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Crappies Galore and Thunderstorms

5/7/2010

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Good evening, dear Reader!

My! How the weather changes! Yesterday was so lovely, calm and warm. Smitty and Chris came out to fish...and oh, how the crappies were waiting to bite! Smitty said they caught 53 (or was it 56?) in one hour! The total for the day was 76.  Not bad!  Didn't I tell you this is Paradise here?

The photos above show Chris and Smitty across the lake. You can see the lake isn't totally "clear" - like it was a few days ago. (It's still really clear underneath the algae, though.) I used to be upset whenever algae formed on the lake. After the lake was drained and gravel taken out in 1983, it used to be crystal clear all the time. Now, of course, there are (were) trees all around the lake, plus the "helicopter" seeds from maples trees, not to mention "cotton" from the cottonwood trees. Ken Clodfelter, the regional fish biologist, has received many a call from me. Patiently he has explained to me why there is algae year after year. Now I realize that algae doesn't hurt anything, is there for a reason, and  gives the little fish some cover. My worrying days are over and I even appreciate algae. Sometimes I even use it in my garden beds.

Speaking of garden beds, I bought several flats of flowers to be planted around the cottage. (See photo) They will have to wait now until next week when it warms up.

Is there life beyond mowing? I think not. When Chris and Smitty came out yesterday I bet they weren't at all surprised to find me...welll......mowing.

This morning, after such a lovely day yesterday, the skies opened up and poured. Did the flashes of lightning and/or thunder wake you up early this morning, dear Reader? Not the kind of weather to be running outside to the "restroom!" But we certainly needed the rain. So no complaints here.

I talked with Chad Lampkin, recommended by Ed Begley, Jr. - remember? He has all kinds of ideas of how to install a shower in the cottage here, so maybe I will before winter. It's always enlightening talking with Chad. Hopefully he will visit soon.

Lovely lunch today with Michael in Geneva. It was a nice break from (yes!) mowing and working outside all this week. I must confess we had a bubbly glass of raspberry champagne from Italy, along with our crabcakes. When I returned home the cold north wind had begun in earnest and it was just plain cold. I haven't had a fire in the woodstove for weeks now, but I do tonight. And it feels great! 
 
On a sad note, yesterday would have been JJ's 36th birthday. I miss him so. Designing the chapel is great therapy for me, and I will enjoy every moment of building the chapel in JJ's memory.

Our weather has progressed or slid backwards - from summer to winter. May you be all snuggled in and cozy, dear Reader. Nighty-night.
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A Birthday Party, The Blue Heron and More Brush Burning

3/23/2010

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Tuesday night

Saturday's snow is long melted and the days are warming up again. Today was almost perfect for a March day. Very little wind, sunny and fairly warm. I re-started the fires again this morning which Dave and I began yesterday across the creek.  (See photos #1- Dave crossing the creek -  and #2 above.) Just so you won't forget how beautiful Willow Creek is, I took a photo from down in the creek. (Photo #3) It is amazing to me how many downed trees there were on the east side of my creek. Dave and I cleared lots of branches hanging over my eastern fence. We have many more to go!

While we were working on the fires, the great blue heron was standing so still (and so folded into itself) next to the lake, that at first I couldn't tell what that dark blue object was. Only by zooming in with my camera could I tell it was the blue heron. (see photo #4 ) What a magnificient bird!

Speaking of birds, while Dave and I were busy with the fire yesterday, several large ducks from Kyle and Jeff's farm came  floating up the creek to see what was going on. They must like fires, for they didn't seem bothered by the flames at all. They didn't want to miss any excitement!

This past weekend I attended a birthday party for Dr. Jones,  a friend of Michael's at the Country Club in Geneva. That might sound hoity-toity, but it was just a wonderful group of friends. I enjoyed it greatly! That's Michael and Dr. Jones in photo #5. They are best friends and also happen to have been outstanding surgeons. The whole group of us is seen in photo #6. We laughed a lot. Our laughter and the fire in the fireplace warmed us on that cold, snowy Saturday night.

David is home from Cleveland after his heart surgery. He looks great! Amazing how well it all went. His friend, CJ, is helping take care of him, along with Ken. David even walked to and from the post office in Paw Paw today! Unbelievable!

 My friend, Linda Turner, in Santa Barbara emailed me that she loved the blog. It makes me feel so good to know she (and you, dear Reader) are reading my blog and feeling like you're part of what goes on out here on The Land. It keeps me writing, even though I'm so tired I could drop!

All is well here. I put in two more rows of peas just as dusk was settling in tonight. The wood in the woodstove is crackling keeping off the chill. Tonight is a clear sky which makes for a colder night.

I hope all is going well with you, too, dear Reader. Nighty-night!
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Spring fever again

3/5/2010

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Picture
Picture
Spring fever again! It's getting bad - and that ain't good!

Michael took me to Wildwood Restaurant in Geneva today. Oh, yum! The crab cakes were to die for! I ordered blackened catfish (in honor of the fish in my lake), which was absolutely delicious, too. As always, it was a great time. I'm so fortunate to have such a dear, family friend. If you, dear Reader, aren't very familiar with Geneva, Wildwood is nearly across the street from the Little Traveler - an institution that most females in the area know all about. I was practically raised in the Little Traveler, and how good it was to see it again. Geneva has such charm.

I'm sure it won't surprise you to know I came back home and started pruning more little swamp willows. (Okay, first I had a power nap on the sofa!) What warmth today! The greenhouse was 97 degrees! Soon that greenhouse will be sprouting out little tomato plants. In fact, my last order of seeds just arrived today. In the next couple of weeks, I will be starting my seeds. I've always had such fun growing little seedlings!

I watched Sweet Home Alabama with Reese Witherspoon last night. Reese reminds me of my lovely daughter-in-law, Angela. They are both adorable! Sleeping like a log (except for the helicopter I heard outside my window early, early this morning), I awoke to the sun coming over the horizon. After the grey winter we've had, who can get enough of sun?

You know, it's the funniest thing. Another fishing hole on the lake was open this morning, just as if Smitty and Chris had freshly drilled it. Perhaps the hole is impatiently waiting for them! By the time I left my farm a few hours later, the hole  had frozen over again.

I'm going to turn in early because Dave is coming over tomorrow for work, work, work. I have so many dear friends. Some feed me and some...some make me work!

Dave has already started bringing over the wood he is donating to the chapel/house-on-the-hill project. And when it gets nicer, we will pick up the wood Floyd is donating. This is fun!

The photos above are of the house-on-the-hill site. Spring and winter views.

Good night, dear Reader. I hope you have a relaxing Friday evening!
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    Author

    Jane Heim is a writer and lifelong activist for sustainable living and organic growing. She is author of The Directory of Working Women, What to Do When the Stock Market Falls, and Car Living Your Way.  She is also the author of Chemical Cowboys, an article that has recently appeared  in Acres USA.  Ms. Heim is also the author of an upcoming article on www.motherearthnews.com
    Ms. Heim originated and developed the Organic Education Center for Oregon Tilth in partnership with the City of Lake Oswego, Oregon. She Co-Founded Spray Drift Educations Network in 2011, IOGA original board member.  S
     he presently lives in the Midwest in a cottage overlooking her lake.

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