Monday, February 3, 2020

markmaking february

Every path between the barns, the house, and the paddocks is solid ice.
The temperature is ranging from single digits to low 30s.
We've had snow, sleet, and sun.
More snow predicted this week.

Hello, February.

Here is the Daily Markmaking so far:

 February 1


 February 2


February 3

February is the month when I remind myself to weigh the low-level anxiety of carrying daily water buckets over icy paths against the delightful absence of mosquitoes and biting flies. Even ice looks pretty great when you compare it to mosquitoes.

February is also when my thoughts turn to the gardens. When I have to rein myself in before I even open a seed catalog.
Seriously.
I've been piling catalogs up as they arrive and there are at least eight of them now.
Haven't opened a single one.


But it won't be long now.
~~~~~

13 comments:

  1. There could be a blizzard this year. What happens if you order seeds and they get lost in transit. Nothing wrong with looking and ordering now. You don't have to open the packets when they arrive. lol

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    1. I just have so little sunny space for planting, I have to be really restrictive in my seed-buying. The more I look, the harder it is to resist :) There are one or two things I will order in advance, though, so I don't miss out...perhaps a certain variety of organic sweet potato slips, which always sell out :)

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  2. It always amazes me how different the weather is even tho' we live in the same state. We've had 3o degrees at night and upper thirties during the day. Really love your Art work! Be super careful with that ice under your feet. Pat the animals for me. You take such good care of them. It's wonderful!!!

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    1. Thanks very much - the next time Hazel complains about her share of apple slices, I will tell her what you said :)
      When I worked in Northampton and Cambridge, I used to see Spring arrive at least twice, and sometimes three times, every year!

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  3. Oh, the seed catalogs!!!! I've been thinking about those too. But some people with greenhouses here say that they plant spinach in February! And, it'll probably be time to start tomato plants soon!

    I love your iris. I also love that second one. I love the textures of the rocks (?) against the snow.

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    1. Yes, they are rocks in a big stone wall behind the goat barn. As the snow melts, more stones appear. I have a new "model" nearly every time I walk by lately.
      I'm glad you are getting some tips from other people with greenhouses in your area, KB! It may save you a few years of experimentation. I'd love to send you a few seeds saved from my gardens - if there is anything is particular you'd like, drop me a note! In fact, I think I'll write a post about this. I'd especially love to think of Candy Roaster squash growing all over the world. Instead of Johnny Appleseed I could become another Massachusetts legend: Quinn Candy Roaster ;)

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  4. No seed catalogs arrive in our mailbox any more - funny how that happens when you stop placing orders. No garden either, so there's that. Be careful on the ice!

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    1. I have mixed feelings about the catalogs, to be honest. They are certainly fun to look through, but SO MUCH PAPER. Of course I do recycle them, but still. When I actually order, I do it online anyway, so I could just as easily do all my browsing there. And I still get catalogs from companies I bought two or three packets of seed from, sometimes years ago. Well, now you've got me thinking about contacting companies and asking to be taken off their mailing lists. The only down-side would be not seeing that splash of color when I open the letterbox, and bringing my mail ratio back to 95% bills and junk mail :(

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  5. On Friday my Denver boy took a 24 mile bike ride in 70 degree weather and now it's 16 F there and snowing. Brrr! Quite a change in temperature. Be careful on that ice.

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    1. Sometimes I really miss Colorado. Winters had all the tough parts of New England winters but interspersed with glorious sunny days when I'd be out in a t-shirt. And snow on the streets never stayed around long enough to get dirty.

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  6. I really like your snow-covered rocks.

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    1. Thank you! Must be a familiar sight to you these days :)
      I find the stones appearing from the melting snow an irresistible subject - sometimes I take photographs to paint from later, but sometimes I take a sketchbook, a waterbrush, and a single block of paint outside, and paint on the spot until I get cold. The goats find it quite interesting :)

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  7. I placed my first seed order this week. And a couple of fruit tree orders too. Also started talking about starting the lettuce bed. Seems like we've had no winter at all here. I don't like it.

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