tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1365419914813123712024-03-05T09:52:00.997-05:00Shim FarmStories about life on our farm, our renovation projects, our pets, some knitting and baking, and a few obstacles along the way to make things interestingShim Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18148782353052767022noreply@blogger.comBlogger229125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-136541991481312371.post-24652516496789882442016-06-11T21:49:00.000-04:002016-06-12T21:53:27.269-04:00The Grandest Voyage<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: small;">A ship sails and I stand watching</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">till she fades on the horizon and someone at my side says,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">"She is gone!"</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">Gone where? Gone from my sight, that is all.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">She is just as large now as when I last saw her.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">Her diminished size and total loss from my sight</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">is in me, not in her.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">And just at that moment when someone at my side says,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">"She is gone,"</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">there are others who are watching her</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">coming over their horizon and other voices</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">take up a glad shout,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">"There she comes!"</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">That is what dying is;</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">A horizon and just the limit of our sight.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">Lift us up, oh Lord, that we may see further.</span><br />
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<div style="text-align: right;">
<b>Bishop Charles Henry Brent</b></div>
Shim Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18148782353052767022noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-136541991481312371.post-9613044794564828812016-02-16T18:57:00.001-05:002016-02-16T18:57:54.696-05:00Clean your Wood Stove Glass the Eco WayMove over commercial wood stove glass cleaner. There's a better option in town, and it'll cost you 2 pieces of paper towel and some H<span class="chemf" style="white-space: nowrap;"><span style="display: inline-block; font-size: 85%; line-height: 1.2em; margin-bottom: -0.3em; text-align: left; vertical-align: -0.4em;">2</span></span><i></i>O:<br />
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Observe the morning after a nice, comforting fire. Your glass is bound to be dirty. There's a quick and easy solution. Grab two pieces of paper towel, and a spray bottle filled with tap water.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi1TIV6its9HDihtpbNcYsV68IYVT59X7XfNqeUIKx6QIW4bMecJoa6ZCpS74R7w0lK9wfRO7nlbnFrTD8QBgQzn2V_UA5HDjAyOH_wPWRpR9f7G7NIZatxbCcI9HrKXSaa6w5Drj9gNj0/s1600/IMG_0198.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi1TIV6its9HDihtpbNcYsV68IYVT59X7XfNqeUIKx6QIW4bMecJoa6ZCpS74R7w0lK9wfRO7nlbnFrTD8QBgQzn2V_UA5HDjAyOH_wPWRpR9f7G7NIZatxbCcI9HrKXSaa6w5Drj9gNj0/s320/IMG_0198.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
I'm cheap so I use those choose-a-size towels. Two little pieces will do for me. Give the (cold) door a quick spritz, and the folded paper towel too.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFr35r87oLhhyphenhyphenGYSGARt-Hdsfh19xYopM5xA8dGhxgytIKAPfd4SeXIOU8MnYa-GBtpoOFLD6aCreUFPXGUrjdLg8LobbPwV3JIkJucKzJO1Dxu3Wvi8GuyCPd9C_Q7fFjwOXiI8wh2_Mm/s1600/IMG_0201.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFr35r87oLhhyphenhyphenGYSGARt-Hdsfh19xYopM5xA8dGhxgytIKAPfd4SeXIOU8MnYa-GBtpoOFLD6aCreUFPXGUrjdLg8LobbPwV3JIkJucKzJO1Dxu3Wvi8GuyCPd9C_Q7fFjwOXiI8wh2_Mm/s320/IMG_0201.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Then dip your moistened paper towel in some white ash, and go to town on the door.<br />
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That's IT. I mean it. Spray your door with your water bottle once more, and remove the residue with your clean paper towel. I've been doing this for years, and I promise you it's so much easier than those drippy, messy commercial cleaners.<br />
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Voilà! Sparkling perfection. Everything in life should be this inexpensive and easy. Total time, start to finish? A grand total of 3 minutes, photos included.<br />
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<br />Shim Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18148782353052767022noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-136541991481312371.post-83203877231196947252016-01-20T17:11:00.000-05:002016-01-20T19:18:27.487-05:00The Wilfred PromiseI promised to tell you about our new Wilfred, rather Wilf III. I'm here to make good on my threat. A promise is a promise.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikKh5j76QQ75b3KeKrCm4vxoE1C9r3VonKHJJ-8kpB41v-CHam0PchPHlyJfaOtOLD0uD3OuQ4KvOuHI3jF8TKjMxkvWE2oFAetdSlzczonAJuI1FW9G5o0UgzpLOT7_Ht4WXbhN800_qv/s1600/IMG_0222.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikKh5j76QQ75b3KeKrCm4vxoE1C9r3VonKHJJ-8kpB41v-CHam0PchPHlyJfaOtOLD0uD3OuQ4KvOuHI3jF8TKjMxkvWE2oFAetdSlzczonAJuI1FW9G5o0UgzpLOT7_Ht4WXbhN800_qv/s400/IMG_0222.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://shimfarm.blogspot.ca/2011/05/kitchen-before-and-after.html">Wilfred the First</a> came with the house, and one of the first things we did was to replace him with <a href="http://shimfarm.blogspot.ca/2011/10/heat.html">Wilf the Second</a>. The original Wilfred always gave us the impression that he was a pyromaniac in training.<br />
<br />
Wilfred the Second lasted 15 years. While that's not an eternity, and we hoped to eke a bit more life out of him, it wasn't to be. The glass cracked last winter (the door was probably warped), and the refractory bricks were starting to crumble. I tried calling Rika in Austria, but their customer service leaves much to be desired. I can understand companies that deal only with distributors, but we learned that even Rika distributors slap their foreheads and say "aaach" with such disdain when asked about replacement parts. Rika might want to consider revamping their mission statement and their day-to-day business dealings with some solid proactivity, but what can I say? We won't have to deal with them again.<br />
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Ideally, we'd love to have a thermal mass heater made of soapstone, the kind that <a href="http://www.tulikivi.com/">Tulikivi </a>makes. One day, when we build a new house, we're going to build that sucker right around a central soapstone heater and live happily ever after.<br />
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Our chimney is built along what used to be an outside wall, so the placement isn't ideal for a thermal mass heater. We'd also need to build a concrete base in the crawlspace to accommodate the few tons of soapstone, and that ain't happening either. When Eric starts to talk about 3000 psi air-entrained concrete and talk wistfully about his rebar bender, I quickly change the subject. No real desire to go there, ever again.<br />
<br />
So, we knew we wanted something modern with a touch of soapstone. We checked on-line and narrowed down a few possibilities. We particularly liked the Bari model, made in Germany by <a href="https://www.hase.de/en.html">Hase</a> and distributed through Hearthstone in Vermont. They have dealers in Quebec, and after a visit to the showroom, we took a leap of faith and placed an order. It's difficult buying a wood stove sight unseen, but we were offered a great price. We also had confidence in the seller. Plus, they took a cool thousand off the bottom line if we would pick it up and install it ourselves. Whoohoo! What's not to like? We welcome a good DIY challenge, a chance to use our forklift, and the opportunity to have a shrink-wrapped stove sitting on a skid in the middle of the living room for 2 months. Where do we sign up for this amazing offer?<br />
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What we hadn't considered was the new stove has a CENTRAL chimney and would require either an entirely new chimney, or some interesting calculations regarding elbows and whatnot. In the end, Eric managed to figure things out, and ordered the parts he needed to adapt our existing chimney.<br />
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Time stands still in our house for a variety of reasons. Installing Wilf III might have taken two months, but the wait was worth it. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDf-QhsqqHVNzwdyveUiCD_c0738sae-oqRgFnEgChSLFFz9UQyLu3NbJ2ToZrg0boVpLdj2zlslYJBeqtnw9Rlvq3l5Mn4Pjt2hW-zHxzzixmIgAm9CAhkwtmUS6d0mgsTVu82Vaph-AM/s1600/IMG_0220.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDf-QhsqqHVNzwdyveUiCD_c0738sae-oqRgFnEgChSLFFz9UQyLu3NbJ2ToZrg0boVpLdj2zlslYJBeqtnw9Rlvq3l5Mn4Pjt2hW-zHxzzixmIgAm9CAhkwtmUS6d0mgsTVu82Vaph-AM/s400/IMG_0220.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
Here's another view. This model can be turned 180 degrees, so we angled him a bit and found that it does radiate more heat where we want it. People coming into the front door remark they can "feel the heat from here", which always makes me laugh. That's the idea. Welcome to radiant heat, and why we put up with ash dust and splinters and cutting our own wood. There is nothing like standing in front of a wood stove until you can't stand it anymore. It's like having the sun right in your living room.<br />
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You might have noticed that the wood is placed upright into the firebox. We weren't too sure about this initially, but I'm convinced it heats better than the traditional stoves where the logs sit flat. There's more flame in the firebox, coupled with the fact the firebox is circular, it seems to reflect the heat that much better. It's like a half-pipe rotary incinerator, right in our very own living room. It's also easier to light than the former, so we're giving it two thumbs up. Time will tell if we've made the right decision, but as it stands right now, we're toasty warm and that's what counts. Shim Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18148782353052767022noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-136541991481312371.post-67162187838687480112016-01-19T23:01:00.003-05:002016-01-20T10:38:10.266-05:00La PoudrerieSo, dear readers, here we are well into the double-digits of January. Considering that our true winter started unseasonably late, one would think my mental reserves are full.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj42kaTYHNGI2oBrlz5A9IZwI2o1w9BCiFQMIBBDfl7Mzu7QgtTofflJiCqf0K7vIs9TEqxGaMnSJtwmnpnPsZTRfkCc2-AWqf5LrAkD9S-HM4poEmNKAGVsYsABF8Ec6xdqMWujBx9O9DW/s1600/IMG_0185.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj42kaTYHNGI2oBrlz5A9IZwI2o1w9BCiFQMIBBDfl7Mzu7QgtTofflJiCqf0K7vIs9TEqxGaMnSJtwmnpnPsZTRfkCc2-AWqf5LrAkD9S-HM4poEmNKAGVsYsABF8Ec6xdqMWujBx9O9DW/s400/IMG_0185.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">January 7, 2016</td></tr>
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Think again.<br />
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My car has been stuck three times already, and in our own driveway to add insult to injury. Last year, I stranded my car so often that when I took it to the garage for an oil change, my mechanic asked me what river I drove it into. He kept it on a lift for 2 days to thaw it out. That's how much snow I had stuck to my undercarriage. I think my car stopped dripping sometime in April.<br />
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Hopefully we'll have a mild spell so that my car can thaw out a bit, but there's nothing in the forecast. We'll dip down to -24C later this week, so things aren't likely to improve. We are, dear friends, in the thick of things.<br />
<br />
On Sunday night it snowed. Environment CaCanada (as we call them in this household) told us we'd get 2 to 4 cm, which is nothing to get worried about. We consider that white drizzle. Come Monday morning, our cars were nothing but white blobs. So much for "two to four". Later that day, a cold front pulled through and with it the winds, which brings me to our french lesson.<br />
<br />
Poudrerie is blowing snow, and right now, the <i>poudrerie </i>is driving me all shades of wild. The plow drives by regularly, depositing yet another strata on the glacier that clogs the end of our driveway. When I'm alone at home, I'm not even driving down the length of our driveway and parking near the house anymore. No, I'm parking within 20' of the road, so our snow removal cowboy can just give a quick trim around the edges. This morning, he came at 7:15 and cleared the snow right up to my bumper. By 8:30, there were already 2 feet of snow at the road. I had to call him and have him clear it again. I'm staking out driveways down the street where there is no blowing snow, just so I can park in peace and know that I can leave the house and get to where I'm going without military-like planning.<br />
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Those of you who aren't familiar with blowing snow might wonder why I just don't shovel the white crap myself. Well, the fact the windchill was -22C this morning was one factor. The fact we pay our snow removal cowboy handsomely is another. I also need to qualify blowing snow as the most obscene molecule nature has ever created. I'm thinking of killing it with fire, that's how precarious my mental state is. I'm sure I can pick up a second-hand Zamboni (google it, fer chrissakes) and we can simply run over it again and again and again until we have a high-quality skating rink. Or maybe a steamroller? Or if we win the big prize, we can get a heated driveway! We'd probably need to win a Powerball billion to be able to afford that. I digress, but blowing snow is packed and heavy. You need power tools to slice it, that's how dense it is.<br />
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At this point, I think I'm going to come up for air in April. Or maybe build an igloo. It was fun when we were kids, I'm sure it could be fun again.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2Cp8x0rUvVaDgLJVg9DZp6oPmB-RQYJCO3ZVD0uDTlY5s3wYx1tXyfYR_TaJ0ETX78cAFnm2Fw3Oo137IOnPrJsrpsPIwmXTIho_0bugddRhR8LuUELZ-Kw62auYQONBc4z_3kHxiJ3Y-/s1600/IMG_0194.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2Cp8x0rUvVaDgLJVg9DZp6oPmB-RQYJCO3ZVD0uDTlY5s3wYx1tXyfYR_TaJ0ETX78cAFnm2Fw3Oo137IOnPrJsrpsPIwmXTIho_0bugddRhR8LuUELZ-Kw62auYQONBc4z_3kHxiJ3Y-/s400/IMG_0194.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">January 19, 2016</td></tr>
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The above photo was tonight's sunset. You can see the blowing snow over the fields. We'll see just how much gets deposited by tomorrow morning.<br />
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As as added bonus, here's a photo of Jeep, or Flip-Flop as Eric has dubbed him:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbDBMtp1j5KprsO4hmacyWgmlakOw83i7xmNAxKDnKdXYpTxpadAWyukHSkO6RH9eiG7U9S4I9XjivVlcAtDh3DipJ6Ob91KCav3ESJTL6Au2KSJy4IuRwbWKaL5Uhr_9lxfszNsojYZQ8/s1600/IMG_0181.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbDBMtp1j5KprsO4hmacyWgmlakOw83i7xmNAxKDnKdXYpTxpadAWyukHSkO6RH9eiG7U9S4I9XjivVlcAtDh3DipJ6Ob91KCav3ESJTL6Au2KSJy4IuRwbWKaL5Uhr_9lxfszNsojYZQ8/s400/IMG_0181.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Opposable Thumbs</td></tr>
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And as an added-bonus-to-the-added-bonus (<i>call now, operators are standing by!</i>), here is my ravioli mould. I made ricotta spinach ravioli the other day. It's quite the production, and I attempt it once a decade. Served with a nice tomato sauce, this was a meal that needed to be followed up with copious amounts of Poire William. So so good!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgekZgt77M-5LBwbB8WxzcNZzG0btMn71mI0eGShmhkKga00gfid53Xgq9b594DWpeh7pMBpRA1B-ysx6tDB66L66PuK_kMA5P9GeTf_CJFE72ndvBzdpdV8HoejUr5NUTmAGAny_gwaGuq/s1600/IMG_0178.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgekZgt77M-5LBwbB8WxzcNZzG0btMn71mI0eGShmhkKga00gfid53Xgq9b594DWpeh7pMBpRA1B-ysx6tDB66L66PuK_kMA5P9GeTf_CJFE72ndvBzdpdV8HoejUr5NUTmAGAny_gwaGuq/s400/IMG_0178.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ravioli-Schablone von Betti Bossi</td></tr>
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Tomorrow I'll show you our new Wilfred, aka wood stove! Promises are promises.<br />
<br />Shim Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18148782353052767022noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-136541991481312371.post-30599607776391975552015-12-31T18:14:00.003-05:002015-12-31T19:51:46.397-05:00Flotsam and Jetsam 2015Well, the glacier receded and spring sprang sometime in May. It goes without saying that I was a terrible blogger in 2015, and won't make any resolutions to do any better in 2016.<br />
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There is no simple way to write a <i>compte-rendu</i> of 2015, so I'm not even going to try. What we'll have to settle for is an iPad photo dump. <br />
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Ah, the modified Comet by Kim Hargreaves, make in Schulana Kid-Paillettes. An awesome accessory, more like a piece of jewelry than knitting. Here, unceremoniously thrown on dandelions, a spring feature all over our so-called lawn.<br />
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When the lilacs finally start blooming, it's a sure sign that spring has sprung, and the worst is behind us.
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Ditto for the crabapple trees. My favorite blooms.<br />
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I was happy with my planters this year, but something kept eating my ipomoea. I suspect earworms since they're a common feature hanging around the dracaenas. This year they decided to chow down. Then again, they spared my lobelia, a plant I try and grow year after year. This year I finally had success. I think the weather might have had something to do with their bounty because they bloomed non-stop.</div>
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Oh no. A new cat. This is Mitaine, french for Mittens. She's got big paws with a extra claw on each front paw. Mitaine was pregnant when she arrived on our doorstep, which is my way of gently breaking it to you. In 2015, I became the dreaded cat-lady. We now have 6 cats, which is about 3 beyond my comfort zone. Mitaine is part Siamese and has lovely light blue eyes, and is very, very smart. (She picked our house, didn't she?) We haven't adored a cat like we've adored Mitaine.<br />
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Capucine isn't too convinced. Here she is, playing camo-cat with an orchid fascinator. Always the coquette, Capu hasn't exactly taken to Mitaine with as much abandon as we have.</div>
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My lovely gazanias (Transvaal daisy). They bloomed until the end of September. Again, this plant is hit-or-miss. 2015 was a total score!</div>
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Sometime at the end of June, we finally broke down and bought a new patio set. Made out of ipe wood, this set by Jensen Leisure is built to last. The chairs are so heavy, you need both hands to move them. Just what we need with our violent winds. This set isn't going to take off like the last one.<br />
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Tessie enjoying a fine summer day on her new chair. Thankfully, she's not interested in clawing it either. Can't say the same thing for the molding around the kitchen door.<br />
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I broke down and knit Eric a pair of socks to go with his uniform ("Regulation Black" dontchaknow?) If you're a knitter, you probably shuddered at this thought. These were a slog-fest, but I persevered. Knit with indestructible Regia sock wool, it should be a while before I have to break down and knit another pair.<br />
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Sorry about the formatting. Blogger is giving me cramps tonight. I'm also stuck into the prosecco and don't really give a crap about parsing HTML anymore. So...pretty clouds. We really lucked out with the weather this summer and
fall. We even had a dreaded Green Christmas and survived to tell the
tale. A few days after Christmas, we were graced with a 40cm dumping of
snow.</div>
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And yet another photo of my planters. It's so nice to see a bit of colour on the horizon. I'm not sure what 2016 will hold, but 2015 will be hard to beat. The local fields were being plowed in December, something only the oldtimers remember happening. We had a bumper crop as well, soya if memory serves correctly.<br />
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A glorious sunset. I never, ever tire from our view. Sorry about the hydro wire, which you probably didn't even notice until I pointed it out. Mea culpa.<br />
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This is Gee Pee. We call him Jeep, because he has massive 4x4 action going on with his paws. On top of having 3 extra claws on his front feet, he has a bonus on each back paw too. He's absolutely adorable and has joined the Kitten Club of Shim Farm.<br />
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Here he is, waving at Tessie. Lookit those mitts and his cute belly. He has such nice markings. When he was tiny, I could always make out Jeep from the rest of the kittens. He was the one tripping over his paws as he ran. The little black munchkin looking on is Minky. She was the runt of the litter, and bonded with Jeep like nobody's business. We tried to place them as a pair because it would have been a shame to split them up, but we had no takers. (I admit, we didn't try too hard). Keeping them was the only option. Minky is stuck to me like misery to the world, and Eric thinks that Jeep is the greatest thing since sliced bread. Win/win all around.<br />
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Yet another sunset. The iPad app and the blogger dashboard from my dying laptop hate each other. There is no way to make any of this post cohesive. Just work with me. I promise it will even out in the end. These are many of the random sunset photos I send to Eric when he's flying, just so he can see what he missed.<br />
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Another glorious evening.<br />
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And to prove to you that none of this makes sense, here is a photo of Jeep and Minky. They lie like this all the time, day in, day out. How could we have parted with them? I rest my case...<br />
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In other undocumented news, 2015 finally saw our overpass reopen to traffic. We had to make a massive detour for months (let's be honest - it was a year and a half) while our overpass was being rebuilt, and then 2 weeks before completion, it was condemned. The fact there were groundhogs and raccoons living inside the structure has been a dead giveaway to us locals for years. (Sometimes I think it's Quebec's way of keeping us pious. We said a prayer every time we crossed it and many of the other crumbling overpasses in this province. Chicken wire IS apparently a replacement for rebar, if you're an engineer working at the MTQ). Summer came and went without any activity, and finally sometime in August, the Ministry of Transport must have gotten the memo, because the reconstruction finally got under way. Just before Halloween, our overpass was reopened. We did many happy dances. I was so happy it was opened, I drove over it, and backed up and drove over it again, just because I could. Damned infrastructure.<br />
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2015 also saw the opening our our very own local Costco. Those who know me know I swear by my Costco, but having to make the trek to Montreal island proper was always frustrating. The parking situation is bad at best even if you arrive before opening, to say nothing of the crowds once you get inside the hallowed establishment. We've been promised a Costco for the past 5 years, and it finally became a reality. Now I can shop at Costco like it's a grocery store, versus shopping at Costco like it was a Hudson Bay Outpost every quarter. Urban sprawl, score 1!<br />
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We replaced Wilfred, (our trusty wood stove for those who haven't paid attention) this month. After nearly 15 years service it was time for a new wood stove. I promise (!) to dedicate an entire post to the new Wilfie, because he's a beaut!<br />
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On that note, my venerable BBQ crock pot ribs are calling my name, and Eric is making homemade fries from our own bumper-crop of special potatoes in the kitchen. We're not going to turn the page on 2015 on a low-calorie note, but that's what January and its resolutions are for. New Year's Eve is a celebration of the bounty of our past year. While none of it was particularly noteworthy, we made it through another year with only First World Problems, which is saying something.<br />
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So, dear friends, from our nuthouse to yours, all the best in 2016. May it be filled with health and happiness, may you see the beauty around you and remain thankful for every small victory.<br />
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We are blessed in the best ways possible, and hope the same for you and yours. Shim Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18148782353052767022noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-136541991481312371.post-68670170601679935392015-03-31T22:02:00.001-04:002015-03-31T22:02:08.750-04:00Sublimate Already<br />
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Once again, I find myself under the gun, trying to post something for March. The digital camera holds no clues, but the iPad does. The above photo was taken March 16th. We've had warmer temperatures during the day, but no serious thaw. Snow sublimates slowly. (That alliteration is music to my ears, for so many reasons). Sublimation is the transition of a solid changing to gas without passing through a liquid phase. Kudos to Wiki for helping me explain that. Basically, anyone who has hung something wet outside during freezing temperatures can attest to it (eventually) drying, thanks to sublimation. That's the best analogy my gray matter can come up with, and I'm running with it.<br />
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Sublimation is our best friend during the spring. With the ground still frozen, we'd rather see the snow disappear slowly than melt in a furious rush causing flooding. We're on track for a great maple syrup season, which means plus temps in the day, and freezing temps at night. That's when the sap flows best.<br />
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Good ol' Tessie. She never misses an opportunity to help me block my knitting. Here, my Swingboat in Rowan's Tumble is being unceremoniously flattened by Tessie's heft. I forgot this scarf at my LYS, and when I returned to pick it up, someone approached me and offered me a tidy sum of money for it. Since this was Christmas wool, I had to buy more and knit a replacement. A fun project even the second time around.<br />
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Odin is the biggest pain in the ass, ever. He's pure hound (there's not a <i>stitch </i>of Labrador in him), and always, always, always goes after the cats which makes me <i>crazy</i>. BobCat is the main object of his affections, as evidenced here once again. Poor Bob. Sometimes, he claws Din's collar and clobbers him good. Serves you right, Odie.<br />
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Here I am, installed at the kitchen table trying to finish my Longing. Thanks to my dear friend Elaine who again sewed my sleeves in, I now need to hunker down and finish a few seams and sew in a few ends. I will never attempt a dark sweater in the depths of winter, ever again. I'll still get some mileage out of this sweater this spring though, have no fear.<br />
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Can you see Moby Dick? Well...I thought it looked like Moby Dick. We spend a lot of time looking at the fire. Probably some time in May, we'll stop using our wood stove, and I'll get used to the hearth around the wood stove being clean again. This year, we need to look at getting a replacement, since this stove has seen finer days. We've got a few models in mind, so I'll keep you posted on our findings.<br />
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Eric is going to be furious at me for posting the above photo. I called this colour "Divorce Court Green", because if he actually thought of using this colour, I'd high-tail it outta here so fast his head would spin. I have never had such a violent and instantaneous visceral reaction to a colour - <i>ever </i>- in my life. I hated this colour so much and was so furious that even now, just thinking of it gets my hackles up.<br />
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Of course I needed to take a photo for posterity. Eric is going to defend himself by saying it was just a test - ha! Stay tuned for the final approved colour. It's going to be bold!<br />
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And just to prove my point that we are still working upstairs, here's a photo of our unfinished knee-wall. The joints have been done and the wall has been primed, and now we're waiting for the pine boards to be delivered so we can finish the angled part of the wall/ceiling.<br />
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Slowly but surely, we're plugging away.Shim Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18148782353052767022noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-136541991481312371.post-4676356906844860622015-02-28T07:50:00.004-05:002015-02-28T07:50:36.019-05:0050 Shades of White<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I don't want to turn the page to March without posting at least one post to remind me just how <i>interesting </i>this February has been. Most everything coming out of my mouth these days is a semi-rant or semi-whine, so apologies in advance to those with sensibilities where their love for winter is concerned.<br />
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Oh February! The shortest, longest, cruelest month. It's been viciously cold since what feels like forever. It was -22C (-6F) this morning, <i>again</i>. I never thought I'd say it, but this year I actually find myself getting used to the cold. I made my quarterly trek to Costco today and picked up another 100 lbs of cat litter, and I might or might not have been vocal about my discontent as I pushed my cart to my car.<br />
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You haven't lived until you've pushed a full shopping cart through snow or slush. To those people who say, "oh, look, <i>pretty snow</i>", I have news for you. Pretty wore off sometime in January. Pretty wore off when we opened our latest Hydro bill ($493 for 63 days of bitter cold hell, in case you're interested). Remember, we don't even heat with hydro, we heat primarily with wood. Pretty wore off when I got my car stuck in a snowbank during a whiteout with a -30C windchill in the fiercest, coldest windstorm I have ever experienced. Pretty wore off when I needed air in a front tire. It was -26C that morning, and you haven't had winter fun until you've fumbled with a tire and air hose at -26C and watched the innards of your tire pressure gauge fly out over the vast frozen tundra of the parking lot, just because it was TOO COLD for even the gauge to function normally.<br />
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Cold is the common denominator of every equation these days. It takes forever to get dressed in the morning, adding layer after layer after layer. We have different hats, gloves, coats and boots for different snow conditions and temperatures. We even have a selection of different shovels to chose from, depending on what version of the white crap has fallen. The car seats - they've been frozen for months now, and they're hard as rock. Cold has permeated the house, and the novelty of winter and fond memories of the first snow has been filed deep into the recesses of our gray matter.<br />
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Oh, it's all just so much fun, <b>fun</b>, <i><b>fun</b></i>! I know, I know, let's do this FOR A FEW MONTHS MORE! <i>WHEEEE!!!</i> Cue the sound of crazy spinning wheels!<br />
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Let's just say we're due for a nice, long thaw, preferably one that lasts all summer. We know Mother Nature isn't done messing with us until at least some time in April, if we're lucky. The cats are stir-crazy, housebound and clingy, Odin poops balancing on two alternating legs (he's getting quite agile at it), and we're both board-certified lunatics as well, weather notwithstanding.<br />
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I've been knitting on two interminable black projects (why oh why do I do this to myself?) and just the other day, my prime February occupation of playing Freecell (I swear I need therapy) kicked in. I was good until last week, when I told myself I'll play one game, just for old time's sake. Well, my serotonin levels must have gone up a few notches, because I find myself spending an inordinate amount of time shuffling virtual cards from one column to another. Thus Seasonal Affective Disorder has been officially diagnosed. This year, I think there are millions and millions of us suffering from it. It's been a hard one, and we're all in the same boat.<br />
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Eric flew to Vancouver and London for close to a week this month, and I asked him what impressed him the most about the sudden change in climate, and his answer surprised me. He said it was the colour of the surroundings. I'd never thought about it until he mentioned it, but everything outside is drab and gray and dirty. Snow doesn't stay white for very long. Everything on the horizon is bare and lifeless. I haven't even heard a bird chirp in months now. It's little things like that we take for granted the rest of the year, the greenery and life and sounds of seasons that aren't winter.<br />
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On a different note, we have quite a few Snowy Owls around. They are fabulous birds, huge as anything, and love to sit on light standards and hydro poles, so they are easy to observe if you're looking out for them. I had one fly alongside my car the other day, and their little heads are round and their wingspans huge. A formidable bird and a pleasure to watch.<br />
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Eric is also busy tackling the drywall upstairs. We might actually end up with a finished house after all...<br />
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And a 12-year dream has finally been fulfilled. We installed a central vacuum the other day, and little Miss Whiny February actually has a smile on her face as she pushes the vacuum around the house. (Have I mentioned just how much cats and dogs shed in winter?)<br />
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So, with February counting down, I wish everyone warmth and patience and pretty sunsets.<br />
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<br />Shim Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18148782353052767022noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-136541991481312371.post-18983723145635572832015-01-01T18:08:00.000-05:002015-01-01T22:27:48.390-05:00Two-Oh-One-FiveHere's to a new year! While 2014 held its challenges (don't they all?) here are a few things that caught my attention. <br />
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While this isn't a year in review <i>per se</i>, I am posting some of my favorite iPad photos of 2014. The blogger app is horrendous, so I'm uploading these photos from the iPad and adding commentary from my trusty laptop. Here's to hoping this is seamless, unlike most things iPad and blogger related:<br />
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My old orchids - they never let me down. Right now, my three orchids in the kitchen window have grown four flower shoots. Hopefully in a few weeks, we'll have abundant blooms. Did you know orchids like cold windowsills? This is proof.<br />
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A pretty snowy <strike>early</strike> late March morning. (I checked the date stamp on this photo, and it was March 28). At this point in the game, it was like winter will never end. Never End. But it did, sometime in April...<br />
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Ah yes, proof that spring sprang. Lovely apple blooms. Photo taken May 20.<br />
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A summer sunset.<br />
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I knit a lot in 2014. This is my Rowan Kidsilk Haze Reversible Cabled-Rib Shawl. I don't think we could throw another descriptor in that sentence if we tried. I have wanted to knit this scarf since 1999. To think that was 15 years ago scares the hell out of me! <br />
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Another pretty sunset.<br />
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And a view over the barn. The sky was so beautiful with pastel clouds and sky.<br />
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A double rainbow for your viewing pleasure.<br />
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And the other half. Maybe one day, I'll figure out if my digital camera has a wide-angle feature. Or maybe not. I'll just keep taking potato-quality pictures with the iPad.<br />
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More scenery. Enough already! Been there, done that!<br />
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Big Tessie and Big BobCat. Odin is afraid of Tessie, so BobCat has learned if he takes the bottom bunk, Odin leaves him alone. He's a smart cat...</div>
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I called this my Halloween Face sunset.<br />
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Odin shows poor Bob undying affection, much to BobCat's dismay. Here, he's resigned to his fate. And Odin doesn't even want to look me in the face...la la la la...pretend she's not there...la la la la...<br />
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Ohhh, pretty fuzzy mohair wool, with matching alpaca skeins. I think this is going to be vacation wool. I plan on making my version of Purl Soho's Amazing Seed Stitch Wrap, but at a fraction of the cost. I'm pretty sure this is going to end up in my suitcase. I don't know if I'm looking forward to a vacation, or looking forward to knitting this up. I hoarded a lot of wool in 2014. It's almost shameful. I have a huge Rubbermaid bin full of future projects. I won't even make any knitting resolutions for 2015, because my 2014 resolutions crashed and burned, just like 2013, and 2012 and...forget about it...I'm just going to knit, and that will be that.<br />
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Odin's first selfie! I found this on the iPad and had a good laugh.<br />
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We went to a Christmas fair and I picked up these mitts because I couldn't resist them. Sewn by a local craftswoman, these gloves are made from a beautiful felted fair-isle Shetland sweater found in a thrift shop. They have a polar fleece liner, and are super-warm. My favorite mitts. The chopping board likewise is made by a local woodworker. Apparently this is <i>Eric's</i> chopping board.<br />
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Eric surprised me this year by returning from an overseas trip and proudly proclaiming that he learned how to make risotto. (Eric doesn't even know how I take my tea, which should give you an inkling about Eric's cooking abilities.) One of our Swiss friends is a Cordon Bleu master-chef, and a remarkable pedagogue. He taught Eric how to make a mushroom risotto that is out of this world. Eric now goes into Italian grocery stores and compares bottles of truffle oil, and could probably write a treatise on carnaroli versus arborio rice. Yes, Eric has turned into a foodie! A man after my own heart! Last night, he made a lobster tail risotto with saffron and asparagus that was my most memorable meal of 2014. Wow. We ended 2014 on a culinary high note.<br />
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We had little snow in December 2014. In fact, the above field was completely bare as of this morning, but since then, we've had a little "snow event" as Environment Canada now conveniently calls anything from a flurry to a freeze-the-balls-off-a-brass-monkey blizzard. I'm good with the milder temps compared to last year, and fine with the fact that we have a dusting of snow as opposed to snow banks that are metres high.<br />
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On that note, we turn the page on 2014, and welcome 2015 with open arms.Shim Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18148782353052767022noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-136541991481312371.post-61120606242324484982014-12-14T21:58:00.000-05:002014-12-16T08:15:52.071-05:00Sunsets and Other StoriesIt's mid-December. I haven't downloaded any photos since July, so emptying the card on the digital camera is sure to provide a lot of surprises. I finally hit 10,000 photos with our trusty Canon. I better get busy and try to redeem myself by posting a few of them.<br />
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Without further ado:<br />
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The sun is so pretty in the morning. A bit of fog, bright blue skies, and corn in the field this year. It was a good summer.<br />
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Obviously, I take a lot of sunset photos. Sometimes, we have people over and the sun puts on a show. We usher our guests to the living room window and make them watch the sun go down. Maybe we're not normal.<br />
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Clearly, we <i>are </i>not normal. Now that we've cleared that up, I look at this photo and remember trying to capture the luminosity and how the golden light bathed the air. I failed.<br />
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The day-glo effect evaded me here, too. Maybe it is time for some photography lessons. Or maybe, 10,000 photographs later, I should read the manual?<br />
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We had a lady-bug invasion this fall. Unbelievable. We have a few days in fall where they typically congregate, but this year, we had a bumper crop of them, and for weeks on end. It's months later and we still have them all over the inside of the house. You just need to turn on a lamp, and they appear as if by magic.<br />
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Nothing strikes fear in my heart like a hole in the house. (You don't say?) Here, we changed out a kitchen window. The three kitchen windows and sliding glass door all date from the early 90's. These are the only windows that haven't been changed in the 12 years we've been in this renovation purgatory. One down, three to go. Eric was only confident changing out one at a time, and one was all he had time for this summer. Observe the beam directly above this window. We weren't sure if it was held in place by fear, a common feature in so many things we've found over the years. We removed some drywall, found a metal plate that supports the transverse I-beam and decided it was good enough.<br />
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We've learned a bit about what is ideal in our climate over the past few years in this house, so we custom-ordered a triple-pane, argon-filled window. While I'm not happy with the argon, (it's a question of when, and not if, it will fail), I do admit the triple glazing should be standard. All our other windows are double-pane argon-filled, and while they're acceptable, if we were to do this again, we'd go triple pane all the way.<br />
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Oh look! Pretty clouds that match the tree line!<br />
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More pretty clouds!<br />
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Oh! I could write a saga about this young bat and how it caused me to lose two nights' sleep. I'm not prone to fits of flailing and screaming, but this tiny thing nearly did me in. Only AFTER the fact did we learn that our friend Isa used to volunteer at a bat rehab centre and handles these little beasts like you and I handle kitties and puppies. I tried my best to capture it in a Tupperware container, and successfully caught it, only to close the lid on those TINY LITTLE hooks they have on the tips of their wings. The little bat squealed (I didn't know they could do that) and flailed, and I screamed like a little girl and let it loose again. Of course the designated bat-relocator (that would be Eric) was traveling, so I had to deal with this little bat on my own. Every plan I had failed, and while I managed to get the bat out of the house, he was back within 10 minutes. Of course, all of my hysteria was regaled to Eric long-distance who confidently stated that he would "handle" things upon his return. When Eric finally came home, he donned his overalls with aplomb, a hefty pair of leather gloves with trepidation, and got up on a step ladder to within inches of it. Then he matter-of-factly stated that he, (and I quote), "Don't have as much courage as I thought I had". Defeated, he stepped down from the ladder and called a neighbour. Thus the little bat was caught in a sheet and relocated to a forest about a mile away. Insert bat mobile joke <i>here</i>. <br />
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Phew. We're back on track again. Another gorgeous evening. Wispy cirrus clouds and lots of contrails.<br />
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We had a lot of rainfall, but no torrential downpours, save for this occasion.<br />
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I think this one's my favorite. Savouring the end of another glorious day in paradise. It <i>never </i>gets old.<br />
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And here we are, months later, with memories of summer fading as the snow and cold sets in again for another round of winter. So far, so good. A fair amount of snow but with bearable temperatures.<br />
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Eric is still plugging away on the drywall upstairs. My knitting needles are humming as I try to stay ahead of the avalanche of wool I've managed to procure this past year. (Let's just say I went ballistic in the yarn-hoarding department).<br />
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Hopefully, within a few weeks, I will regale you with more tales from the farm, more accomplishments in the knitting department, and a few pet photos to round things out.Shim Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18148782353052767022noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-136541991481312371.post-69782080694844992242014-08-03T17:04:00.000-04:002014-08-03T17:10:41.997-04:00Purple Haze<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">This summer, I've been going through a purple knitting phase.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Behold: </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">The lovely (and finished!) Hypotenuse shawl, knit in Rowan Felted Tweed, was one of the most fun knits I've done in a long time. This thing flew of the needles. Sadly, the colour (Horizon) is discontinued, but Rowan still maintains an admirable selection of other colours to chose from. Although this colour doesn't qualify as purple <i>per se</i>, it has blue and purple and gray undertones. It's gorgeous, and if someone can snag this shade in a close-out, I'm sure they won't be disappointed.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">I've started a pair of toe-up, magic loop socks in Rowan Fine Art, colourway Tawny. I think my sock-knitting days might be ruined, because the feel of this yarn puts my ample sock wool collection to shame. This sock is still in its infancy and might be frogged yet. I need to lay my hands on a pair of fixed circulars, because my interchangeable Hiya Hiya 2.75mm bamboos aren't cutting it. I was shown a super quick toe-up cast on method that is so easy I won't even feel bad for restarting. My knitting neighbour has been trying to convert me to magic loop sock knitting for a while now, and I have a feeling she will finally assimilate me. There is a pair of Addi Lace fixed circs with my name on them, just waiting for me to pick them up. I'll report back.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">The two skeins of Kidsilk Haze in a purple called Ultra is but the tip of the wooly iceberg. Sadly, it's hard to get this colour to represent correctly on the screen. It's not called Ultra for nothing. I have seven skeins of this gorgeousness, and will soon cast on Lily Chin's Reversible Cabled-Rib shawl. I've had my eyes on this pattern since Vogue Knitting published it in their 1999/2000 magazine. Spurred on by <a href="http://knitigatingcircumstances.wordpress.com/2014/02/26/green-glorious-green/">Kelly's breathtaking blog post</a> about hers, I succumbed to the temptation that is KSH.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">The variegated skein of Rowan Kidsilk Haze Stripe will become Rowan's <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/belle-5">Belle</a> cardigan, designed by Lisa Richardson. I started the back two days ago, and it's growing quite quickly, despite the teeny 3.25mm needles. I bought four 50g skeins for good measure, and the cardi will only require three. I think the remaining skein will become Churchmouse Yarn's <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/bias-before--after-scarf">Bias 'Before-and-After' Scarf</a>, a simple, easy and effective pattern that will use up any dribs and drabs of yarn leftover from the cardi. Getting to use up every last little bit of KSH would make my heart sing. (No, it doesn't take much to make me happy).</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Kidsilk
Haze from Rowan is referred to as KSH by <strike>addicts</strike> die-hard knitters. It's the
crack equivalent of the wool world, and isn't nicknamed Kidsilk Crack
for nothing. Knitting with KSH is an ethereal experience. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Onward I forge! </span></span>Shim Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18148782353052767022noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-136541991481312371.post-12789536452633948312014-07-08T22:43:00.000-04:002014-07-16T21:20:20.452-04:00Overdue OverviewWell then, boys and girls, gather 'round for yet another bi-yearly installment of The Shim Farm News.<br />
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Part of my silence over the past few months was due to our horrific winter. We had the, and I truly mean THE hardest, longest and coldest winter in decades. It snowed from mid-November well into April. We broke all kinds of records, most of them negative. Winter got old quickly, and every post I started sounded too whiny, too "<i>been there, done that</i>" for my taste. Sometimes it's best to just shut the hell up and knit like my life depended on it.<br />
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And so I did. <br />
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The above picture was taken on February 27. That's a lot of snow, and Mother Nature wasn't done messing with us by a long-shot.<br />
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Remember <a href="http://shimfarm.blogspot.ca/2013/10/progress.html">the frame</a> around the master bedroom door? Well I'll be damned, but that bad-boy is finally complete. After painstakingly varnishing the BC fir frame, Eric installed the Sadev hardware, and we put up a temporary plywood door. With the price of custom-cut glass being in the "mega-ouch" territory, Eric made a plywood template so we could be sure about our dimensions. We're dealing with some pretty tight tolerances here, so we wanted to make 110% sure we were on the right track, pun wholly intended.<br />
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Here is the mounting of the rail and hardware:<br />
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And frame post-varnishing, I present to you, our fabulous plywood door:<br />
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I tore our formidable plastic sheet of a door off so fast that Eric's head spun. You can see Dinaroo peaking his little face through on the side. He's learned how to open it, but I jury-rigged a stopper on one side that's preventing him from fully opening it.<br />
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Right now, with on-going renovations upstairs, the plywood door is staying until we're finished.<br />
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It's ironic that I called our upstairs renovations "<a href="http://shimfarm.blogspot.ca/2008/12/knotty-pine-purgatory.html">The Knotty Pine Purge</a>". Low and behold - what are we putting up?<br />
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You guessed it! <i>More knotty pine!</i><br />
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The only difference is the insulation, hardeeharhar. We're going to be staining this a translucent white, and we've got our paint lady on the job, finding the best finish for the job. Here's another angle, because I don't tire of seeing it:<br />
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In keeping with our <i>modus operandi</i>, we've got about a 1/8" gap between the boards because we didn't want to butt the boards up against each other. Keeps us on our toes during the installation, dontchaknow. Why do simple when you can do complicated?<br />
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Here's a "during" shot from 2009:<br />
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And yet another beauty-shot:<br />
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Seriously. I could break my own arm, patting us on our backs. Unless I see the photos, I can't fathom what we went through to get this far. I think I've suppressed most of the work.<br />
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And because knotty pine and plywood doors aren't enough, here's some drywall for your (and my) enjoyment:<br />
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A still-life, so you can tell we don't live like Bob Vila and Martha Stewart:<br />
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That faded orange plastic drywall handle might be the best $5 Eric has ever spent. Stabila levels are the way to go, same goes for Olfa box cutters, FatMax measuring tapes, and pretty much anything Dewalt. Our favorite Lee Valley tool, the <a href="http://www.leevalley.com/en/wood/page.aspx?p=30003&cat=1,41504,43688">"Wood is Good"</a> motivator (and constant denominator) will be gold-plated when our renovations are done. I'll have it inscribed for Eric (To Bob. Thanks for fixing our <strike>condemned hovel</strike> home sweet home. Love, Martha), and we'll have a nice show-case built so we can worship it in all its glory.<br />
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Clearly, a certain amount of insanity rules this roost. It <i>has </i>to.<br />
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And here we are, early July. The corn is planted and growing. Lots of rain, lots of sun and high, high temperatures. Lots of arguments about air conditioning - rather - lack thereof. (I'm getting Eric on it, trust me. Threats have been made. Ultimatums have been thrown around. I might even have raised my voice an octave or four and thrown my arms to the skies. A girl can live with plywood floors, but this cloying and oppressive heat and bayou-like humidity? So help me dog, there's no way I'm putting up with it. One. More. Season). Winter is bad enough. I'd like to enjoy what little summer we have. Even if that means closing the windows and cranking the AC? Why, yes, yes it does!<br />
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Eric took a week off at the end of June, and it was so hot that all of his projects fell by the wayside. It was too hot to work indoors, which was the back-up plan in case of rain. At the end of the week, zero was accomplished, but sometimes, you need the down-time, too. (To muse about things like air-conditioning, hmmm?) Time to kick back and relax without stressing about the house and garden. There'll be next week for that. Mistress Ann will get the whip out again.<br />
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As it is, Eric is in Japan right now, hopefully he'll get home before super-Typhoon Neoguri derails his flight. I got a cryptic email from him a while ago: Hello from Planet Japan. I went to a place called the Jet-Lag and I got stickers. It is hot and humid here too. I wished he could see my face, because I was laughing so hard I had tears in my eyes. (WTH? <i>Stickers?</i> I can't wait to hear all about this!)<br />
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Right now, we're being pommeled with high winds and tons of rain as a much-needed cold front pushes through our area. The coming few days should give us a bit of relief.<br />
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I'll do my darnedest to get up another disjointed post about pets and knitting and baking in short order.Shim Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18148782353052767022noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-136541991481312371.post-15530068808800827062014-01-15T19:20:00.000-05:002014-01-17T20:23:49.958-05:00The Dreaded Mid-January Year-End ReviewI've been procrastinating about this post for the past few days. I guess you could say 2013 was one of those years. I'm not sure I want to look back, but for the sake of posterity, I'm slapping up a few photos:<br />
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Two fat cats, our lovely plywood floor and some knitting. I'm happy to report my Rowan Soumak shawl is finally off the needles, and I have but 30 piddly ends left to sew in. Hopefully by the time the weekend rolls around, I should have it blocked and photographed. If the cats let me have it, that is.<br />
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Oh, fall was so pretty. The light is gorgeous, and makes the barn look like this:<br />
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I've mentioned I love fall, haven't I? This is what it looks like outside now:<br />
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No. I take that back. We've had a bit of a thaw, and now all of Odin's poopsicles are in clear view. It's only white and pristine for a few days. (Damn this infernal winter to hell). December was vicious in many parts of North America, and January with that ridiculous "polar vortex" hasn't been a treat, either. We've had some of the coldest weather in recent memory, but we've managed to stay warm. Taking two weeks off in December helped, too. Not having to leave the house during winter is a dream of mine. Friends always joke and say they need a crowbar to get me out of the house, and it's not far from the truth. If I <i>don't</i> have to go out, I won't go out. Simple as that.<span id="goog_1773811239"></span><span id="goog_1773811240"></span><br />
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This cats looks how I feel. A bit overstuffed and skeptical at this time of year. This was a greeting card that became a gift tag, and it's been going back-and-forth between my friend's house and mine since 2008. It never ceases to put a smile on my face.<br />
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It's anarchy in our house, I tell you. This cat scratching post never got quite finished, a common malady in our house. But Dindin loves playing with it. It stands to reason that we have scenes like this, too:<br />
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BobCat in Odin's crate. Wonderful. Everyone in this house is screwed up a bit, I think. (It might be a prerequisite, come to think of it).<br />
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Here we have Odin on Tessie's favorite bed. And we have Capucine, who needs to sit INSIDE of things:<br />
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Capu is a real card. She needs to sit in this drawer. Likewise, BobCat and Odin have their issues, too:<br />
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Isn't it amazing how pets love to explore a new space? I made some more room for our ever-increasing bottle collection, and both were happy to lend a helping hand. <br />
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Odin is in his leggy phase. I love this phase. He's so disproportionate and goofy it's adorable. This boy is going to get big. He's close to 30 lbs. already and just over 4 months old.<span id="goog_1773811257"></span><span id="goog_1773811258"></span><br />
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Aaaand yet another for good measure. In due time, Tessie will be able to have her bed back again.<br />
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Odin met the horses - and goat - next door. He's quite fascinated by them. If you look closely, you can see the foal on the right side looking at him. The foal wasn't quite sure of Odin, but tentatively made his way over to us.<span id="goog_1773811264"></span><span id="goog_1773811265"></span><br />
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I was worried that Odin, considering he's a southern dog, wouldn't like the snow. I wasn't worried for long. He loves the snow, and buries his head in it, sniffing out bunnies and mice. He also knows how to keep warm:<br />
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His favorite spot is right beside the wood stove. Hmmm, just like me, come to think of it.<br />
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Yet another project on (and off!) the needles. One strand of Rowan Cocoon and one strand of Kidsilk Haze held together. THIS is the way to knit. I haven't quite decided if I should redo my cast-off edge or not. Sitting by the fire, dog at my feet, sun setting behind me, I think this was the closest to knitting-heaven I've ever gotten. I also frogged and re-knit this project and it wasn't even a chore.<br />
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Awww. Poor old Schatzie. I never thought when we adopted a 20 year-old cat she'd last 8 more years. It's amazing just how much we miss them, even Schatzie, the ancient thorn in my side. Godspeed, little Schatzie.<br />
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This photo, taken last March, is one of the last few I have of Cooper. Here he is, coming back from his early morning tour of the grounds. Godspeed, my dear boy. I still miss him more than words can say.<br />
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An early spring sunset. Come this time of year, we're hoping for a quick thaw and an early spring.</div>
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We had a lot of rain last year. Some amazing storms blew through the area.<br />
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Mid-May, we had a really hard frost. These were my grapes. Needless to say, it wasn't a stellar year. I keep threatening to tear yet another row of grapes out, and I might make it a reality in 2014. Even our oak and ash trees were frost-bitten.<br />
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Wow, was it ever mucky outside. I hope spring 2014 isn't a repeat. I think Odin might need rubber booties if it is.<br />
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Our wheat. It got lodged during a really strong downpour. The plants in the front are Jerusalem artichokes. Be forewarned, should you ever plant these, you'll never get rid of them. Ever. Plowing them under makes them duplicate as if by magic, too.</div>
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Again, we had some memorable sunsets.<br />
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And yet another.<br />
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And yet another. That reminds me, we keep meaning to get lightning rods for the house. We had an estimate for some gorgeous red glass-ball rods. I'll have to rattle Eric's cage. These lightning rods are on the little barn directly beside the house.<br />
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Our friend Isa painted this beautiful painting for us. It puts a smile on my face every time I come down the stairs and look at it. It's bright, it's perfect, and we love it. Note Bob and Tessie snuggling on the sofa.<br />
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This is the view right out of our western living room window. This was one of those <i>perfect </i>summer days.<br />
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A perfect early fall sunrise.</div>
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And the equivalent, a matching early fall sunset.<br />
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Onward we forge. Here's to 2014.Shim Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18148782353052767022noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-136541991481312371.post-2153789533288348772013-12-08T20:31:00.000-05:002013-12-11T21:23:10.196-05:00Introducing OdinWithout any further ado, meet our newest family member: <br />
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Welcome little Odin! All the way from Mississippi via Maine, Odin has traveled more in his 14 weeks than I have this whole year.<br />
<br />
I've been watching Petfinder for Border Collie/Lab mixes for a few months now, and in early November, I fell in love with a little puppy called Tauras, a dead-ringer for our late, great Cooper. Even Eric was impressed. He took one look at his photo, looked at me, and said, "Where is he, and when can we get him?"<br />
<br />
I filled out the adoption form, and the long, arduous wait began. I cried myself to sleep on more than one occasion. To say that I fell hard for Tauras would be an understatement. It was like our new puppy was so near, yet so far.<br />
<br />
I stared at Tauras' photo that I had by now saved to my desktop, and went to check out his Petfinder profile umpteen times a day. He was part of a big litter relocated to Maine from Mississippi by a non-profit dog rescue organization called Helping Paws headquartered in South Portland, Maine. Not only had Tauras piqued my attention, so did two of his litter mates, Teddy and Tristan.<br />
<br />
Two weeks later, with no news regarding the status of our application, I dejectedly put Tauras' photo into my recycle bin. At that exact moment, a new email popped up! Our application had been approved! We could have a puppy! <i>Yippee! </i><br />
<br />
Alas, I was told that Tauras' foster family decided to keep him (who could blame them?) but that little Tristan, Tauras' littermate, remained available.<br />
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It took a week for Eric and I to coordinate our schedules so we could both make the trek to Maine together. As we drove down, I had a nagging feeling in the pit of my stomach, a sort of dread, wondering what I had gotten us into...<br />
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I had been emailing Tristan's foster-mom. We bantered a few emails across the ether, and I had a good vibe about her and the care she was giving Tristan. When we walked through the door, Tristan greeted us like long-lost family. All of our our doubts melted away in an instant. We knew we had found our dog.<br />
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I can't begin to tell you just how well Tristan had been looked after. His foster-mom cared for him like her very own. He sits, he's learning how to stay and come, he's great on a leash, and he's crate-trained. He asks for the door, and he's good in the car. He's used to dogs, he's used to cats, and he's house-trained. He sleeps curled up beside me, and let me sleep in until 9:30 this morning, something I've had the luxury of doing exactly twice this year!<br />
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Odin, as we obviously baptised Tristan, is the perfect puppy. We're over-the-moon in love with him, and have spent the last few days getting accustomed to one another. The cats are on the fence. While Tessie used to block Cooper on the stair all the time, she's not sure about this newcomer and spends a lot of time upstairs, using her best stealth-cat techniques to move around the house. BobCat is taking things in stride and lets Odin lick his face. BobCat has reclaimed his spot on the couch, and has no problem putting the young 'un in his place while tolerating his canine affections. <br />
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Capucine for her part, has already re-assumed her regular schedule, and
last night, came into the bedroom as is her habit, and said goodnight
while Odin watched her from the bed. She keeps a watchful eye on him.<br />
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Lookit those pink puppy paws! Lookit that spotted baby belly! At 14 weeks, Tristan is already 23 pounds. Cooper
weighed 14 pounds at 13 weeks. It looks like we'll have a big boy on
our hands.<br />
<br />
My little Mississippi Mud Hound, as I affectionately call
him.<br />
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To say we're beyond lucky is an understatement. Odin is such a good boy. I've been wearing him out with long walks up and down the hedgerow, to the back-end of our property. We've been to the pet store to pick out new toys, and have visitors who play fetch until Odin tires out. Every day is filled with excitement and newness. <br />
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It's wonderful, seeing the world through the eyes of a dog once again.Shim Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18148782353052767022noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-136541991481312371.post-19374644246542395992013-10-24T23:55:00.000-04:002013-10-24T23:55:15.280-04:00ProgressIt's hard to believe that we've been renovating this old house since 2001. Eric started off with gusto, got lots done in the first year, and then other things took over.<br />
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Real Life took over, that's what.<br />
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Eric decided that this October, he'd take a month off work - unpaid, I should add. He wanted to tackle the upstairs, once and for all. The last time I posted about our so-called progress, it was October 25, 2012. I called the post <a href="http://shimfarm.blogspot.ca/2012/10/renovation-day-1388.html">Renovation Day 1388</a> to coincide with the day we <a href="http://shimfarm.blogspot.ca/2008/12/knotty-pine-purgatory.html">officially started the knotty pine purge</a>. If I add 364 days to that count, we'd be at 1752 days, but that's bordering on terrifying. Let's forget I even went there.<br />
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Oh, what a naive and innocent soul I was! I've often said I'm time-challenged because I need to be, and I'm not kidding. My sanity depends on looking the other way, and pretending that everyone lives with exposed 2x4's and plastic sheets in place of bedroom doors, don't they? When people ask me how I deal with it, I put my hands over my ears, and sing LA-LA-LA-LA-LA-LA, very loudly to prove my point. That's the defense mechanism I've built up over the last few years. Maturity is <i>not </i>my middle name.<br />
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Remember I said we always complicate things? That's why we're still here, 12 years later, wielding power tools and cursing, albeit lovingly, at each other under our breath.<br />
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Truth be told, our house was massacred at the above spot by previous owners. A couple of square feet of actual, physical house structure was missing here.<br />
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Here's a photo taken last year that shows what I mean. The master bedroom is behind the formidable plastic sheet, as I've affectionately named what we've considered a bedroom door since January 2009.<br />
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While Eric insists he didn't over-engineer, I tend to agree with him so as not to pick a fight.<br />
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Here we can see the BC Fir timber-frame structure that Eric built to shore up this part of the house, and accommodate the rail-mounted glass door from <a href="http://www.sadev.fr/en/deco/deco6.htm">Sadev </a>we're putting here. Perfection doesn't evade Eric, which is why he talks in terms of 64ths, and uses a micrometer to measure things.<br />
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While some people think it might be romantic to renovate an 1850's farm house, I'm here to say but one thing: NOT. Knowing what we know now, we'd much rather build from scratch than marry old with new, ever again. It's, <i>like</i>, six times the work.<br />
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Trying to get things to fit flush - on the first try - takes a bit of knowledge, a lot of patience, and the right tools. Make that a lot of knowledge, and a bit of patience, on second thought.<br />
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When Eric asks me to hand him the 0.5mm pen instead of the 0.7mm pen for marking, I think he's over-doing things just a tad, but I do have to hand it to him, literally and figuratively. His attention to detail pays off in the end. When Eric marks and cuts, stuff fits. And if it doesn't? That's where the La La La La song comes in.<br />
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In order to finish up this corner, we actually had to remove part of the vapour barrier and the boards we had initially put up in 2009. Once the timber-frame structure was complete, and the electrical wiring done, Eric insulated using <a href="http://www.roxul.com/products/residential/roxul+safe%27n%27sound">Roxul Safe'n'Sound</a>. Again, words can't express just how highly we think of this product. I have to be punny and say it rocks. Enough said.<br />
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We've used a radiant barrier everywhere upstairs. I cannot extoll the virtues of this misunderstood step enough. We used <a href="http://www.rfoil.com/products-ntb.shtml">rFoil NT</a> radiant barrier upstairs and highly recommend it. It makes a huge difference in the comfort of our home, and should be considered by everyone building or renovating. It's an integral step in insulation.<br />
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rFoil installed! Eric is chugging right along! The barrier is joined to the studs using Mulco's <a href="http://www.mulco.ca/en/Detail/produits/Produits_c_spe.htm">Acoustic</a>. There's another pun in there, because this stuff sticks like a SOB. Buy a big container of lighter fluid - that's the antidote. Where 2 sections of barrier overlap, use the best aluminum foil tape you can find - we prefer <a href="http://www.cttgroup.com/cantech/en/6/">Cantech </a>brand.<br />
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The only thing missing is the drywall. Thankfully, Eric has a new foreman: <br />
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Capucine is to construction as misery is to renovation. Crack that whip, kitty! Here she is on the platform Eric built to be able to work safely in the stairwell. We've left it in place for now, and we only needed to knock our heads on it twice to remember to duck, both coming up <i>and </i>going down the stairs. When we remove this platform, I can guarantee you it will take us a few days to walk straight again.<br />
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Hark, what have we here?<br />
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Why, the drywall has been applied, the joints are done and sanded, and the first coat of primer is down! We're so excited by this step, we actually run our hands over the walls and burst into gales of laughter. Clearly, we're not quite sane, but that's a prerequisite for undertaking a project of this magnitude in the first place.<br />
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Paradoxically, part of me is sad we don't see the old structure of the house anymore. While I never really got used to the dangling electrical outlet (see the first photo), and always tentatively fumbled for it when the house was dark, I'm sad to see the old part of our house now covered.<br />
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I'll probably get over it by tomorrow.<br />
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And, for your viewing pleasure, things would not be complete without two sunsets and a message from Capucine:<br />
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Looks like you missed a spot, right there! Just doing my job! X O X O, Capucine.</div>
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<br />Shim Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18148782353052767022noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-136541991481312371.post-2339720055483982042013-10-08T11:24:00.000-04:002013-10-08T13:12:54.890-04:00Six Months.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It's hard to believe that Cooper has been gone for six months already.<br />
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I've cried gallons of tears over him since then, and I know I'm good to cry gallons more. I wish I had a cure for heartbreak.<br />
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We still see Cooper everywhere. My heart sinks when I make the curve in our driveway and I don't see his smiling face in the patio door, waiting deliriously for our arrival, his tail quivering with excitement. I still check my watch at 4:30, and think it's food time. Our friends still come in the house, and ask, "Where's...?", their voices trailing off.<br />
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We know just how they feel.<br />
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His bed is still upstairs, and his collar still hangs at the door. I jiggle it from time to time, as if doing so might conjure him up.<br />
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The first night after he died, I dreamed about him, and that he was still with us, but in a parallel, invisible universe. I dreamed I could see a faint outline of him if I concentrated hard enough, sort of like a holograph, but he was there and always would be. <br />
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I sleep with his favorite stuffed toy, the same toy he brought me mere hours before he died, leaning in towards me like he always did when he wanted attention. There are nights where I admit that I clutch it more furtively than others.<br />
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We sometimes laugh as we recount and remember things he did. Sometimes
we wipe a discreet tear out of the corner of our eye. Other times,
particularly right now, the tears come fast and furious, and my breath
comes in gulps. The pain in my chest is more real than I care to admit.<br />
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I try and sit still with the pain, trying to make sense of the senseless. It's a futile attempt, of this I know. All I can do is give thanks for the still December morning he came into our lives. I simply could have driven by him, and life would have been very, very different.<br />
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Cooper was the glue that bound everything together, and I'm trying hard to find a way to hold it together without him.<br />
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If people are the heart of a home, a dog is most definitely the soul.<br />
<br />Shim Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18148782353052767022noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-136541991481312371.post-16753525443516550042013-10-04T22:26:00.001-04:002013-10-05T08:49:03.068-04:00The SunflowerFor the past few weeks, I've been driving by a lonely sunflower in the middle of a grass field:<br />
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<span id="goog_1795591920"></span><span id="goog_1795591921"></span>This sentinel flower has been standing at full attention, dutifully facing the sun, every time I drive by in the morning. Every day, it puts a smile on my face.<br />
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Here's the sunflower in full context:<br />
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The maples in the background are starting to turn yellow and orange and red, and the ash trees have lost almost all of their leaves. This coming weekend will probably be the best showing of fall colours, and we've got our fingers crossed that the weather will hold out. Speaking from experience, we just need one wet and windy day to bring
all the leaves down. That would spell the end of summer 2013, and we
don't want that to happen just yet. It seems like summer just started! We've got some rain in the forecast this weekend, and then more of what we've been having. Our current spell of beautiful weather has been the best we've had all year, it seems. Not a single
night of frost, not a single rainy day, just bright sunny days, and cool
foggy nights. Just perfect!<br />
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The soy fields in our area were cut in the past week, and the field right across from my favorite sunflower is bare:<br />
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You can make out the adjoining field of corn on the left-hand side of the photo. Corn still has a few weeks to go before harvest.<br />
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Our wheat was harvested a few weeks ago, and our fields have already
been spread with manure and plowed under, ready for next spring. Our direct neighbour has spread his field with liquid manure, so maybe a bit of rain to wash the smell into the soil might not be a bad idea. Right now, it's nausea-inducing.<br />
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My favorite sunflower started to hang its head late this week, and today when I drove by, the field had been cut. Bye-bye sunflower, hope to see you again next year.Shim Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18148782353052767022noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-136541991481312371.post-4696604459576745912013-09-24T21:31:00.000-04:002013-09-24T22:58:42.744-04:00Late September<the and="" been="" blue="" br="" clear="" cold="" days="" few="" finally="" for="" getting="" have="" me="" means="" nbsp="" nice="" nights="" past="" re="" relaxing.="" skies.="" warm="" we="" weather="" weeks="" which="">
Since there's no hope to make this a cohesive post, I'm going to jump in with both feet:
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Isn't this the most beautiful sock wool you've ever seen? It's <a href="http://biscottecie.com/boutique/index.php?">Biscotte and Cie's</a> Boréale. If you look close enough, it has a thin thread of metallic fibre called Stellina spun together with the merino. Yum. I have no clue if this wool is going to be a pair of socks or a shawl. Yes. It screams "impulse purchase". And yes. I purchased two skeins.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirwep4KLSINZJ6aBDQbUEfqyE8I7FKhyphenhyphengd2_OR-tVgk-lEfw5JYbgkIuk9cLma3y8OPBeV-YgooCZ9rk7dEVvf5AedtFSvAaE4bXeBj-NA2rAVF0Wvbj-IFU1Zbg5OqatPHaQJdyTiVmZM/s1600/Juno+Sirius+Lace.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirwep4KLSINZJ6aBDQbUEfqyE8I7FKhyphenhyphengd2_OR-tVgk-lEfw5JYbgkIuk9cLma3y8OPBeV-YgooCZ9rk7dEVvf5AedtFSvAaE4bXeBj-NA2rAVF0Wvbj-IFU1Zbg5OqatPHaQJdyTiVmZM/s320/Juno+Sirius+Lace.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Like a moth to a flame, it's more Stellina! Juno Fibre Arts Sirius Lace in colour Oyster. 874 yards of extra fine Merino combined with silk and Stellina. This one I have plans for - the <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/holey-square-shawl">Holey Square Shawl</a> by Marianne Sigg.<br />
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Both of these yarns came from the <a href="http://www.festivaltwist.org/en/">Twist Fibre Festival</a> in Saint-André-Avellin, Québec. We're marking the calendar for next year's festival.<br />
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Oh look! A sunset!<br />
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And yet another sunset!<br />
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That's one of the things I love about this time of year. The glorious, clear skies. We can see upstate New York, <i>right over there</i>. (Seriously, it's 30 miles to the south of us, really not that far!)<br />
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Getting back to wooly matters, the Viajante I spent nearly two weeks knitting, was <a href="http://aberrantcrochet.wordpress.com/2011/06/21/new-term-tuesday-what-does-frogging-mean/">frogged</a>:<br />
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After bashing off two full skeins, I decided this wool could have a better vocation. Joji Locatelli published her newest design, <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/boxy-and-buttony">Boxy and Buttony</a>, and the deal was sealed. Here's my progress, after nearly 4 weeks' worth of re-knitting: <br />
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This sweater is knit in one piece from the top down. I'm nearly done with the body and still need to knit the sleeves and finish the neckline. The end is in sight for this project.<br />
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And speaking of end in sight, I finally finished my <a href="http://shimfarm.blogspot.ca/2011/07/el.html">Scarfigan</a>. This wool has been to knitting hell and back, having been knit and now re-knit:<br />
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I finally put this scarf out of its misery at nearly 76" in length. I washed and blocked it on the weekend, and finally added the fringe last night. It's beautiful, it's warm, and it looks like a million dollars. <a href="http://galleryarns.com/yarns/peruvian-tweed/">Joseph Galler's Peruvian Tweed</a> in colour 113, if you need the salient details. Pictures don't do justice to the three plies of wool. This might be the softest yarn I have ever knit with, and re-knitting it wasn't even such a chore. That of course can be said now that the project is finished. There will be more Joseph Galler in my future.<br />
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Because I'm a spineless, guileless wool-hoarder, I came home with more yarn last week:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4VGoY2WM_XeMFbni787_BOSWDyJLoh52Y8QNXmmtJb7vy2rqUoh7RPNI6vwqK57-wGMumyVCBC2bReqtUCam_646D0VyojRn4rtsPAa7TO1nDNtgRI2n5wHmTwbsREMScPM6BH8BNKSOW/s1600/Mirasol+Miski.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4VGoY2WM_XeMFbni787_BOSWDyJLoh52Y8QNXmmtJb7vy2rqUoh7RPNI6vwqK57-wGMumyVCBC2bReqtUCam_646D0VyojRn4rtsPAa7TO1nDNtgRI2n5wHmTwbsREMScPM6BH8BNKSOW/s320/Mirasol+Miski.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Mirasol's Miski, 100% baby llama, a first for this knitter. (Did I just say Peruvian Tweed was the softest yarn I've ever knit with? It might be a tie for first place). In my defense, this project is nearly completed. I've already knit 2 skeins and will probably cast-off this project tomorrow. It's <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/evelyn-6">Evelyn</a> by Wei S. Leong, another free Ravelry pattern. There was a sample cowl knit up in my local yarn store, and it was totally wearable. Perfect for taking the chill off a cold morning. I hate nothing more than a cold neck and cold feet, which is why I had to buy more sock yarn, too:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8OMA6TmURtnCdw7C62j5Nyf5hvDWa7l6N6w_9XgSZpWa86QvmbKBMymp1Ppyag0tsIJSlG05HTNVEZbispHIGmdQgcZ9DYRAglZ-0lrnXTlaIHK8aaeZUDFWYA5wJnqtgQyTax-5ZMtra/s1600/Rowan+Fine+Art.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8OMA6TmURtnCdw7C62j5Nyf5hvDWa7l6N6w_9XgSZpWa86QvmbKBMymp1Ppyag0tsIJSlG05HTNVEZbispHIGmdQgcZ9DYRAglZ-0lrnXTlaIHK8aaeZUDFWYA5wJnqtgQyTax-5ZMtra/s320/Rowan+Fine+Art.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
My new purple driving mocs needed matching socks. At least that's my reasoning and I'm sticking to it. Buying Rowan will never, ever be a chore. I've heard amazing things about Fine Art, and can't wait to get this pair of socks in the works.<br />
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As the days get markedly shorter, and the nights get colder, my needles are suddenly in over-drive. Like a squirrel stashing away acorns, I'm busy warding off the cold with more wool...Shim Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18148782353052767022noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-136541991481312371.post-52705884519507161712013-09-17T07:59:00.001-04:002013-12-25T12:02:26.700-05:00Sunrise<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiyiMEdoqvFMKtTDVBEXX-02OzHyxhfZWA_UB8nHbsxqBOh0yP41ewHQsF3r8A_7IcpLzu4gXgR2Xv-6C3lrGvNOT1zf3-3ZsU_v1gtr7AM1ob1GiGYkjP8-7gufT6c01hgh5XlBxAkDvl/s1600/IMG_00000173.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiyiMEdoqvFMKtTDVBEXX-02OzHyxhfZWA_UB8nHbsxqBOh0yP41ewHQsF3r8A_7IcpLzu4gXgR2Xv-6C3lrGvNOT1zf3-3ZsU_v1gtr7AM1ob1GiGYkjP8-7gufT6c01hgh5XlBxAkDvl/s400/IMG_00000173.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
This was in my in-box this morning.<br />
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Photo courtesy of Eric, taken somewhere over the north Atlantic.<br />
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If the dawning of a new day doesn't move you, well, I don't know what will. Shim Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18148782353052767022noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-136541991481312371.post-36774769885619049952013-09-08T20:22:00.000-04:002013-09-08T20:22:14.018-04:00Moon Rise<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpo4o8Xo_OIbon8Z5MVWp02YuPD_Piw6LHairnDfwEeuGWdRBkrZYnF_sk29VK0EnVNsNV6kV-0K4n5Z2D7J3czLA7di3vFeKhCbhwRLirfXK6prk6MkFuQJRy1MneXWWWLWgvC53JKPVx/s1600/IMG_9340.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpo4o8Xo_OIbon8Z5MVWp02YuPD_Piw6LHairnDfwEeuGWdRBkrZYnF_sk29VK0EnVNsNV6kV-0K4n5Z2D7J3czLA7di3vFeKhCbhwRLirfXK6prk6MkFuQJRy1MneXWWWLWgvC53JKPVx/s400/IMG_9340.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
Clear, clear, clear skies. A glorious sunset, a wonderful moon rise. Venus is at 2 o'clock.<br />
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The camera doesn't do justice to the colour of the sky.<br />
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The air is crisp. Our low tonight is 4C or 39F. I don't need to tell you the woodstove has been lit.<br />
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Ah, September. I love thee so.Shim Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18148782353052767022noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-136541991481312371.post-33502484901560165342013-09-07T22:51:00.001-04:002013-09-07T22:51:55.050-04:00Stormy Weather<span id="goog_390571456"></span><span id="goog_390571457"></span>It's hard to believe but summer is winding down. You'd think that with 45 years behind me, this annual recurrent feature called "fall" shouldn't come as a surprise.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTQrOpCBdZ_LwQdGcElUDimLbp02EAenMn-WGJ4dzJk34qQ4NhopKhtmvchFynOMYWNH1vbN-ekxJTsLy1NEd9e8uSBUvbfI0u8DVyznvFZ4ICo9R0l_X8l3stgqqmcFQ7VUFfxYpujGzJ/s1600/IMG_9313.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTQrOpCBdZ_LwQdGcElUDimLbp02EAenMn-WGJ4dzJk34qQ4NhopKhtmvchFynOMYWNH1vbN-ekxJTsLy1NEd9e8uSBUvbfI0u8DVyznvFZ4ICo9R0l_X8l3stgqqmcFQ7VUFfxYpujGzJ/s320/IMG_9313.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
September is a slap in the face, always has been, always will be. Unless I move to the southern hemisphere, I think I'm screwed.<br />
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Maybe I shouldn't be worried, but considering summer started some time in July, I feel like I just didn't get enough down-time in. Maybe that was bad planning on my part, or maybe it was weather-related, we'll see how I feel mid-February when the battery in my brain needs a boost.<br />
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We've had some remarkable storms blow through our area recently. Here's the front moving in:<br />
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Within minutes it was pouring.<br />
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I always marvel at how dark it gets when clouds roll in.<br />
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Thankfully, the skies cleared up and the sun came out again, basking everything in a golden glow.<br />
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Facing east, we even had a beautiful rainbow. I've opened the Velux window in the bedroom to take this shot, hence the corner of the roof in the picture.<br />
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Considering we have temps going up to 32C or 90F coming up, it's not over until it's over. We should be able to squeeze a bit more summer out of September yet.Shim Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18148782353052767022noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-136541991481312371.post-85249104542986702342013-09-02T14:47:00.001-04:002013-09-02T15:59:38.871-04:00Strawberry Freezer JamYou might think that it's a little bit late in the season for strawberries. Well, think again:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUbx_L_IMJDbzmDvPHO__qf7cMBG6OwhMGMQQXvQQnIHZhMkkRv9vyRLnKgyegghcHoc6fj4htOKX6brmKl9iKM99bTkT557O1TDHJZlCTu8Wx41QRbcmWcYe4aFFCCsHX07eSWLUR3nCh/s1600/IMG_9257.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUbx_L_IMJDbzmDvPHO__qf7cMBG6OwhMGMQQXvQQnIHZhMkkRv9vyRLnKgyegghcHoc6fj4htOKX6brmKl9iKM99bTkT557O1TDHJZlCTu8Wx41QRbcmWcYe4aFFCCsHX07eSWLUR3nCh/s320/IMG_9257.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
These gorgeous little gems come from Quebec's renowned Ile d'Orléans, an island located in the Saint Lawrence river, mere miles from Quebec City. I spied these beauties at my local grocery store and could not resist. The flavour is very concentrated, and they're not watered-down like some of the spring fruit we traditionally get. It was also high-time I used that package of freezer jam pectin I've had wedged in the back of the pantry for years now.<br />
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Observe:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi65iK_3t8qhfiD9Gmez428zjusnWd9GlpP6EYBmPuGBpnH3gpaGdFFXritxf0cvA_chqFDRwZ1ukwpn6gT406F23Iyn9gotTnHKuO0PYtVpO4EacrNRJdatIEN3hlSR71Q0RvAMdApDQOF/s1600/IMG_9261.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi65iK_3t8qhfiD9Gmez428zjusnWd9GlpP6EYBmPuGBpnH3gpaGdFFXritxf0cvA_chqFDRwZ1ukwpn6gT406F23Iyn9gotTnHKuO0PYtVpO4EacrNRJdatIEN3hlSR71Q0RvAMdApDQOF/s320/IMG_9261.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Meh. Use before November 09. Well, that's still within my comfort zone. Remember I'm time-challenged? I checked on <a href="http://www.bernardin.ca/pages/product_page/47.php?pid=11">Bernardin's website</a>, and the packaging has been revamped (probably twice since then), so if you're looking for this pouch, be forewarned it now looks different:<br />
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Why make freezer jam? Well, several reasons. It's no fuss, no muss. Just mash strawberries until you have 4 cups, add 1-1/2 cups of granulated sugar to the pectin, mix together until well-combined, then add crushed strawberries and stir for 3 minutes. No need to sterilize jars and no need to cook the mixture. Why lose all that colour, flavour and those wonderful antioxidants? I really hate to see people spend more time and energy on something that should be this simple. It also produces a superior tasting jam, and that should be reason enough to keep the stove turned off.<br />
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Part of the reason I generally avoid jam is the high sugar-to-fruit ratio. Using 1-1/2
cups of sugar to 4 cups of fruit doesn't seem that evil to me. I
wouldn't eat this stuff for breakfast every day, but spread on waffles
or thin pancakes, it's a thing of beauty. <br />
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Cracking open a jar of this strawberry jam in the middle of winter can keep a person from going insane. It's like a little ray of sunshine during a long, cold season.<br />
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If that's all it takes, well then, sign me up:<br />
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The recipe makes 5 - 250mL jars. You can use any type of container to freeze this jam - you don't have to use traditional canning jars like I did. I used them because they were in the kitchen from my mango chutney episode, but little Rubbermaid or Tupperware-style plastic containers will do the trick.<br />
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I use it straight from the freezer. I just slice out what I need, and it melts in seconds when put on hot crepes or toast or waffles. Because I'm an infrequent jam-user, my strawberry jam stays much fresher this way.<br />
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So if you've never tried this method of jam-making, I hope I've convinced you to try it.<br />
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Just don't keep your pouch of freezer pectin on the shelf for 5 years like I did.Shim Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18148782353052767022noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-136541991481312371.post-12580634601122911582013-09-01T19:20:00.001-04:002013-09-01T19:21:08.943-04:00September<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic9UeoNKr3ABpN4V8Jpu-uNuexOLnjmOrkczF3XVhDFjuPkZRbW9M7qy4A7xA5D94A7oSZbe3QD62Hgzt3gYXrrvj5bDticoyoWhhtAYrV8lBJo_TRGkkhU5XCX2sZhN-QlJS8aX8cAlF3/s1600/IMG_00000150.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic9UeoNKr3ABpN4V8Jpu-uNuexOLnjmOrkczF3XVhDFjuPkZRbW9M7qy4A7xA5D94A7oSZbe3QD62Hgzt3gYXrrvj5bDticoyoWhhtAYrV8lBJo_TRGkkhU5XCX2sZhN-QlJS8aX8cAlF3/s400/IMG_00000150.jpg" width="225" /></a></div>
August just flew by, didn't it?Shim Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18148782353052767022noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-136541991481312371.post-15017595395175719072013-08-27T21:28:00.000-04:002013-08-27T21:28:34.194-04:00A View from Above<br />
The following is courtesy of Eric: <br />
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When you'd rather be in bed, instead of 35,000 feet in the air at 3AM.<br />
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When the sun is rising in your face, yet your body tells you it's the middle of the night.<br />
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It's not as glorious as you'd think.<br />
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Still, each sunrise has it's own charm. <br />
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Eric<br />
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<br />Shim Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18148782353052767022noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-136541991481312371.post-11475918776163393182013-08-10T23:55:00.001-04:002013-08-17T08:59:04.528-04:00It's August 10 Already?I obviously don't roll on the same calendar as everyone else. On top of being a lazy blogger, I'm also guilty of being a lazy photo down-loader. I'm going to keep this post as picture-heavy and word-free as I can, or forgo sleep altogether.<br />
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So, hang on, boys and girls:<br />
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Our neighbour's wheat field was not lodged during the storm that hit on June 28th, where we had 20 mm of rain in minutes, if I trust Environment Canada's statistics.<br />
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The wheat in our field tried to right itself over the following weeks, and it did, partly. Still the quality will be terrible, if not a total write-off. You might want to stock up on flour.<br />
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A swirly cloud sunset, for your pleasure. Our sunsets this season? Few and far between, sadly.<br />
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A twelve-spotted dragon-fly. The first I can recall seeing. Global warming, here we come! We'll be feeding polar bears soon.<br />
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From dragon-fly to Firefly - the yarn, that is. This wonderful <a href="http://www.classiceliteyarns.com/product_page_detail.php?category_id=1&item_id=77">Firefly from Classic Elite</a> became the aptly named <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/firefly-tunic">Firefly tunic</a>. I actually finished something. In keeping with my latest (laziest?) tradition, I pushed this into my knitting BFF's hands. Credit goes to Elaine who seamed it for me. (I think I'm on to something here...putting the onus of finishing projects in someone else's hands? Brilliant!) The wonderfully sheepy project bag came from <a href="http://www.etsy.com/ca/shop/zigzagstitches?ref=shop_sugg">zigzagstitches</a> on Etsy. Now I don't look like a bag-lady anymore, toting my projects around in tattered grocery bags. I also love this tunic so much, people around me are starting to wonder if I have anything clean in my closet these days, other than this sweater. Actually, yes there is, and no, I don't want to wear anything else. End of discussion.<br />
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How's this for a sunset? July 19th. (I procrastinate about posting, don't I?) Better late than never.<br />
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Yet another storm rolling in. We've been deluged this year. This photo dates July 28th. Another 20 mm of rain. I think the weather's on to something of a roll, too.<br />
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When the streetlights go on at 4PM, it's because it's raining hard. Actually, it even hailed.<br />
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It rains so much, that it's even raining when it's sunny. We've had bizarre weather this summer. Environment Canada posted 0 mm on August 4. I'm here to tell you we got nailed by a rogue thunder cell.<br />
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I finished a scarf made with Blue Sky Alpacas Metalico. All natural baby alpaca colours, blended with mulberry silk. Oh wow. I can't wait for it to snow just so I can wear this! Just kidding. I'm saying that in the hopes that we'll only see snow in December. Like on <i>Christmas Eve</i> December. <br />
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I love how Tessie does her Superman flying imitation. I call this the Supercat pose. Both Tessie and Bobber are hefty little munchkins. Where was Cappie? Enjoying the great out-of-doors. I don't need to tell you she weighs half of what the chunky-monkeys weigh.<br />
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I've knit 12 of these scarves and blogged about it not-a-once. Katia Jordan's <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/one-skein---a-stole-english-version">One Skein, A Stole</a>. I wear this thing All. The. Time. It matches the Firefly tunic. See what I did there? I camouflage the Firefly with my Noro scarf!<br />
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Today I made <a href="http://www.bernardin.ca/pages/recipe_page/51.php?pid=506">mango chutney</a>. We have so much local produce these days, but I had to make mango chutney with mangoes from Mexico. They were 3 for 99c at the grocery store. I needed 4 to make 6-250 mL jars. That's a deal too good to pass up. Don't let the exhaustive list of ingredients dissuade you from making this. It's quite the condiment.<br />
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...and because they're not all stinkers, here is tonight's sunset. We've got warm, dry, sunny days in the forecast for the coming week, which is a nice departure from recent weeks.<br />
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On that note, dear readers, I bid you adieu. Until next time!Shim Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18148782353052767022noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-136541991481312371.post-21752779280647983702013-06-28T22:07:00.003-04:002013-10-30T15:13:10.450-04:00June in PhotosJune's been one of those months. Without further ado:<br />
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The <a href="http://shimfarm.blogspot.ca/2012/05/rams-and-yowes-progress-report.html">Rams and Yowes</a> blanket is finally finished. Let's be more precise: when the time came to sew the 700-<i>plus </i>border stitches down, I pressed the blanket into my mother's hands with quivering lips and batting eyelashes, and pleaded for her to put it out of its misery.<br />
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This blanket would still be stuffed in it's dedicated bag on top of the dryer if not for my mother. A big round of applause goes out to dear Mom.<br />
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Never has a project been fraught with more neurosis. I confidently stated that I wasn't interested in getting gauge, since it was a blanket. Well, I should have listened, because in the end I ran out of several of the lighter colours to complete the edge, which is folded back upon itself: <br />
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Normally the back side would have the same <i>dégradé </i>effect as the front. I toyed with the idea of ordering more wool just to complete the backside, but then decided against it. To hell with integrity. This project has been simmering on the back burner for over a year now, and I really wanted to get it done. <i>Now</i>. In the end, I'm okay with it - the blanket is complete and the end result is more than I hoped for. Anyone who comments on the back gets a well-deserved smack.<br />
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Here's the front for your viewing pleasure. <a href="http://katedaviesdesigns.com/">Kate Davies</a> is brilliant, always has been, always will be. And <a href="http://www.shetlandwoolbrokers.co.uk/">Jamieson and Smith Shetland Jumper Weight</a>? Yes...yes please. There will be more of this in my future. What's insane is that NONE of the nine colours in this blanket are dyed - they're all natural and named for the shades of Shetland sheep they come from: white, gaulmogot, katmollet, mooskit, sholmit, shaela, moorit, yuglet and black. And the smell? I want to bury my face in this blanket and sniff away: it smells of lanolin with just the right hint of barnyard. Yummm.<br />
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Cue the rubber boots:<br />
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Our weather has been absolute crap, for lack of a better meteorological term. It's been pouring for weeks, and the fields are beyond soaking wet. It's definitely rubber boot time:<br />
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When it's not raining and we venture outside where mosquitoes make our lives miserable. Last year our spring and summer was win/win. This year, it's lose/lose. We even light the wood stove some nights, if just to cut the humidity.<br />
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The only plant happy this year are the roses:<br />
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These gorgeous pink roses have been run over by the mower endless times, but they resurrect themselves brilliantly. This year, they were given a reprieve and have shown their gratitude by blooming profusely. Maybe they can stay.<br />
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This climbing rose is one of the very few I left standing. When we moved here, the grounds were over-run with badly maintained roses. One of the first things I did besides buying stock in Band-aids and Felco pruners was to cut most of them down. My dislike of roses knows few bounds. When given a bouquet, I remain gracious, but take them with outstretched arms and do a quick about-face to hide the resulting facial twitch that comes from repressed memories. Thanks, I think.<br />
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That said and done, this year the pendulum is swinging back and I'm finding that I quite appreciate their beauty.<br />
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My guess is they like cold, wet weather, because that's exactly what they're getting.<br />
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We had a lot of wind and rain today. Our wheat is now lodged:<br />
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I'm not sure what the next step will be. We've never had lodged wheat, so this is a first for us. I guess time will tell if the wheat is going to right itself, or if it's down for the count. I'll keep you posted.<br />
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This elderberry bush is in full-bloom now. Again, it's a wait-and-see approach regarding the berries, but the blooms sure are profuse this year. If the birds don't get the berries, there will be lots of elderberry juice in our future.<br />
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Last weekend, we had a deer nibbling on the seabuckthorn berries. The doe made her way up and down our hedgerow and perked up when she saw me. I don't discourage deer when I see them, because it's quite rare they venture onto our property. I gave her lots of room, hence the poor-quality zoomed-in picture. Humidity hovering around the 90% mark doesn't help, either. She sure was tall, though! <br />
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With apologies for yet another poor-quality photo, here's a big coyote-wolf hybrid. I've never seen a head on a coy-wolf as big as this one:<br />
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I was too stunned to get a better picture, because trailing behind was a little coy-wolf puppy. I don't have a lot of sympathy for them and normally chase them away, but since it was my first time seeing one of their off-spring, I took the scene in from a distance. I don't want to know how far they'll go to protect their young, so I turned back towards the house, throwing a glance over my shoulder a few times for good measure as they sauntered across the open field.<br />
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Our sunsets are few this month, and this is the only semi-decent one I have to offer for June:<br />
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There's still hope for July. There's sun in the forecast for July 1, which is also Canada Day. The timing for a Monday off couldn't be any better.Shim Farmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18148782353052767022noreply@blogger.com10