Happy T’Giving 2018
Family gathering for fun and good food.
“...through the white and drifting snow...”
Quick inch right about sunset.
T’giving prep (mostly Sue). I tried to get a head start on the rutabaga but, then started multitasking and burned the first lot.
Out of the Barn
Nite iceboat #10, also known as Wombat, has been pulled out of Roger’s barn. She is now, almost, poised to slide without delay onto the first sailable ice. (And, as the photo below shows, ice is being made.)
Ice-making is happening early this year, causing hope to spring eternal that we will get many square miles of it, pure black and unblemished by white. #351 is totally ready, waxed and polished and sporting a new cover. #165 has recently undergone plastic surgery and is now in the beauty shop getting gussied, and Wombat, old faithful Wombat, probably close to her 60th year on the hard stuff, is seriously planning on winning a race this time around the marks.
Odd Structures...
...in Whitewater. Whitewater is not the place you would look to for fine architecture or quality residential construction. But it is a good place to prospect for rundown oddities.
This fascinating structure straddles Whitewater Creek. Could be fun to rehab and take off grid with a small water turbine in the “basement.”
And this place should probably be turned into a winery, assuming some of the vines have fruit.
Slowish Sunday
Bright sun and little wind, but, then, not much in the way of temperature.
The beauty of concrete.
I’ve decided (been prompted?) to try writing a series of beginning reader stories featuring Pax as either the protagonist or the sidekick. And, since I have little else to say about today, here is one attempt. (Kids are scatologically oriented, one needs to remember.)
Not The Best Walk
Our walk today was not the best.
We started our walk, and then we saw a man with two dogs walking towards us. Pax does not like those two dogs. Those dogs look mean and their bark is too loud.
The fur on Pax’s neck stood up. He started to growl.
“What should we do?” I wondered. Pax doesn’t like to fight.
“Come, Pax,” I said. “Let’s cross the street.”
No cars were coming. Pax and I quickly crossed the street. We walked on that side. The man and the two mean dogs went by on their side.
“It’s okay now,” I said to Pax. But Pax was not okay. He pulled and pulled on his lead.
“Oh, no,” I said. “I know what that means.”
When Pax pulls and pulls on his lead it means he has to poop.
Pax likes to be away by himself when he poops. He likes to go off lead. He likes privacy.
But sometimes he can’t wait. “I know,” I said. “Sometimes when you have to go, you have to go.”
This time he went right in a lady’s front yard. Even worse, the lady was watching from her porch.
“Now what do we do?” I asked Pax, but he was busy and did not seem to hear.
“Good morning,” I said. “Pax is sorry he had to poop in your yard.”
When Pax was done I scooped the poop.
The lady was nice. She smiled. “That’s okay,” she said. “Thanks for picking up.”
After that Pax and I walked home. We did not see any more mean dogs and Pax did not have to poop again.
But our walk today was not the best.
Second Snowfall of the Season
About an inch overnight.
Canadian Hemlock in the back yard, thoroughly enjoying the weather.
Since snowy, I shopped and sautéed, while Sue settled in to sew.
In The Gutter
Gutter cleaning, again. Semi-annual, not-so-fun task. Birch, oak, maple, and pear the primary culprits, along with a great number of red pine needles in the north-east quadrant. Soggy, gooey masses, and occasionally, a solid, frozen chunk. Chilly on the hands. But, having priced gutter leaf guards, I’ve decided that my hour and a half on the ladder was worth its weight in gold.
Heron Pax and I met on today’s walk
With The Boys
Two on two. Quite a challenge, but lots of fun.
It Can’t Be Cold...
...if it’s sunny. Warm enough by afternoon for a bike/run to the prairie (though even with gloves, the fingers were numb). Pax weather.
The little graphic below was inspired by my appreciation of being retired.
A Cold One
Sunny and cold today, clear and cold tonight, with the thermometer dropping, I predict, into single digits. That will make a lot of ice—more than the little skim seen below.
Ellie to horse-riding this afternoon, while Sue hung out with the boys. (Too much going on to remember to take a photos.) But they are getting big and very mobile, not to mention cute.
It Was A Dark And Chilly Day
Not really cold, but we are not really ready. In February a day like this would go down as tropical. The lack of sun, I think, and the damp feeling, contributed.
Sue spent a bit of time cleaning up old computer files and came across this, below. Since there is little else to report or comment on…
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Even Further Adventure of Pax
The plan was to help George move his Southcoast 22 across the Bay and help him haul it out and then store it away at Berry Boats. I was going to accompany George on the water, while John would meet us at the marina with his truck and George’s trailer.
George lives north-west of here, a brisk 10 minute walk along Serendipity Lane, on the end of Gray’s Point. Rather than walking there this morning I asked John to drive me down. I had my hat, my slicker, and John’s handheld VHF, and, of course, Pax. Pax always prefers to be part of things and today made sure he was not left behind.
So we drove down to the Griffith’s place, John and me up front, Pax in back. George met us at the turnaround on his driveway where I gathered my stuff and got out. John turned the truck and headed back home, with Pax now riding shotgun. John drove home, pulled in his drive, parked, and got out. Pax jumped out too.
George and I meanwhile walked around his cottage and down the path to the beach, and then waded out to the boat where we lowered the motor, started it up, and cast off the anchor lines. I walked us out to deeper water, and as George shifted into forward I climbed aboard, with the boat headed out of the cove and around the rocky spit of Gray’s Point. As we gained deeper water and were able to swing east and head toward the marina, George looked aft and said, “My God, something is coming after us.”
Absolutely right. Not a beaver. Not a muskrat. But a little head with a topknot and floppy ears, and most definitely Pax, swimming hard, swimming fast.
George cut the motor, and when Pax caught up I hoisted him aboard. I used the handheld to hail Kagawong marina and ask them to call John’s cottage and leave word that we had a dog aboard the boat.
When he got the word John gave up his Paxton search and drove over to the marina. Pax put his soggy head on my lap, endured the ride, and when we reached the marina went about his business. He didn’t help much with hauling the boat, but he definitely was part of the action…which was always his plan.
Green Squash
Today, garage cleaned and straightened, patio blown clear of detritus and tree droppings, several good dog walks, and a bike ride. Chilly, but sunny and above freezing.
Not in our yard.
Due to stupidity, I forgot to make notation of what vafiety these squash seeds were. Prolific crop, nonetheless. Tonight is the first taste test. Report to follow.
Update: the green squash is very good...light and delicate, but tasty. Lots here, orders now accepted.
Theatrics...
...at American Players Theatre in Spring Green. Engaging Shaw. Clever, witty script, very well acted. Lots of fun.
Then surprisingly good dinner at the Plow restaurant in Cambridge on the way home.
Making Ice
Early onset winter.
Many sandhill cranes high overhead, riding a strong and cold north wind.
Pax loves this weather.
Sidewalks Have Been Brined...
...at least on campus. Which means, I believe, that someone is expecting snow. It’s cold enough for sure.
Blueberry bush having turned red before turning white.
Long Night...
...but ultimately good.
The Walker, right wing cabal?
Basically, a good day for the country, and quite a good day for Wisconsin. In Wisconsin science will be back, public schools will no longer be under attack, the MNR will be reconstituted, millions of Federal Affordable Care dollars will no longer be rejected, the UW system will get a whole new set of regents, giant polluters will be held accountable, water will once again be considered valuable, roads will be fixed, modern transportation systems will be developed, solar and wind energy will come out of repression….and that sort of thing. And, the change was achieved in spite of millions of Koch dollars, and a sickening amout of nastiness, spent trying to stop it.
Hats, coats, and gloves the order of the day. Cold northwest wind. Could this be the onset of winter? A little snow in the forecast here later in the week, and seven inches or more possible on Manitoulin.
What a Night
The most important outcome, the House, as source of happiness. Disappointment in the Texas, Florida, and Georgia tases. Still in agony over the Wisconsin governor outcome.
Eight Pounds of Sloppy Joe...
...to Democratic HQ, then to a rally for Tammy and Tony (Senator Tammy Baldwin & Gubernatorial candidate Tony Evers) at the University, then home for a mad-dash backyard rake and mow ahead of the next rain event. And we did it—the last of the heavy leaves are crammed into the trailer, covered with plastic, and ready for swift delivery to the compost site Saturday morning, which we can’t miss if we don’t want to provide these leaves a home for another year. Raining hard now, and a big cool-down forecast.
Foul Weather
Difficult drive to Milwaukee in heavy rain, stiff crosswind, and near zero visibility, as Kate and Will were returned to the rental agency. And this after a morning of waffles and ping-pong!
Quite a variety of species here
Dark now, of course, as we have moved into the dark phase of the year, and yet the rain and wind continue—sometimes a light drizzle, and sometimes a heavy splattering, sometimes with hail.
Actually not feeling bad about missing today’s iceboat swap meet in Williams Bay.
It’s Saturday Night...
...and afternoon too.
Trailer-full of leaves to the compost site. Water slide, lazy river, and water volleyball at the Aquatic Center. Ping-pong and poker. All topped off with Mary Poppins. Totally supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.