Waiting for spring

I went into hibernation this week, more or less. We had two more snowstorms. I like snow (it's pretty to look at),  but I don't have a burning desire to spend a lot of time outdoors playing in it like Tom does.  He spent last weekend backpacking (with snowshoes) on the westside overland trail with a friend from Cleveland, two overnights in the tent. He enjoyed it. I stayed home and painted the bedroom and did some cross stitch.

Going anywhere is almost too much trouble.  I'm weary of boots and gloves and long underwear. It must be great to be an all-weather dog. This is the part of winter that is l-o-n-g, the part when you want to wake up and find yourself in the Caribbean and walk freely between indoors and out in your sandals. Alas.

We went to church this morning and I'm glad I dragged myself out.  There is an amazingly interesting and intelligent group of people to be found in that small congregation. Following the service today,there was a potluck lunch, and I had forgotten how fun those can be. We held them monthly at our small church in Erie, 25 years ago,  but when we moved to Cleveland, the church there was too big for those kinds of gatherings to work well.  I am a huge fan of potlucks, however, and recommend them to everybody.   Sharing food and conversation with others does so much to foster a sense of community and deepen friendships.  I would love to try this with my neighbors, but will have to wait till summer when we can eat outdoors because this house really has no space for entertaining company. Alas.

The news about neighborhood revitalization planning in Jamestown is kind of interesting. Although it is primarily focused on the physical aspects of neighborhoods--improving appearances and maintaining property values--some really good ideas are being discussed, such as establishing a central tool-lending library to facilitate residents' DIY projects, and exploring ways to make renters (as well as homeowners)  feel integrated into their neighborhoods. It's good to know that someone is taking this on.

Back to the cross stitch.

As winter drags on...

I watched my yard turn to mud yesterday as water streamed toward the low spot in back. Two days of 55 degrees inevitably wreaked havoc on the snow base that's been in place for the past two months.

Now comes that point in the season when we've had enough. Our sparkling Dr. Zhivago winter wonderland morphs into a bleak and dirty setting fit for a post-apocalyptic sci-fi horror flick. We can't wait for winter to leave, but Mother Nature doesn't take the hint.

The thaw took its toll on the Mayville Ice festival's ice block castle, too. They were unable to hold their lighting ceremony last night.

Maybe they'll have more luck today. The wind howled all night as a clipper came roaring in from the north. It's back in the 20's today and there a bit of new snow blowing around. That seems to have salvaged the weekend for Tom's snowshoe outing on the overland trail. It should help stabilize the castle. We'll be back to single digits in a couple of days. Mother Nature is stubborn.

The dog and I are quite cozy indoors by the fire and I have a nice stack of books to read. Bring it on.

Spring is coming...

The calendar says so, even if it doesn't feel that way at the moment. I'm holding on to that promise as I eagerly peruse the seed catalogs and garden books in anticipation of a new gardening season.

(By the way, we were out of town again this week, and I didn't have an opportunity to write a blog entry until now.)

Last weekend, with so many local activities to choose from, we did indeed have to choose, as we are no longer infatigable young'uns who can be on the go from sunup till sundown and then pull an all-nighter too.  In fact, we seem to be solar-powered these days. Anyway, we opted for the Snowflake Festival at the Audubon center, and a great choice it was. We went early, before the wind and "wintry mix" arrived later in the day--can you believe we had above-freezing temps just a week ago?  The warming and refreezing had left the snow crusty and crunchy, but the trail was still beautiful (if somewhat loud) for snowshoeing, and we had a good outing. We went on our own, but there were also guided outings for groups wanting to try snowshoeing and cross country skiing. Also sleigh rides.

Inside the nature center, bursting at the seams with families escaping their cabin fever, there were many interesting displays (both the normal displays and those by vendors at the event), including live animals of both the warm and cold blooded varieties. Rescue organizations for reptiles/amphibians and dogs were there to promote their organizations. (Outdoors, there were dog-sledding demonstrations with teams of huskies From Tails of the Tundra Siberian Husky Rescue, who seemed absolutely thrilled with the snow.) Talented artisans (including our friend Joyce Rose) demonstrated weaving and yarn spinning, with some beautiful results. Master Gardeners offered their growing expertise. We enjoyed some chili and hot spiced cider and spread the rest of our tickets around at the Chinese auction.

Because we spent a lot of time out on the trails, we didn't get around to all of the festival's activities. We missed the bird presentations.  We didn't have our faces painted, or see the outdoor cooking demos (with samples) by the Boy Scouts, or join the folks making bluebird houses. But we got out of the house and enjoyed a great day of simple pleasures, in the middle of winter, at little cost. What more can you ask for?

I've learned a couple of new things that you might also find useful:


There are many healthy choices for yard and garden pest control.  Audubon has a brochure that lists such things as applying corn gluten meal to your grass in early sping and fall to prevent germination of dandelions, crabgrass, and other common weeds.  You can kill weeds in driveway cracks with boiling water or a propane torch.  Aphids and whiteflies can be trapped with sticky yellow cards, because they are attracted by the color. Yellowjackets can be lured into narrow-necked bottles containing apple juice. There are numerous oil sprays, insecticidal soaps, and microbial agents that can be targeted to certain pests without poisoning birds, your pets and your family. Many garden centers and hardware stores now carry a good selection of eco-friendly products, so check them out before you reach for the Raid.


The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) offers free and reduced cost energy audits to homeowners to show you how to improve your home's efficiency. A participating contractor will make recommendations, and if you choose to proceed with any of these measures, there are low-interest financing options available. For more information, including a downloadable PDF energy audit application, visit the residential section of the NYSERDA website, or (locally) contact the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Chautauqua County at 716-664-9502 ext. 221 OR 716-652-5400 ext. 136.

Finally, Northside PRIDE, the organization working for neighborhood revitalization, is holding their fifth annual Chocolate and Champagne Celebration fundraiser at Sheldon House tomorrow evening from 7-10 pm. Although they are focused on a nine-block area on the city's north side, they invite everyone to join them for this event and perhaps catch some inspiration for your own neighborhood. Tickets at the door are $30 apiece/$40 per couple.

This and that

I've been watching the turmoil in the Middle East--fascinated by it all and wondering if we're going to have a crisis here sooner instead of later. Gasoline prices are going up, and I expect the price of everything else will soon follow. It's a good time to stock up on staples.

Meanwhile, the "monster storm" seems to have skipped to the north of us. We got some new snow, but now the wind has died down and the sun is shining. Our neighbor came over with his snowblower and helped us clear our driveway. Looks like it's safe to leave the bunker. :)

Tom spent last weekend at winter mountaineering school in the Adirondacks (his birthday present to himself) and now he's even more wildly enthusiastic about playing in the snow. It looks like we'll be hitting the trails at  Audubon to find out if I can still handle myself on cross country skis (which I have not done in two decades) without making snow angels. Not today, though, because the temp is not going to rise above the teens and I'm happier when it's above 25. Yes, I am a wimp.  I'm thinking today is a great day to go to the library.

Random note #1: Jamestown does not have an official groundhog. We're planning to continue the sweaters and long underwear for awhile.

Random note #2: I discovered over the weekend that Marcal makes paper products like toilet paper and paper towels from recycled paper instead of cutting down more trees. This is valuable information in a time of really stupid and rude toilet paper commercials. And no, this is not a paid ad.