found this little poem. hadn't read it before but it reminded me how, when I was a child, we'd press our noses on the house or car windows or "huff" on them to frost them over.
We'd get up in the mornings and there would be frost on the single-paned windows . . . until the sun got on it and melted Jack Frost's art work.
For, creeping softly underneath
The door when all the lights are out,
Jack Frost takes every breath you breathe,
And knows the things you dream about.
He paints them on the window-pane
In fairy lines with frozen steam.
And when you wake, you see again
The lovely things you saw in dream.
Gabriel Setoun
If we stay at III this weekend, maybe Jack Frost will visit. They are calling for 45 or 50 degree daytime highs so hopefully we are coming out of the deep freeze!
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Thursday, February 21, 2008
I'm Not Sure
what the previous post(about greens) had to do with III, or with anything, for that matter.
Anyway, I have a decision to make. President Bush is going to provide me and herself with some money to spend to help keep the economy growing. I am torn between a solar system, which would be good for keeping the cabin electronics going. BUT, we (I) want to build a storage shed. So, I need power. Lots of power. We have no electricity, but a generator could provide me with the power I need to run a Skil saw, jig saw, and other power tools. It would also keep our battery charged up for the cabin, and could also provide the power needed for a composting toilet, or a more powerful pump for the shower. While the solar system is drawing me towards it, I think I can at this time accomplish more with a generator. So, for now, the generator is winning. Of course, this has to be done with the approval of herself, as by now you can tell, she rules the roost.
Boi
Anyway, I have a decision to make. President Bush is going to provide me and herself with some money to spend to help keep the economy growing. I am torn between a solar system, which would be good for keeping the cabin electronics going. BUT, we (I) want to build a storage shed. So, I need power. Lots of power. We have no electricity, but a generator could provide me with the power I need to run a Skil saw, jig saw, and other power tools. It would also keep our battery charged up for the cabin, and could also provide the power needed for a composting toilet, or a more powerful pump for the shower. While the solar system is drawing me towards it, I think I can at this time accomplish more with a generator. So, for now, the generator is winning. Of course, this has to be done with the approval of herself, as by now you can tell, she rules the roost.
Boi
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
More to come?
This was early spring 2006.
Remember what the wise folks say about a late storm like this -- at least it won't last long.
Misery loves company
http://www.islandnet.com/~see/weather/almanac/diaryjan.htm
The Weather Doctor's Diary: maybe reading these will make us feel better about 3 degrees below zero? nah, that won't work . . . we won't feel better.
29 January 2004, Minnesota: All Minnesota weather stations record a low temperature below zero Fahrenheit (-18° C) this morning. The coldest is Park Rapids where the low was minus 45° Fahrenheit (-42.8° C)
1 January 1864, Midwestern States: The most bitterly cold New Year's Day to date hits the Midwest with snow, gales and severe cold. Afternoon highs reach only minus 16° F (-26.7° C) at Chicago, Illinois and minus 25° F (-31.7° C) at Minneapolis, Minnesota.
10 January 1975, Duluth, Minnesota: Barometer pressure drops to record low of 28.55 inches (967 mb) during intense winter storm over Minnesota. storm deposits two feet (60 cm) of snow on parts of the state and wind chills reach -80F (-62C) there.
24 January 1922, Danbury, Wisconsin: The coldest recorded temperature east of the Mississippi River: minus 54° F (minus 47.8° C).
Well, you get the idea. Follow the link if you want more!
The Weather Doctor's Diary: maybe reading these will make us feel better about 3 degrees below zero? nah, that won't work . . . we won't feel better.
29 January 2004, Minnesota: All Minnesota weather stations record a low temperature below zero Fahrenheit (-18° C) this morning. The coldest is Park Rapids where the low was minus 45° Fahrenheit (-42.8° C)
1 January 1864, Midwestern States: The most bitterly cold New Year's Day to date hits the Midwest with snow, gales and severe cold. Afternoon highs reach only minus 16° F (-26.7° C) at Chicago, Illinois and minus 25° F (-31.7° C) at Minneapolis, Minnesota.
10 January 1975, Duluth, Minnesota: Barometer pressure drops to record low of 28.55 inches (967 mb) during intense winter storm over Minnesota. storm deposits two feet (60 cm) of snow on parts of the state and wind chills reach -80F (-62C) there.
24 January 1922, Danbury, Wisconsin: The coldest recorded temperature east of the Mississippi River: minus 54° F (minus 47.8° C).
Well, you get the idea. Follow the link if you want more!
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Spring Greens or pissenlit (I had high school French too!)
Click here to go back to Green Onions in Nana's View!
One of my earliest memories was of my Gramma Austin wishing for some dandelion leaves to add to her meal. As young as I was, I knew dandelions and I also knew somehow that a dandelion could be very bitter -- had I tasted the pretty yellow blossom?
In the "olden days" of my grandmother's youth in the last decade of the 1800s, folks had only to eat what they had taken care to put away during the growing season. They would can or dry berries, fruits and vegetables. They tried to preserve everything they found or got a hold of. Waste was irresponsible, if not down right evil. They didn't have much cash to spend at the general store and the general store wouldn't have had many fresh vegetables or fruits to sell anyway. There was no such thing as a refrigerated freight train car.
Had the summer been dry, short or the garden hailed out -- or the winter long -- the meals would have become monotanous and maybe even sparse. (My dad told of one winter during the 1930s when his folks and family lived almost entirely on bean soup.) Perhaps the family was down to the last few jars of home-canned tomatoes. Maybe the potatoes they had managed to get to the cave were shriveled and starting to sprout. The canned berries, corn or green beans were probably gone or spoiled. The canning methods weren't as good as they are now. Each family member might each have had an orange at Christmas but fresh fruit and vegetables were too expensive or too scarce for most common folks to have even on a weekly basis. Unless they still had some apple cider (probably "turned" by spring) there was no fruit juice and sure no frozen concentrate.
Which brings us to Gramma and spring greens. Gramma got to craving green vegetables come late March or early April. The earliest green in all of Iowa would be the lowly dandelion. Find the dandelion leaves before the bright flowers pop some early spring day and you might beat the "bitter". Of course, after a winter without any fresh vegetables, bitter is a matter of perspective anyway. A little bitter on a fresh green in late March would be far more acceptable than bitter in the middle of August with the garden in full glory. Ripe tomatoes on the vine and sweet corn on the cob.
Gramma, with her bibbed apron and her plain black shoes, took up her butcher knife and hunted the lowly dandelion.
Dandelion Greens, 1 cup raw
Vit A, daily value 2712 IU54%
Vit K, daily value 151 mcg188%
Calcium, daily value 103 mg10%
Iron, daily value 1.7 mg9%
Broccoli, 1 cup raw
Vit A, daily value 581 IU12%
Vit K, daily value 89.4 mcg112%
Calcium, daily value 41.4 mg4%
Iron, daily value 0.6 mg4%
Well, look at that! My gramma knew what she was doing! And, read here. Dandilions are a tonic too! http://www.rwood.com/Articles/Dandelion_Greens.htm
One of my earliest memories was of my Gramma Austin wishing for some dandelion leaves to add to her meal. As young as I was, I knew dandelions and I also knew somehow that a dandelion could be very bitter -- had I tasted the pretty yellow blossom?
In the "olden days" of my grandmother's youth in the last decade of the 1800s, folks had only to eat what they had taken care to put away during the growing season. They would can or dry berries, fruits and vegetables. They tried to preserve everything they found or got a hold of. Waste was irresponsible, if not down right evil. They didn't have much cash to spend at the general store and the general store wouldn't have had many fresh vegetables or fruits to sell anyway. There was no such thing as a refrigerated freight train car.
Had the summer been dry, short or the garden hailed out -- or the winter long -- the meals would have become monotanous and maybe even sparse. (My dad told of one winter during the 1930s when his folks and family lived almost entirely on bean soup.) Perhaps the family was down to the last few jars of home-canned tomatoes. Maybe the potatoes they had managed to get to the cave were shriveled and starting to sprout. The canned berries, corn or green beans were probably gone or spoiled. The canning methods weren't as good as they are now. Each family member might each have had an orange at Christmas but fresh fruit and vegetables were too expensive or too scarce for most common folks to have even on a weekly basis. Unless they still had some apple cider (probably "turned" by spring) there was no fruit juice and sure no frozen concentrate.
Which brings us to Gramma and spring greens. Gramma got to craving green vegetables come late March or early April. The earliest green in all of Iowa would be the lowly dandelion. Find the dandelion leaves before the bright flowers pop some early spring day and you might beat the "bitter". Of course, after a winter without any fresh vegetables, bitter is a matter of perspective anyway. A little bitter on a fresh green in late March would be far more acceptable than bitter in the middle of August with the garden in full glory. Ripe tomatoes on the vine and sweet corn on the cob.
Gramma, with her bibbed apron and her plain black shoes, took up her butcher knife and hunted the lowly dandelion.
Dandelion Greens, 1 cup raw
Vit A, daily value 2712 IU54%
Vit K, daily value 151 mcg188%
Calcium, daily value 103 mg10%
Iron, daily value 1.7 mg9%
Broccoli, 1 cup raw
Vit A, daily value 581 IU12%
Vit K, daily value 89.4 mcg112%
Calcium, daily value 41.4 mg4%
Iron, daily value 0.6 mg4%
Well, look at that! My gramma knew what she was doing! And, read here. Dandilions are a tonic too! http://www.rwood.com/Articles/Dandelion_Greens.htm
Topienie Marzanny, exactly what we need!
Polish Spring & Easter Rituals.
Winters in Poland were long and unforgiving. Therefore people are longing for spring, for possibility to grow plants and other vegetation. One of the ancient and pagan habits that supposedly was helping to get rid of winter was Topienie Marzanny "sinking of Marzanna". This habit is still cultivated among scouts or school kids. Kids made a doll from old grass and tree branches and take it to the river. They burn the doll (called "Marzanna", from the word "marznac" means "freeze") and throw her into the river. The symbolic meaning of this ceremony is to get rid of winter therefore it is performed in early spring. http://culture.polishsite.us/articles/art30fr.htm
I borrowed the photo from here: http://www.spbarwaldsr.iap.pl/konkurs/marzanna_001.jpg
Erica, are you game? :)
Latest Round
The cardinals hadn't been around for a week or more but this snow -- or the extra bird food Himself put out ahead of the storm, brought this one back for a short visit.
We received more snow here in the Heartland. We had a good 2" of snow this morning, with rain ahead of that. Thank goodness the temperature is warmer and I think a lot of this will melt. There had been blizzard warnings as they feared the snow would blow but the snow is to too wet to blow.
I do hear the wind howling.
I do hear the wind howling.
Next snow in the forecast is due in another 4 days or so. Himself says, everytime he watches the weather -- "every four days! there is snow in the forecast every four days!"
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Deep Freeze
Spring is never coming! The temperature is in single digits. It has been, it is and is going to be in single digits! The weather people predict a warm up (32 degrees, we now call warm) in a few days and before that happens, the weather people change the forecast!
We still have 6-8" of snow on the ground and none thawing with these temps. Missouri! I want Missouri and spring! But I would just settle for warmer!
We still have 6-8" of snow on the ground and none thawing with these temps. Missouri! I want Missouri and spring! But I would just settle for warmer!
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