkkPJyo/TluZ6Uqk0NI/AAAAAAAADCA/AGAiDf87hMs/s320/IMG_1172_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646275785097793746" /></a>Kathy, Erin, and I spent an afternoon tie dying...
<br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6k-2KKsS3Wo/TluZ6Ffw-1I/AAAAAAAADB4/EhKsA5TXiXI/s1600/IMG_1176_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6k-2KKsS3Wo/TluZ6Ffw-1I/AAAAAAAADB4/EhKsA5TXiXI/s320/IMG_1176_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646275781025921874" /></a>Here's just a small sampling of the many things we made!
<br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Vd2GenCXYTg/TluZ5nr_HzI/AAAAAAAADBw/tzyLEbtfz3A/s1600/IMG_1180_2.JPG" style="text-decoration: none;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Vd2GenCXYTg/TluZ5nr_HzI/AAAAAAAADBw/tzyLEbtfz3A/s320/IMG_1180_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646275773024116530" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OFEeB8uz810/TluZ5scKV5I/AAAAAAAADBo/I5dtv4mvWX8/s1600/IMG_1189_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a>We spent lots more time making houses for our clever fairy friends... </div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-c4ZL85xTi0c/TluZaF1P5EI/AAAAAAAADBI/Mdqz_mpfN0M/s320/IMG_1209_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646275231360214082" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5c4JNFRselo/TluZauws2uI/AAAAAAAADBQ/_yrKmAtARGU/s320/IMG_1208_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646275242346994402" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YdDRwPiD2II/TluY0z0KctI/AAAAAAAADA4/-WVVnzfdxLI/s320/IMG_1214_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646274590868665042" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span><div>there were twig ladders,<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-br2gmnCEdow/TluZbS0z54I/AAAAAAAADBg/rJGOI3ETWIs/s1600/IMG_1191_2.JPG" style="text-decoration: none;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-br2gmnCEdow/TluZbS0z54I/AAAAAAAADBg/rJGOI3ETWIs/s320/IMG_1191_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646275252027910018" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-P6EMjwhkUmA/TluZa4bqYHI/AAAAAAAADBY/OjxtZFkgl08/s1600/IMG_1195_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-P6EMjwhkUmA/TluZa4bqYHI/AAAAAAAADBY/OjxtZFkgl08/s320/IMG_1195_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646275244943106162" /></a>trees, chimneys...<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-c4ZL85xTi0c/TluZaF1P5EI/AAAAAAAADBI/Mdqz_mpfN0M/s1600/IMG_1209_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Agk9yYXJeoY/TluZZ92IbZI/AAAAAAAADBA/OToC_0bNWmI/s1600/IMG_1211_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Agk9yYXJeoY/TluZZ92IbZI/AAAAAAAADBA/OToC_0bNWmI/s320/IMG_1211_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646275229216435602" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">flags...</div></div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8SPWQaMbL_k/TluY0XgG8kI/AAAAAAAADAw/qz8-g-3rMTI/s1600/IMG_1223_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IT9dtMgv4Oo/TluY0Vb_ytI/AAAAAAAADAo/muuMlJ3D9qg/s1600/IMG_1238_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IT9dtMgv4Oo/TluY0Vb_ytI/AAAAAAAADAo/muuMlJ3D9qg/s320/IMG_1238_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646274582714239698" /></a>and Dick even made a fairy mine!
<br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RuOr8yGyoxE/TluYz3aj8rI/AAAAAAAADAg/FqBZHPKvlq4/s1600/IMG_1244_2.JPG" style="text-decoration: none;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RuOr8yGyoxE/TluYz3aj8rI/AAAAAAAADAg/FqBZHPKvlq4/s320/IMG_1244_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646274574655156914" /></a></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BuKJGjNLD3o/TluYXCbBzpI/AAAAAAAAC_4/RRrd1RIMQt4/s320/IMG_1278_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646274079393697426" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span><div style="text-align: left;">Thankfully Erin's fairies will also have plenty of food and a well for water to share with everyone!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sYpxI6zQtq4/TluYWttxcVI/AAAAAAAAC_w/6foETbsgDIM/s320/IMG_1281_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646274073835172178" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px; " /></span></span></div>In the afternoon, Jon taught me a new game that is a tradition in their family. Have you ever played it? You each stand on opposite ends of the canoe, and you bounce, trying to knock the other person off. Apparently the goal is to stay standing, even after the other person bails. It seems impossible, because the whole canoe rocks and tips when one person goes down. Legend has it that Dick can successfully remain standing, no matter how much the canoe dips and sways.<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-n7mNjwc9AcI/TluYYRr5bMI/AAAAAAAADAQ/ShOhE-UROSo/s1600/IMG_1250_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-n7mNjwc9AcI/TluYYRr5bMI/AAAAAAAADAQ/ShOhE-UROSo/s320/IMG_1250_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646274100670852290" /></a>I thought it was loads of fun, and an easy way to get in the water too!
<br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-My-wxE5woTo/TluYX31B_jI/AAAAAAAADAI/t4luiwNzuXw/s1600/IMG_1266_2.JPG" style="text-decoration: none;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-My-wxE5woTo/TluYX31B_jI/AAAAAAAADAI/t4luiwNzuXw/s320/IMG_1266_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646274093729840690" /></a>Sadly, Jon and I had to leave camp a day before everyone else, and we really didn't want to go! But, we had to come home for class and work respectively. Plus, we hear there's a hurricane brewing, and we're all curious to see what happens back on the farm...<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-blBCCOZtv7Y/TluYXsD0z5I/AAAAAAAADAA/4NeLsP2cEfA/s1600/IMG_1268_2.JPG" style="text-decoration: none;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-blBCCOZtv7Y/TluYXsD0z5I/AAAAAAAADAA/4NeLsP2cEfA/s320/IMG_1268_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646274090570665874" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sYpxI6zQtq4/TluYWttxcVI/AAAAAAAAC_w/6foETbsgDIM/s1600/IMG_1281_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a></div>Hannah Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04025605055616671109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-773588969970547387.post-19015002315457654172011-08-16T08:24:00.005-04:002011-08-29T09:43:49.085-04:00A trip to Moosehead LakeOn Monday, we headed up to Greenville to visit with the Heyerdahls and the Mizrahis. Kerry, Ross, and Saia were there to greet us before the Heyerdahls arrived, and instantly we were back to our normal routine of laughing, cooking, singing, and bouncing from room to room.<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LdLL7X42LN8/TluT-eIsBlI/AAAAAAAAC_o/TwoK_Xtrnvw/s1600/IMG_0912_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LdLL7X42LN8/TluT-eIsBlI/AAAAAAAAC_o/TwoK_Xtrnvw/s320/IMG_0912_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646269259289724498" /></a>We got to spend three amazing days cuddling, playing games, chatting, kayaking, eating delicious food, and swimming in the chilly lake.
<br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XnnxJTWV46A/TluT-CAhGWI/AAAAAAAAC_g/UIzQHxR9ZC4/s1600/IMG_0914_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XnnxJTWV46A/TluT-CAhGWI/AAAAAAAAC_g/UIzQHxR9ZC4/s320/IMG_0914_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646269251739261282" /></a>Unfortunately my camera died as soon as I arrived, so there aren't many pictures of the splendor to share, but we made good use of our time together, and we stayed as long as we could before heading home this afternoon. It's always so hard to leave!Hannah Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04025605055616671109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-773588969970547387.post-48293471865858664692011-08-10T08:19:00.007-04:002011-08-29T09:17:57.055-04:00Adventures on Blueberry Hill<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-avBeMhHBymw/TluJ5eQvwnI/AAAAAAAAC_Y/czO5Nd-vov0/s1600/IMG_0873_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-avBeMhHBymw/TluJ5eQvwnI/AAAAAAAAC_Y/czO5Nd-vov0/s320/IMG_0873_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646258178307900018" /></a>I imagine this little guy is saying "There's nothing to see here... Nope. I'm a stick. A boring old stick. I swear! Nothing interesting at all!"<div>
<br /></div><div>So, here we are in Vermont, where Mum always makes the most beautiful tiny boquets for our table and window sills...
<br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-p7S5ck0MFWo/TluJ5NqPyXI/AAAAAAAAC_Q/Vwf3qEg2nDU/s1600/IMG_0856_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-p7S5ck0MFWo/TluJ5NqPyXI/AAAAAAAAC_Q/Vwf3qEg2nDU/s320/IMG_0856_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646258173851453810" /></a>Because it's blueberry season, we're doing lots of picking for the farm stand. When enough berries have been harvested we still go down and pick mummy berry. We have found it easiest to drag tarps to pick them onto, since they fall off the bush so easily. </div><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cgYWmdWqXBk/TluJmMaS3AI/AAAAAAAAC_I/nrWt2WyKInA/s1600/IMG_0842_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cgYWmdWqXBk/TluJmMaS3AI/AAAAAAAAC_I/nrWt2WyKInA/s320/IMG_0842_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646257847098596354" /></a>Mummy berry is a fungus that affects the blueberries. You can see some on the upper right of this branch- it makes shriveled, hard, and often white berries instead of the big fat blues we crave.
<br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--QJ-znlAzVw/TluJl7dq_XI/AAAAAAAAC_A/JAU5K9QyxWE/s1600/IMG_0844_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--QJ-znlAzVw/TluJl7dq_XI/AAAAAAAAC_A/JAU5K9QyxWE/s320/IMG_0844_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646257842549357938" /></a>The life cycle of the mummy berry is interesting. Those hard white berries fall off onto the ground, and sometime in the springtime it makes mushrooms, which shoot off spores, which infect other berries later on in the season. Because of this we pick the mummies and burn them. Composting them would just allow them to grow, and we don't want that!</div><div>
<br /></div><div>Thankfully there are WAY more good berries than mummies, and it doesn't take long to pick a few gallons.
<br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XIAglLm3jMY/TluJlsY2KII/AAAAAAAAC-4/veL4OmXYxVs/s1600/IMG_0850_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XIAglLm3jMY/TluJlsY2KII/AAAAAAAAC-4/veL4OmXYxVs/s320/IMG_0850_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646257838502586498" /></a>With some of these Jon and I have decided to make E.M. You may remember E.M. from my Argentina blog (60daysinargentina.blogspot.com)- it stands for effective microorganisms, and it's something we used on Mama Roja regularly. All you need to do is take organic local fruit (with skins), put it in a container, put some sugar on top, and allow it to ferment. In Argentina we used a 5-gallon bucket of fruit and 2.2 lb of sugar. When I did the math, that was about 1/2 cup of sugar for our one-gallon glass jar of blueberries.
<br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wEG3wcLcGvo/TluJlGamAII/AAAAAAAAC-w/DRi8cU4Xk24/s1600/IMG_0864_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wEG3wcLcGvo/TluJlGamAII/AAAAAAAAC-w/DRi8cU4Xk24/s320/IMG_0864_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646257828309368962" /></a>We then put a cloth over the top with a rubber band around it (because you want this process to be aerobic, but don't want bugs getting in there) and we'll leave it in a dark place for 3 or more weeks until it makes lots of great probiotic-rich juice. You pour off the juice and drink little bits of it as a healthy bacteria boost for your system, and leave the rest to continue making more juice. When it stops, just add more sugar (as long as there's fruit pulp there still) and it will keep going for up to a year sometimes.
<br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MnFdifjYcP4/TluJkybCfAI/AAAAAAAAC-o/5X_qybDEmYg/s1600/IMG_0866_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MnFdifjYcP4/TluJkybCfAI/AAAAAAAAC-o/5X_qybDEmYg/s320/IMG_0866_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646257822942526466" /></a>LakeFest is this coming weekend, so we had a chance to carve some local water critters for kids to make block print prayer flags with at the festival.
<br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AQgM6Ix4vu8/TluJKFvMFfI/AAAAAAAAC-g/C3du9ryhN70/s1600/IMG_0857_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AQgM6Ix4vu8/TluJKFvMFfI/AAAAAAAAC-g/C3du9ryhN70/s320/IMG_0857_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646257364270847474" /></a>Here is Jon's muskrat...
<br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qxHnAqTKWR4/TluJJzOiDNI/AAAAAAAAC-Y/al3z7NzU9Tw/s1600/IMG_0863_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qxHnAqTKWR4/TluJJzOiDNI/AAAAAAAAC-Y/al3z7NzU9Tw/s320/IMG_0863_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646257359302036690" /></a>I carved a river otter and a painted turtle...
<br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-InOArqFW-RQ/TluJJfH_0mI/AAAAAAAAC-Q/x6V1GekLlm4/s1600/IMG_0858_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-InOArqFW-RQ/TluJJfH_0mI/AAAAAAAAC-Q/x6V1GekLlm4/s320/IMG_0858_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646257353905918562" /></a>and then this bull frog...
<br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8zNDjz-QCC8/TluJJDL2dcI/AAAAAAAAC-I/Nuv6ZzSIw-A/s1600/IMG_0889_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8zNDjz-QCC8/TluJJDL2dcI/AAAAAAAAC-I/Nuv6ZzSIw-A/s320/IMG_0889_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646257346405889474" /></a>and Jon did this awesome spotted salamander too! It was so fun that we found it hard to stop!
<br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4iK75cz-CZw/TluJIzH0GII/AAAAAAAAC-A/vvyy7wSD2aQ/s1600/IMG_0893_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4iK75cz-CZw/TluJIzH0GII/AAAAAAAAC-A/vvyy7wSD2aQ/s320/IMG_0893_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646257342093990018" /></a>We found a couple of birch trees at the top of the hill that needed to be cut out of the hedgerow...
<br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nPIjYXO-MiY/TluIkRQQbZI/AAAAAAAAC94/MMH_zeMjuew/s1600/IMG_0879_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nPIjYXO-MiY/TluIkRQQbZI/AAAAAAAAC94/MMH_zeMjuew/s320/IMG_0879_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646256714527305106" /></a>So Jon cut them down,
<br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ghURBmgavBw/TluIj-JF2oI/AAAAAAAAC9w/m62J8O0YIe4/s1600/IMG_0882_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ghURBmgavBw/TluIj-JF2oI/AAAAAAAAC9w/m62J8O0YIe4/s320/IMG_0882_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646256709396978306" /></a>and we measured out pieces to make our loft with. We're hoping that once it is built it will look like a birch forest inside the yurt.
<br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GA9kSSKX08E/TluIjqdr1AI/AAAAAAAAC9o/Fc5UFEUT2cw/s1600/IMG_0885_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GA9kSSKX08E/TluIjqdr1AI/AAAAAAAAC9o/Fc5UFEUT2cw/s320/IMG_0885_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646256704114643970" /></a>Amazingly, we got those two entire trees in (and on) Jon's car before we headed home!
<br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LcppUPSl74c/TluIhaOuEuI/AAAAAAAAC9g/3cUdTIWo3sQ/s1600/IMG_0887_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LcppUPSl74c/TluIhaOuEuI/AAAAAAAAC9g/3cUdTIWo3sQ/s320/IMG_0887_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646256665397170914" /></a>Oh, how I love Vermont, so lush and green and full of life. Every time I come back here I never want to leave. How blessed we are to have two such wonderful places to call home!
<br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lvktzR-ARLM/TluIhTXRkBI/AAAAAAAAC9Y/g6-p0qqfoAg/s1600/IMG_0899_2.JPG" style="text-decoration: none;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lvktzR-ARLM/TluIhTXRkBI/AAAAAAAAC9Y/g6-p0qqfoAg/s320/IMG_0899_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5646256663554002962" /></a></div>Hannah Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04025605055616671109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-773588969970547387.post-14010114018707460562011-08-08T15:38:00.009-04:002011-08-08T20:45:31.446-04:00Recent homesteading adventures of all sorts<div style="text-align: left;">One of us is less of a morning person than the other. Can you guess who?</div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FjHlkJFEMAc/TkA9h93UukI/AAAAAAAAC9I/jkvsusP3yi0/s1600/Photo%2B53_2.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FjHlkJFEMAc/TkA9h93UukI/AAAAAAAAC9I/jkvsusP3yi0/s320/Photo%2B53_2.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5638574387219446338" /></a>So, we have been working on our floor, silently. The floor that has taken months and months. If you recall, we had a pitch problem after our platform sat out in the full sun under tarps for weeks before we got our yurt raised. We finally scrubbed and scraped all the pitch off, and then sanded it smooth. Because we were determined to finish our floor in the least toxic, and most natural and local way possible, we made our own floor oil/finish by mixing 3 gallons of walnut oil with 1 pound of beeswax. We first heat-treated the oil by stirring it at 160 degrees (F) for 30 minutes, and then chopped up the beeswax and stirred it in until it melted. That worked beautifully and gave our floor a lovely finish. It did not stop the pitch, however, and we still found ourselves in a bit of a sticky situation. So...
<br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ucrnoTeHVTc/TkA9hxzYciI/AAAAAAAAC9A/jjjw7KDF_nI/s1600/IMG_0784_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ucrnoTeHVTc/TkA9hxzYciI/AAAAAAAAC9A/jjjw7KDF_nI/s320/IMG_0784_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5638574383981687330" /></a>we eventually got everything we needed to make our own shellac. Did you know that shellac is made from bug spit (essentially)? Yes, so we got dewaxed platinum shellac flakes (apparently they must be dewaxed to seal pitch) and very pure denatured alcohol (nearly methanol-free; apparently methanol is the nasty stuff) and let them soak together for 24 hours. <div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pPVB9wN0OIM/TkA9hun05qI/AAAAAAAAC84/gnnGJsDxUKw/s320/IMG_0785_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5638574383127914146" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px; " /></span>We made 1.5 pound cut by mixing 3 pounds of shellac flakes with 1 gallon of denatured alcohol, letting it sit until the flakes dissolved (stirring a few times throughout the day helps a lot), and then adding the other gallon of alcohol after straining out any organic solid matter through cheesecloth. This covered our floor 2 1/2 times. Now we're just waiting on some pure citrus solvent so that we can make paste wax to protect our lovely shellac finish. Apparently shellac is what everyone used to use in old houses until the 1920's or so when it was replaced by polyurethane. It turns white when it gets wet (coasters are meant to keep these white rings from appearing on shellacked tables, for example), and waxing it helps to prevent this.<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Vp61PtUZaXQ/TkA9hWF73aI/AAAAAAAAC8w/KIVIcmOYwmc/s1600/IMG_0789_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Vp61PtUZaXQ/TkA9hWF73aI/AAAAAAAAC8w/KIVIcmOYwmc/s320/IMG_0789_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5638574376543313314" /></a>Meanwhile, we've been busy with other things. In an effort to eat up our overflowing garden full of zucchini, we made zucchini chips in the dehydrator with salt and pepper (and curry powder on some). They were great! We also took a tip from my mom and steamed some and then pureed it and froze it to use in making creamy soups this winter. Zucchini is so versatile and lovely, isn't it?
<br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UmxdSnl8HSs/TkA8_HRQfKI/AAAAAAAAC8o/1x3vbs8awRE/s1600/IMG_0793_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UmxdSnl8HSs/TkA8_HRQfKI/AAAAAAAAC8o/1x3vbs8awRE/s320/IMG_0793_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5638573788448717986" /></a>In case you were wondering, Jake has had some lovely naps...
<br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-h-V2t3bqS0c/TkA89YUmm5I/AAAAAAAAC8g/odJL1P3mx5w/s1600/IMG_0797_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-h-V2t3bqS0c/TkA89YUmm5I/AAAAAAAAC8g/odJL1P3mx5w/s320/IMG_0797_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5638573758666414994" /></a>Jon is nearly finished making our toilet, and it's gorgeous!!! You can see the box to the left of him, and here he's painting the top of the box with shellac.
<br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8pydYmSNbf4/TkA89GJ8K9I/AAAAAAAAC8Y/QmTwmyNtOwQ/s1600/IMG_0800_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8pydYmSNbf4/TkA89GJ8K9I/AAAAAAAAC8Y/QmTwmyNtOwQ/s320/IMG_0800_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5638573753789852626" /></a>Kathy, Erin, and I picked, shucked, and processed five wheelbarrows full of corn.
<br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-r1tsrC1EJ1c/TkA881VgJLI/AAAAAAAAC8Q/7QoIMsyNNBI/s1600/IMG_0810_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-r1tsrC1EJ1c/TkA881VgJLI/AAAAAAAAC8Q/7QoIMsyNNBI/s320/IMG_0810_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5638573749274944690" /></a>It took all day!
<br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iKv8ooqYd8g/TkA88naPSKI/AAAAAAAAC8I/138fQCwO2QI/s1600/IMG_0818_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iKv8ooqYd8g/TkA88naPSKI/AAAAAAAAC8I/138fQCwO2QI/s320/IMG_0818_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5638573745536714914" /></a>And Kathy and I made a delicious corn and zucchini salsa along with black beans, tomatoes, onions, garlic, and lime basil from the garden...
<br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vKCHQFTGKV4/TkA77B-2l1I/AAAAAAAAC8A/CvxuqbNSNEA/s1600/IMG_0820_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vKCHQFTGKV4/TkA77B-2l1I/AAAAAAAAC8A/CvxuqbNSNEA/s320/IMG_0820_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5638572618798241618" /></a>Beets are being harvested...
<br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vpIOWoqW_4E/TkA76wS5lUI/AAAAAAAAC74/fNuv-1XCcSg/s1600/IMG_0823_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vpIOWoqW_4E/TkA76wS5lUI/AAAAAAAAC74/fNuv-1XCcSg/s320/IMG_0823_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5638572614050485570" /></a>and rainbow carrots too!
<br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5sGyVNrkjHg/TkA76vCI51I/AAAAAAAAC7w/iYU78powOjo/s1600/IMG_0825_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5sGyVNrkjHg/TkA76vCI51I/AAAAAAAAC7w/iYU78powOjo/s320/IMG_0825_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5638572613711750994" /></a>and two days ago Jon and I started moving furniture down to the yurt! It doesn't look like much yet, but just wait. Soon, we hope it will! We're just trying to figure out the floor plan at the moment, and having things down there helps a lot. It's amazing how big everything is in our tiny little space! Straight ahead on the right you can see the folding screens which are marking what we envision will be our bathroom walls. The kitchen is just to the right (you can see the island piled high with stuff)...
<br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mCQ3B4tLHz8/TkA76tzeytI/AAAAAAAAC7o/YEJVvkV8Cc4/s1600/IMG_0832_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mCQ3B4tLHz8/TkA76tzeytI/AAAAAAAAC7o/YEJVvkV8Cc4/s320/IMG_0832_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5638572613381835474" /></a>We'll see how it all unfolds. Right now we're taking our magic carpet to Vermont!
<br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TOHo7LyJDso/TkA76amfuiI/AAAAAAAAC7g/VQcEbVD6UN4/s1600/IMG_0837_2.JPG" style="text-decoration: none;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7B6uDtL4tF4/TkCC4UAZ5iI/AAAAAAAAC9Q/dxikXQC_GqQ/s320/IMG_0837_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5638650637422552610" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></div>Hannah Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04025605055616671109noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-773588969970547387.post-50679927688891092652011-07-27T14:59:00.003-04:002011-08-08T16:23:30.035-04:00Constructing the YomeWe got the call two days ago that DJ and Kathy were ready to put up the structure of their yome, so this morning we scurried North.<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PVs2ztGMHCc/TkA0SFRg9ZI/AAAAAAAAC7Y/NjaH4NzeIms/s1600/IMG_0723_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PVs2ztGMHCc/TkA0SFRg9ZI/AAAAAAAAC7Y/NjaH4NzeIms/s320/IMG_0723_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5638564218725791122" /></a>When we arrived they were busy packing straw into the spaces that would be under their floor. This went over the foamboard they had placed inside each of the 8 wedges that made the platform.
<br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8_spOzW8cn4/TkA0MXMGTSI/AAAAAAAAC7A/BLG_Jylv26Q/s1600/IMG_0706_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8_spOzW8cn4/TkA0MXMGTSI/AAAAAAAAC7A/BLG_Jylv26Q/s320/IMG_0706_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5638564120455695650" /></a>We covered it with a vapor barrier, and stapled it into place...
<br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fMBnIBhUC4c/TkA0MaEEcgI/AAAAAAAAC64/DV84hqsPVcU/s1600/IMG_0710_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fMBnIBhUC4c/TkA0MaEEcgI/AAAAAAAAC64/DV84hqsPVcU/s320/IMG_0710_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5638564121227325954" /></a>and then got to work fitting the plywood on top like a big puzzle. It's amazing that when you work it out right, you can make the entire platform out of 8 pieces of plywood, plus one small (20 inch) extra octagon in the middle. DJ and Kathy figured that out themselves by making a to-scale replica and trying things out. That's more patience than I possess!
<br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-29Volb-eu-4/TkA0MKZeMaI/AAAAAAAAC6w/ROVA4jtdBFo/s1600/IMG_0716_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-29Volb-eu-4/TkA0MKZeMaI/AAAAAAAAC6w/ROVA4jtdBFo/s320/IMG_0716_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5638564117022126498" /></a>after screwing down the plywood (which will later be covered with a big round rug),
<br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3ihz59Nhu2E/TkAz1f5kf_I/AAAAAAAAC6o/JzEKVslJaIM/s1600/IMG_0752_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3ihz59Nhu2E/TkAz1f5kf_I/AAAAAAAAC6o/JzEKVslJaIM/s320/IMG_0752_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5638563727656910834" /></a>we got to constructing the roof. That tiny ring on top of the ladder goes at the top of their roof, and each of the rafters screws into it.
<br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lcL0xJ8-qyw/TkAz1DvEdAI/AAAAAAAAC6g/LL27uBAFA0w/s1600/IMG_0754_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lcL0xJ8-qyw/TkAz1DvEdAI/AAAAAAAAC6g/LL27uBAFA0w/s320/IMG_0754_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5638563720096674818" /></a>It didn't take long to get them in place!
<br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ytD4xcYNWZM/TkAz1GVgboI/AAAAAAAAC6Y/5imkkDuN8I4/s1600/IMG_0757_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ytD4xcYNWZM/TkAz1GVgboI/AAAAAAAAC6Y/5imkkDuN8I4/s320/IMG_0757_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5638563720794762882" /></a>The yome's bones are constructed from a bunch of 1.5 x 1.5 inch pieces of wood with eye hooks in the ends. These all get threaded together on large nuts, and fastened into place with washers and bolts. Cleverly, the eye hooks at each end are screwed opposite each other, so if you need to tighten or loosen a length you can just turn the board after it has been attached to its neighbors.
<br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-z17eDRU8wxQ/TkAz04u3WsI/AAAAAAAAC6Q/VxC2dNaAjZQ/s1600/IMG_0758_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-z17eDRU8wxQ/TkAz04u3WsI/AAAAAAAAC6Q/VxC2dNaAjZQ/s320/IMG_0758_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5638563717143026370" /></a>After getting the perimeter of the roofline attached to the rafters, we tightened it all up...
<br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-R4Gos8dYdxw/TkAz0yzgUFI/AAAAAAAAC6I/nvh1q04fqm8/s1600/IMG_0760_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-R4Gos8dYdxw/TkAz0yzgUFI/AAAAAAAAC6I/nvh1q04fqm8/s320/IMG_0760_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5638563715551875154" /></a>and then we put on the roof fabric, stretched it into place, and popped through that tiny hole to screw it down around the doughnut.
<br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Yjb6JmE3Ypw/TkAyvV9PFnI/AAAAAAAAC6A/cnQ7-OaAb98/s1600/IMG_0767_2.JPG" style="text-decoration: none;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Yjb6JmE3Ypw/TkAyvV9PFnI/AAAAAAAAC6A/cnQ7-OaAb98/s320/IMG_0767_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5638562522397087346" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SMheIqdYyts/TkAyvJ44n0I/AAAAAAAAC54/FQ7saBtWN_g/s1600/IMG_0769_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SMheIqdYyts/TkAyvJ44n0I/AAAAAAAAC54/FQ7saBtWN_g/s320/IMG_0769_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5638562519157612354" /></a>Kathy zipped around putting extra weatherproof paint on any visible holes...
<br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XVrlfbBkuVI/TkAyvE4kB2I/AAAAAAAAC5w/F2QwAmIns2k/s1600/IMG_0772_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XVrlfbBkuVI/TkAyvE4kB2I/AAAAAAAAC5w/F2QwAmIns2k/s320/IMG_0772_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5638562517814085474" /></a>and Jon attached the roof vent while we got ready for the next steps.
<br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lYc8ids6seg/TkAyuzXrpkI/AAAAAAAAC5o/BCILlUKZzz4/s1600/IMG_0776_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lYc8ids6seg/TkAyuzXrpkI/AAAAAAAAC5o/BCILlUKZzz4/s320/IMG_0776_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5638562513112770114" /></a>Now let's take a moment to gather ourselves because the next part of our day was kindof crazy. So crazy, in fact, that we have no pictures. There were no extra hands, literally. <div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UwCMRflWVsI/TkA0M2y9QOI/AAAAAAAAC7Q/-hGyoNwArus/s1600/IMG_0740_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-d8fuPfnhjYE/TkA0MpLPuMI/AAAAAAAAC7I/7kFlEYvjbno/s1600/IMG_0747_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-d8fuPfnhjYE/TkA0MpLPuMI/AAAAAAAAC7I/7kFlEYvjbno/s320/IMG_0747_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5638564125283956930" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px; " /></a>Basically, the deal is that you put the side poles together with the roof poles, and start raising the yome from one side, moving around in a circle methodically as you attach the floor poles that hold it all together. Theoretically, this should work fine, and in the book they even say it can be done with two people. I have NO IDEA how. We worked around in a circle, and about halfway around one of the first floor poles broke and the whole structure came off the platform. We had to backtrack and start over... a number of times. </div><div>
<br /></div><div>It was challenging for us, but our little buddy here didn't seem to mind the repetition in his day. He made dozens of trips from the feeder to wherever he was keeping his stash, and by the end of the day had it emptied. Check out those cheeks! <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-A7M2uzz6PcE/TkAyulTvBMI/AAAAAAAAC5g/kL3dcurdMXo/s1600/IMG_0780_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UwCMRflWVsI/TkA0M2y9QOI/AAAAAAAAC7Q/-hGyoNwArus/s320/IMG_0740_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5638564128940179682" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px; " /></span>So, in the end (after dark, with flashlights) we got it! Tomorrow DJ and Kathy will put up the side walls, and then hopefully it will be done!<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-A7M2uzz6PcE/TkAyulTvBMI/AAAAAAAAC5g/kL3dcurdMXo/s1600/IMG_0780_2.JPG" style="text-decoration: none;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-A7M2uzz6PcE/TkAyulTvBMI/AAAAAAAAC5g/kL3dcurdMXo/s320/IMG_0780_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5638562509338117314" /></a>After some time to reflect, Jon and I both agreed that it was easier to raise the yurt. But knowing what we know now, hopefully it will go more smoothly the next time we put up a yome. Regardless, we're really excited to have DJ and Kathy nearby, and grateful that we had the chance to help out in the building of another kind of alternative living space!
<br /></div>Hannah Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04025605055616671109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-773588969970547387.post-66201334041522454722011-07-26T16:43:00.011-04:002011-07-28T18:13:40.928-04:00off the beaten path<div><br /></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-x8VtqHJSifs/TjHSDtg4k9I/AAAAAAAAC2o/3ou_4yDamaA/s320/IMG_0684_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5634515570016162770" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span>Jon said to me last night: "I feel like we don't ever do anything fun."<div><br /></div><div>What? Oh no! We can't have that. While our days have been fulfilling in their own right, we've been working so diligently doing yurt-related projects that we have forgotten to change it up occasionally and to make sure we're also taking in the wonders of nature that we love so much... we needed a change of scenery!</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CI3H4H6zrvM/TjHScK_YoII/AAAAAAAAC24/HYNSc_cyin4/s320/IMG_0681_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5634515990245580930" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px; " /></span></div><div>So, we decided to go canoeing today. We headed off to the Royal River where it flows under Penney Road in New Gloucester...</div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qMiO9_G26rU/TjHS34t0T5I/AAAAAAAAC34/6PeG1yWkfrQ/s1600/IMG_0622_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qMiO9_G26rU/TjHS34t0T5I/AAAAAAAAC34/6PeG1yWkfrQ/s320/IMG_0622_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5634516466376396690" /></a>and this made him SO happy!<br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LRrUTTOvpUk/TjHS3v6v43I/AAAAAAAAC3w/RBbFkCF6urk/s1600/IMG_0627_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LRrUTTOvpUk/TjHS3v6v43I/AAAAAAAAC3w/RBbFkCF6urk/s320/IMG_0627_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5634516464014713714" /></a>It was so quiet, just the sounds of the wind in the trees, nearby birds, and our paddles on the water.<br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EBMsOR3JXdU/TjHS3UxONdI/AAAAAAAAC3o/cx-rAsqCQCM/s1600/IMG_0631_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EBMsOR3JXdU/TjHS3UxONdI/AAAAAAAAC3o/cx-rAsqCQCM/s320/IMG_0631_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5634516456727000530" /></a>Gliding by lots of wildlife (and jumping out occasionally to transport the canoe over fallen logs that blocked our way through)...<br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WBcehnyH4i8/TjHS20gscHI/AAAAAAAAC3g/gCu3R3nbUe0/s1600/IMG_0641_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WBcehnyH4i8/TjHS20gscHI/AAAAAAAAC3g/gCu3R3nbUe0/s320/IMG_0641_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5634516448067743858" /></a>The arrow plant leaves were perfectly pointy, and they were blooming, just for us (and for you, mum).<br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bEXHu-9RiXU/TjHSdZ6gg9I/AAAAAAAAC3Y/2tuUNQdOlBk/s1600/IMG_0643_2.JPG" style="text-decoration: none;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bEXHu-9RiXU/TjHSdZ6gg9I/AAAAAAAAC3Y/2tuUNQdOlBk/s320/IMG_0643_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5634516011431527378" /></a>We stopped a lot to check things out...<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4nENxYmeMM4/TjHSdNBZ0UI/AAAAAAAAC3Q/Xcii40n8kj0/s1600/IMG_0650_2.JPG" style="text-decoration: none;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4nENxYmeMM4/TjHSdNBZ0UI/AAAAAAAAC3Q/Xcii40n8kj0/s320/IMG_0650_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5634516007970787650" /></a><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VKAWSNt39n8/TjHSce7-c8I/AAAAAAAAC3A/Dd9ZcwXhDDw/s320/IMG_0671_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5634515995599991746" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px; " /></span>And we were silent enough that a great blue heron flew just over our heads on his way upstream. And a belted kingfisher carved his darting path in the air overhead and beside us.<br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-07n4imU1rJY/TjHScpxjF1I/AAAAAAAAC3I/VqU-OK4w9RM/s1600/IMG_0668_2.JPG" style="text-decoration: none;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-07n4imU1rJY/TjHScpxjF1I/AAAAAAAAC3I/VqU-OK4w9RM/s320/IMG_0668_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5634515998509045586" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CI3H4H6zrvM/TjHScK_YoII/AAAAAAAAC24/HYNSc_cyin4/s1600/IMG_0681_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NYrroDE4az0/TjHSEFnCXkI/AAAAAAAAC2w/JpXo6WMNLDI/s1600/IMG_0683_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NYrroDE4az0/TjHSEFnCXkI/AAAAAAAAC2w/JpXo6WMNLDI/s320/IMG_0683_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5634515576484421186" /></a>A couple hours later we landed at our destination under the Intervale Road by Pineland Farms. <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-W2ncpK_FuFo/TjHSDTyoeMI/AAAAAAAAC2g/8TpL6U07Jx4/s1600/IMG_0690_2.JPG" style="text-decoration: none;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-W2ncpK_FuFo/TjHSDTyoeMI/AAAAAAAAC2g/8TpL6U07Jx4/s320/IMG_0690_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5634515563111282882" /></a>Jon grabbed the bike out of the canoe and pedaled the few miles back to grab the car.<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OhRtq_HYDHY/TjHSC3zlDsI/AAAAAAAAC2Y/qTohRX5d8tU/s1600/IMG_0691_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OhRtq_HYDHY/TjHSC3zlDsI/AAAAAAAAC2Y/qTohRX5d8tU/s320/IMG_0691_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5634515555599060674" /></a>We think the next leg of our canoe trip will start here... (can you see the canoe between the pillars?) we had so much fun that we plan to go often. Eventually we hope to make our way all the way down river to the ocean!<br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4fpgpzh7Ekk/TjHSCm8h-AI/AAAAAAAAC2Q/G_26QMQ-BuE/s1600/IMG_0693_2.JPG" style="text-decoration: none;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4fpgpzh7Ekk/TjHSCm8h-AI/AAAAAAAAC2Q/G_26QMQ-BuE/s320/IMG_0693_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5634515551073204226" /></a></div>Hannah Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04025605055616671109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-773588969970547387.post-55342897116922649022011-07-24T17:45:00.003-04:002011-07-28T18:02:26.920-04:00A place for organic matter, finally!<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VTdSMX4aUXg/TjHZNnxIThI/AAAAAAAAC5Y/QSzCUtEd_l4/s1600/IMG_0598_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VTdSMX4aUXg/TjHZNnxIThI/AAAAAAAAC5Y/QSzCUtEd_l4/s320/IMG_0598_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5634523436853775890" /></a>So, I've been working on these compost bins for weeks! Not because they take forever, but because I get distracted easily. But today Sasha came to visit (yay! Do you remember her from Mama Roja? She lives here in Scarborough, not too far away, and gosh it's such a blessing to have her nearby!) and it motivated me to finish this project that I have been putting off.<br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gnDQBfCjvMQ/TjHZHEDIJpI/AAAAAAAAC5Q/pOY3BFNcH4g/s1600/IMG_0601_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gnDQBfCjvMQ/TjHZHEDIJpI/AAAAAAAAC5Q/pOY3BFNcH4g/s320/IMG_0601_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5634523324186371730" /></a>So, we hemmed and we hawed, and we hammered and we sawed...<br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rQRG-TH5Q2I/TjHZGysIq5I/AAAAAAAAC5I/MmuK4_YWrHg/s1600/IMG_0603_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rQRG-TH5Q2I/TjHZGysIq5I/AAAAAAAAC5I/MmuK4_YWrHg/s320/IMG_0603_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5634523319526534034" /></a>and by the time Sash had to leave, it looked like this- pretty good, huh?<br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-O6N9DIoGm9U/TjHZGTDVZYI/AAAAAAAAC5A/IGW346SDpHw/s1600/IMG_0606_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-O6N9DIoGm9U/TjHZGTDVZYI/AAAAAAAAC5A/IGW346SDpHw/s320/IMG_0606_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5634523311033902466" /></a>Jon helped me cut some old pieces of roofing with tin snips... and I did a bang-up job getting it all nailed into place (literally)...<br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-r8huken4R5g/TjHZGNx_lQI/AAAAAAAAC44/VJ0wgPCkAlE/s1600/IMG_0612_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-r8huken4R5g/TjHZGNx_lQI/AAAAAAAAC44/VJ0wgPCkAlE/s320/IMG_0612_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5634523309618992386" /></a>So, now we have a dry (enough) place to store the organic matter we'll use for our composting toilet and our compost bins! We'll fill it with bags of sawdust, decaying leaves, grass clippings, etc. Any organic plant matter will do for the compost system. We'll probably just use sawdust for the composting toilet inside the house. Luckily there are plenty of lumber mills around with all the sawdust we could need!<br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-E4cuGJa5ubM/TjHZFwGKQjI/AAAAAAAAC4w/nswuNOyyU-Y/s1600/IMG_0614_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-E4cuGJa5ubM/TjHZFwGKQjI/AAAAAAAAC4w/nswuNOyyU-Y/s320/IMG_0614_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5634523301650514482" /></a>And do you see the finished Nearing-style compost bin to the right? I will put the next one to the left of the dry matter storage area, but we likely won't need it for a year or two. For now, we'll be using the one on the right, filling it first 1/3 full of organic matter, and then digging holes in the middle to dump our humanure buckets and compost into (being sure to keep it level as we go). We can add more sticks as needed to make it taller as our pile grows!Hannah Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04025605055616671109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-773588969970547387.post-43722220588651127822011-07-20T17:34:00.000-04:002011-07-28T17:44:54.669-04:00la toiletteJon has been building the most gorgeous toilet for our home...<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-geQINAjNdlc/TjHWi7RiumI/AAAAAAAAC4o/b-Gr5hLU0iI/s1600/IMG_0580_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-geQINAjNdlc/TjHWi7RiumI/AAAAAAAAC4o/b-Gr5hLU0iI/s320/IMG_0580_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5634520504332368482" /></a>Working in the basement is nice because it's cool down here, even when it's in the 90's outside!<br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_Cd00oUtJgQ/TjHWcFO_mFI/AAAAAAAAC4g/M96Q0kQmpEA/s1600/IMG_0583_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_Cd00oUtJgQ/TjHWcFO_mFI/AAAAAAAAC4g/M96Q0kQmpEA/s320/IMG_0583_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5634520386746947666" /></a><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HLuGBDIYA68/TjHWbzW5BdI/AAAAAAAAC4Y/-o-RH9YdASM/s1600/IMG_0585_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a>and we have all the fun equipment he needs down here to rip, cut, and bevel our barnboards (from Hutch and MaryAnn's old barn down the road) to make it unique.<br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TolhkqfGszM/TjHWbKGX-LI/AAAAAAAAC4Q/0QDT-Jty1wM/s1600/IMG_0588_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TolhkqfGszM/TjHWbKGX-LI/AAAAAAAAC4Q/0QDT-Jty1wM/s320/IMG_0588_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5634520370873104562" /></a>Our toilet is basically a wooden box that a 5-gallon bucket will fit inside.<br /><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HLuGBDIYA68/TjHWbzW5BdI/AAAAAAAAC4Y/-o-RH9YdASM/s1600/IMG_0585_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HLuGBDIYA68/TjHWbzW5BdI/AAAAAAAAC4Y/-o-RH9YdASM/s320/IMG_0585_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5634520381948233170" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></a>When all is said and done, it will have a lid that is on hinges. The toilet seat will be attached to the lid. And that's pretty much it.<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LqsuaSYNrCc/TjHWa-NKPKI/AAAAAAAAC4I/1Dny0QN3U14/s1600/IMG_0596_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LqsuaSYNrCc/TjHWa-NKPKI/AAAAAAAAC4I/1Dny0QN3U14/s320/IMG_0596_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5634520367680339106" /></a>Voila: a composting toilet that is sturdy, portable, and small enough to fit happily inside our yurt!<br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gWYwSUVhJlI/TjHWaqIf3NI/AAAAAAAAC4A/kwNIZpvESVg/s1600/IMG_0591_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gWYwSUVhJlI/TjHWaqIf3NI/AAAAAAAAC4A/kwNIZpvESVg/s320/IMG_0591_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5634520362292075730" /></a>We haven't got the seat yet, but it's on its way. Stay tuned!</div>Hannah Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04025605055616671109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-773588969970547387.post-89506700553328706612011-07-16T09:28:00.003-04:002011-07-18T10:01:01.418-04:00Our New Breakfast NookJohn Bolton came to see the yurt yesterday, and put a bug in our ear about the 'next project'. We ambitiously decided that today was the day we would do something grand.<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-k5aFcSXGnZs/TiQ2zzIdw1I/AAAAAAAAC2I/_xz2GNlMwxw/s1600/IMG_0499_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-k5aFcSXGnZs/TiQ2zzIdw1I/AAAAAAAAC2I/_xz2GNlMwxw/s320/IMG_0499_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5630685697646904146" /></a>(I love seeing this big swath of garlic drying in the sun! Some for the farm stand, and lots for us at home.)<br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2qFeg50SWWQ/TiQ2Z0BR9_I/AAAAAAAAC2A/MQCmSj9JcEo/s1600/IMG_0501_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2qFeg50SWWQ/TiQ2Z0BR9_I/AAAAAAAAC2A/MQCmSj9JcEo/s320/IMG_0501_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5630685251208607730" /></a>Our faithful companion: the Farmall Cub, who helped to haul the parts we would need out to the site.<br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UwAIDpV6M9E/TiQ2Ze4G2mI/AAAAAAAAC14/mGzSO2nOOAk/s1600/IMG_0508_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UwAIDpV6M9E/TiQ2Ze4G2mI/AAAAAAAAC14/mGzSO2nOOAk/s320/IMG_0508_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5630685245532985954" /></a>Oh goodness... so we got out the beams first, and measured to determine where we would need to dig.<br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MbXd4tCyazY/TiQ2ZHAV9lI/AAAAAAAAC1w/0UhoAqfdo_I/s1600/IMG_0509_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MbXd4tCyazY/TiQ2ZHAV9lI/AAAAAAAAC1w/0UhoAqfdo_I/s320/IMG_0509_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5630685239125079634" /></a>We decided on a very moderate six holes instead of the previously planned upon (and unnecessary) eight.<br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-N1iw2IfpdEs/TiQ2YhiitrI/AAAAAAAAC1o/YWQM6cl1OCw/s1600/IMG_0512_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-N1iw2IfpdEs/TiQ2YhiitrI/AAAAAAAAC1o/YWQM6cl1OCw/s320/IMG_0512_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5630685229067974322" /></a>We dug the holes, filled them with gravel, set and leveled our piers, cut our 4x4's to be level, and screwed in our beams. And it worked like a charm!<br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9mWOT1NBt0E/TiQ2YdQtM2I/AAAAAAAAC1g/sgpAWEJMadw/s1600/IMG_0515_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9mWOT1NBt0E/TiQ2YdQtM2I/AAAAAAAAC1g/sgpAWEJMadw/s320/IMG_0515_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5630685227919422306" /></a>We decided to make our little porch off-set from the door. This will allow us easy access to the inside when we're carrying water etc, which will be nice. It will also give us a spot (that's not in front of the door) to sit and eat our breakfast in the morning shade, which we're looking forward to!<br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nRy6qzHTHAg/TiQ1XO8321I/AAAAAAAAC1Y/nTvCK1CGaAs/s1600/IMG_0520_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nRy6qzHTHAg/TiQ1XO8321I/AAAAAAAAC1Y/nTvCK1CGaAs/s320/IMG_0520_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5630684107386641234" /></a>A few last finishing touches...<br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TjRvzFxHf0M/TiQ1WgZuyhI/AAAAAAAAC1Q/YaGo1_rlUsM/s1600/IMG_0529_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TjRvzFxHf0M/TiQ1WgZuyhI/AAAAAAAAC1Q/YaGo1_rlUsM/s320/IMG_0529_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5630684094891215378" /></a>(and some punchiness after a full day in the hot sun...)<br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2Hgz0DEU_Sk/TiQ1WVCug2I/AAAAAAAAC1I/WdivcQsmK7g/s1600/IMG_0530_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2Hgz0DEU_Sk/TiQ1WVCug2I/AAAAAAAAC1I/WdivcQsmK7g/s320/IMG_0530_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5630684091841938274" /></a>and we were done!<br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dRKZTgHTFXc/TiQ1V1RXkkI/AAAAAAAAC1A/ntssEqbHyWc/s1600/IMG_0534_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dRKZTgHTFXc/TiQ1V1RXkkI/AAAAAAAAC1A/ntssEqbHyWc/s320/IMG_0534_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5630684083313414722" /></a>The bonus? It's a whole lot easier to get into the yurt now, which will be nice the next time you come for a visit!Hannah Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04025605055616671109noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-773588969970547387.post-53788120221733701402011-07-13T08:27:00.002-04:002011-07-18T09:52:36.137-04:00Floors in a PinchBecause he only had one day off this week, Jon was determined to finish our floors on Wednesday- despite the heat. So, Tuesday I finished wiping the pitch off every knot with turpentine, and then scraping away everything that was left...<div><br /></div><div>We got out to the yurt at 5:30am to try and beat the heat, and tore into the floors with 40-grit sandpaper and this beast (I'm talking about the sander, not Jon):<br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-02XVyxsHk54/TiQpmkt0Q3I/AAAAAAAAC0w/EkC7vg_2kMs/s1600/IMG_0452_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-02XVyxsHk54/TiQpmkt0Q3I/AAAAAAAAC0w/EkC7vg_2kMs/s320/IMG_0452_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5630671176787575666" /></a>Some particularly hard-to-reach spots required this drum sander too...<br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oeLMcxJyMo4/TiQpl8QcnFI/AAAAAAAAC0o/mdO8hLlNOmM/s1600/IMG_0457_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oeLMcxJyMo4/TiQpl8QcnFI/AAAAAAAAC0o/mdO8hLlNOmM/s320/IMG_0457_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5630671165926972498" /></a>Like before, our pads kept getting gummed up with pitch...<br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0ayfw6U4no8/TiQplh9EyFI/AAAAAAAAC0g/mD7ky8bj3zs/s1600/IMG_0460_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0ayfw6U4no8/TiQplh9EyFI/AAAAAAAAC0g/mD7ky8bj3zs/s320/IMG_0460_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5630671158866397266" /></a>Lots of pitch. See those flakes on the floor? They're pitch too.<br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-teMmHl7zl6g/TiQpk30gdSI/AAAAAAAAC0Y/Xzoo3CjNIw8/s1600/IMG_0466_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-teMmHl7zl6g/TiQpk30gdSI/AAAAAAAAC0Y/Xzoo3CjNIw8/s320/IMG_0466_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5630671147556173090" /></a>We were prepared though, and we just kept going... and going... and going.<br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-86Uy4zE5lFI/TiQpkk3ULjI/AAAAAAAAC0Q/uxM29b_UKc4/s1600/IMG_0468_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-86Uy4zE5lFI/TiQpkk3ULjI/AAAAAAAAC0Q/uxM29b_UKc4/s320/IMG_0468_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5630671142467677746" /></a>By noon, and 28 packages of sandpaper later (4 pieces to a package), we were done! We finished by palm sanding the edges that the beast couldn't reach and headed inside for lunch.<br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hfzekMkCZos/TiQpMB5W5TI/AAAAAAAAC0I/A3NzRt5mwqc/s1600/IMG_0472_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hfzekMkCZos/TiQpMB5W5TI/AAAAAAAAC0I/A3NzRt5mwqc/s320/IMG_0472_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5630670720764142898" /></a>In the afternoon we swept well, and then oiled the floorboards with the oil we made (3 gallons of walnut oil mixed with 1 pound of beeswax).<br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IgE3f-a9Y-s/TiQpLzJueCI/AAAAAAAAC0A/XYRnrkn9dqQ/s1600/IMG_0475_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IgE3f-a9Y-s/TiQpLzJueCI/AAAAAAAAC0A/XYRnrkn9dqQ/s320/IMG_0475_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5630670716806264866" /></a>Isn't it purty? The ants seem to love the oil, so Jon cut a bunch of thyme to deter them... apparently they don't like the smell... or maybe it just covers up the scent of the oil.<br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-b5HgIm3aeYw/TiQpLQrDR0I/AAAAAAAACz4/uhl4a16qCy4/s1600/IMG_0476_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-b5HgIm3aeYw/TiQpLQrDR0I/AAAAAAAACz4/uhl4a16qCy4/s320/IMG_0476_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5630670707550799682" /></a>We surrounded the perimeter of the floor with thyme, and our work was done. Over time, the oil will sink into the floorboards and leave them with a lovely glow.<br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-x0e_qjtVnok/TiQpLAb9EFI/AAAAAAAACzw/GGzBEIQHtg4/s1600/IMG_0480_2.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-x0e_qjtVnok/TiQpLAb9EFI/AAAAAAAACzw/GGzBEIQHtg4/s320/IMG_0480_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5630670703192510546" /></a>Because of the pitch, we will probably need to shellac them as well. We're looking into making our own non-toxic shellac using shellac flakes (did you know they come from the lac bug? Seriously!) and grain alcohol. But that's a project for another day. For now, we are done. Mike thinks our new floors will be a swell place to take a nap sometime in the future, and I think he's right.<br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rCF_KhDKT28/TiQpKpQuY0I/AAAAAAAACzo/7gMuICDXbFA/s1600/IMG_0484_2.JPG" style="text-decoration: none;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rCF_KhDKT28/TiQpKpQuY0I/AAAAAAAACzo/7gMuICDXbFA/s320/IMG_0484_2.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5630670696971395906" /></a></div>Hannah Bhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04025605055616671109noreply@blogger.com0