Life in the Bristolwood

 I sometimes get so far behind myself….that is, I take many photos that remain on my cards until one day when I look at them and think I should have written about them and put them up long ago. I really am trying to do better,  but it seems like life  often gets in the way.

A couple of days ago,  I went for a small walk along the side of our road.  The day before,  while outside,l I thought I had heard a Robin.  I just put the thought aside as Robins wouldn’t return to the area this early!

Well, the day I went for a walk,  I knew I distinctly heard a Robin singing in a tree.  Since I had the small Panasonic camera with me, I could surely capture the little bird’s photo. Problem was, the wind was blowing up the road mercilessly so it was hard to hold the camera still!

 Not a very nice photo but there is no doubt whatsoever that the bird is indeed a Robin.

Now, I realize I live a somewhat sheltered life in that I don’t go shopping just to look around.  My shopping excursions are generally to grab things we need and run.  So, I probably miss out a lot. (especially since I don’t watch television much either!)

Michelle and one of her friends fancy themselves to be connoisseurs of all things candy corn, so when we were at Sauder’s  yesterday, how could I resist?  I have seen candy corn in Christmas red and green, but Easter colors?

Well, this last photo might not specifically have anything to do with spring, but I just took it a little bit ago waiting for Michelle while she is at school.

I just like the way this photo turned out. And speaking of ducks,  wow, have the Canada Geese been flying northward.  This morning,  Angus felt compelled to awaken me at 4:45 ( yes, there really is a 4:45 AM) .  While I stood outside surrounded by pitch black darkness,  Angus poised himself in an “alert” stance.  I got a little nervous, because I could hear a sound off in the distance as well.

At that point, I pulled the Scotties in just a bit closer to the house.  After a little while,  what must have been a huge flock of geese flew overhead.  They squawked and made noise like crazy for a long time before things settled down again.  That was the strange noise I couldn’t identify before!  The rest of the day,  I have heard countless flocks passing by….

Definitely sure signs that spring really is just around the corner.

Thought I’d show my front door….I waited late yesterday afternoon for the sun to hit my door just “right”….

I am usually decorating the house with St. Patty’s Day decorations by now, but Ben is working on his bedroom and we have all sorts of tools and paint buckets sitting here and there.  Perhaps there will be no decorations this year! Ah well, ’tis always next year… At least my front door looks festive!

I will be posting another entry later today. Right now we are a bit hurried….Michelle is off to school and Mark has an early doctor appointment.

Yesterday afternoon, Michelle had reserved the racquetball court at the YMCA so she and Ben could play, along with their friend, Jacob.  Mark took the kids and Angus and headed off to Canandaigua.

I found myself relishing the quiet and peacefulness of having no one around, other than Murphy.  Murphy, being a Scottish Terrier, is reserved and quiet. The only time Scotties *really* make their presence known is if they are hungry, want water, or some”thing” or “one” is disturbing their territory. Thus, we enjoyed the calm….

The weather  has been rather splendid lately, with blue skies and generous amounts of sunshine….a somewhat rare commodity normally, this time of year.  I had a small fire in the woodstove, however, as the temperature has been diving to very cold at night.  I was enjoying the sunshine coming through the windows but was rather disturbed by the ugly blackened doors on the woodstove…..

until I saw this, reflected onto the homely rust-colored corduroy couch that had been my father-in-law’s.

Awesome….I couln’t help but wonder what that would look like if it was on the wall, as opposed to fabric, but I sat there, dumbfounded, by the sheer beauty of it.  A real “stained glass” reflection! I felt as though I was sitting in a fine cathedral!  You just never know….

Ms. Downy came for a visit today and I got so excited!

A couple weeks ago, as I stood looking out the back door,  I had a revelation that the shepherd’s hook I hang plants on in the summer could hold a suet feeder for the birds in the winter!  Yeah, I know…why did it take all this time to figure this out anyway?

I hung the feeder out over a week ago and one day I did see a Chickadee on the side of it, hacking away.  I was really excited to be this close to a woodpecker!

until the sun was “just so” in the sky….

And while I was waiting, a friend showed up!  Carly had told me when she looked up information about Nuthatches, there seemed to be confusion because we always see Nuthatches with white bellies whereas many are described as having red bellies.  The white-breasted Nuthatches seem more abundant, but wow!  I have a really red-breasted one!

It seems comical, but this little fellow always sits on the same branch every time he visits! Perhaps I should have cropped the photo to show the bird better, but I really liked the photos as they were!

The Nuthatch below is our more typical bird.

The skies were brilliant yesterday…..a day filled with sparkling blue with harmless white clouds from time to time.  The sun put on a spectacular show and even melted a lot of snow from the sidewalks and where we shoveled.  It was a breathtaking day. And, the sunset was nothing to snear at either!

Some days are just hard to watch go……

Several years ago, while Mark and I were driving from Rochester to our house,  we saw all types of furniture and items on the lawn of a big house where a sale was being held.  A Singer sewing machine in a cabinet caught my eye and Mark stopped for me.  Twenty dollars later, we left with a sewing machine in a walnut veneer cabinet!

When Michelle was younger I spent so much time behind that sewing machine, making her little dresses.  I loved sewing and this machine was so much less complex than the new models. The stitches were so nice and the machine was very reliable.

I got the machine out of its cabinet a few days ago so Mark could have a look at it.  I have never heard Mark sing so many praises for any product….ever!

The first thing that impressed Mark about the machine was its simplicity.  Even though it is a very simple machine, it came with all sorts of attachments which make it very diverse and versatile. The cast iron body of this small sewing machine makes it sturdy and and solid.

Mark was greatly impressed with the nice motor housing….

Mark said one could never find such a well made machine these days.  He said anything made so well would cost so much today!  His remark got me to wondering just how old the machine might be.  I looked online and found a site that gives information about Singer sewing machines and giving their dates of manufacture. To the best of my knowledge, my little machine was manufactured in 1953 in Kilbowie,  Scotland!

I am adding a photo of the model of my little Singer machine.  The “K” indicates the location where the machine was manufactred, according to the information I found on the internet.

Thank you, Bill, for the information regarding the name change!  From what I understand, Kilbowie is located close to Clydebank, thus the change? The tiny country of Scotland has certainly produced a wonderful little workhorse in this machine.  Too bad our modern machines cannot even hold a candle to these!

Oh-my-GOODNESS!  What an amazing moon!! Perhaps it wasn’t so much that the moon was*so* amazing.  It might have been the bone-chilling air that made it stand out even more.  You know, the kind of cold that if you breathe deeply, you can actually make your nostrils close and stick together?

I am so thankful for the Jotul woodstove when the temperature plunges from cold to “frigid”! I don’t mind going out into the cold so long as I have the proper attire, but it is always such a treat to walk into the house and feel any chill just fall away as the warm air wraps around you like a blanket.  That’s it, you know….a furnace might heat the house, but as the temperature begins to fall before the next cycle kicks the furnace back on,  you can actually feel chilled!  Not here.  The Jotul really is like a blanket. There are no “dead spots”.  No cold corners.  Everything is just…warm!

Jotul should pay me, you realize. 

So, back to the moon. 

Mark was busy last night, and I had to help him from time to time.  So, in between,  I would sneak out onto the back deck,  Nikon mounted to my Manfrotto monopod. This is what I got.

That last photo was a *very* long exposure!  I had kind of  secured my body and the monopod to a vertical post on the deck, hoping that “we” would not shiver too much and cause the camera to shake!

Now, earlier in the evening, just before the sun totally disapeared behind the hills to our west, the skies put on a nice exhibit of color…..breathtaking sunsets are really at a premium here in the woods, due to all the trees!

This morning, as I am writing this,  I looked out the bedroom window, and that gorgeous moon was playing peekaboo in the western sky!

As I opened the window to take that one last photo, the sky was suddenly filled with yellow plumage, as a flock of Goldfinches spooked and took off in unison. In the distance, the drone of snow-making hydrants filled the frigid air. The blast was pretty shocking, but not to fear.  The Jotul *does* have it covered, after all!

I just never will understand this family of mine.

Mark’s dad was born in the USA to Italian immigrants. Mark often talks about the delicious foods his grandmother prepared every year for Christmas and other special events.  He fondly recalls her cheese pie and all the tasty Italian dishes she made.

Being a “Heinz 57″ blend myself,  I am not sold on any ethnic dishes, really.  My Ukrainian grandmother made all manner of specialties that just smelled horrible to me.  Perhaps I shouldn’t admit that,  but many times the house smelled strongly of sauerkraut and being a picky eater as a kid, cabbage was one of the last foods I would have wanted to try…..especially “fermented”!  Or, maybe I was just spoiled, as my mom, (maybe fearful I would shrivel up and blow away) often relented and silently placed a peanut butter and jelly sandwich on my plate, ending my vigorous protests! I am a much better eater today…..however, there is a line I will not cross when it comes to “exotic” foods!

So, this morning,  I decided I would prepare some Crockpot Lasagna.  I don’t crave Italian foods too often, but since it is bitterly cold and windy outside,  I figured this would be a great day for a filling and tasty dish.  Mark tells me he really doesn’t like lasagna.  Nor do the kids.

I wasn’t the least discouraged by my family.  No sir!  I scrambled up a pound of ground beef and then mixed up my cheese blend.  I had bought some no-boil lasagna noodles the other day when I shopped at Wegman’s, and Mark thought I had lost my mind.  He insisted in his bachelor days when he made up Lasagna (WHO was he making it for, anyway, if he doesn’t even like it?)  he used regular noodles and never cooked them before putting them in the pan. Debatable, say I!

I placed my layers in the waiting Crockpot and turned the button to “low”.  Within about two hours, I tested the noodles and they seemed tender to me.  I turned the pot to “off” and pulled the plug.  Ben walked past the pot and turned his nose in the air, while Michelle insisted she had just had a meal of Ramen Noodles and mixed veggies(GAG!!!) a short time before.  I decided to dish up a serving, sit down, and enjoy.

I sat at the table and with the first bite,   exclaimed to any listening ears, this Lasagna was exquisite!  It really was!  I ate one serving and was stuffed.  As I went back to the kitchen,  I looked into the pot and felt so overwhelmed…..

This is a whole lotta leftover Lasagna!  Mark made his way to the kitchen,  looking for something for lunch, rejecting mine!  I got so bent out of shape,  I decided to go upstairs and read for awhile as the dish cooled so I could put it in the refrigerator.  Mark called up, several minutes later…..Could you fry up some chicken sausages for lunch for me?

With clenched jaw, I headed down the stairs, mumbling that my family is nothing short of a collection of fruitcakes!  As I entered the kitchen,  Mark was sitting in the wheelchair with his back to me.  It was clear he was holding something in his lap, however, and upon looking,  there sat that huge stoneware with the Lasagna in it….on his lap….and a fork in his hand! 

Upon being found out, Mark looked me in the eye and told me….This is the best Lasagna I have ever tasted!

Ugh.  How does one win, anyway?  He then went on to tell me the dish would have been better if I served a salad and some bread with it.

Fruitcakes, I tell ya! Fruitcakes, one and all!

Run, Katya, run!

Argh….I am by no stretch of the imagination “lazy”,  but there are times when I wish that I had a house that, when cleaned,  stayed that way!  Having a husband and kids home 24/7 with me is sometimes overwhelming!  Well, it isn’t quite that bad, perhaps, but every time I walk into the kitchen, it seems the counters are actually growing dirty dishes!

Okay, I’ll stop the kvetching!

Michelle’s college studies resumed today and we were off early this morning. Yesterday’s temperatures rose well above freezing, melting all the snow we had on the ground.  This would have been serious enough to cause flooding in low-lying areas, but add to that a driving rain and flooding did indeed become the big headlines across New York and Pennsylvania today.  When we left this morning, however, it was snowing somewhat briskly and the roads were not in very good condition!

I drove up our road and it had been narrowly plowed with a small plow on a pickup truck…I found myself gripping the steering wheel tightly.  I thought that the county and state roads would be in better condition, but they were snow covered and I was concerned about black ice.  Fortunately, as we came nearer to Canandaigua, the roads were in much better shape.

Since I was in no rush to head back toward home with the roads in less than good shape,  I took a little drive, then filled the gas tank.  After that,  I headed to Wegman’s and bought groceries.  While I was driving,  I came upon a lovely farm and the sun was trying to poke through the seemingly endless cloud cover…

By the time I started back home at about 9:00, the roads were greatly improved.  I got home, took all the groceries in the house, put them away, did four loads of laundry including drying and folding and putting away,  then made some great soup for dinner.  By the time I finished making the soup, it was nearly 4:30 and time to run back to Canandaigua once again!

I left late to get Michelle, but that didn’t stop me from taking a photo along the way….the sunset was impressive! (too bad I wasn’t near the WalMart parking lot as I think this would have been so pretty)

I was late picking Michelle up, but only by a few minutes and she was with her friends, Jacob and Jeffrey.  After picking her up, we headed over to WalMart and grabbed a fresh loaf of Italian bread.  We got back home and ate….the soup and bread were a real hit and when Michelle brought out the football-shaped Snickers ice cream cake we found at WalMart, everyone was thrilled!

I forgot to mention a text message I got from Michelle this morning….she explained her statistics professor was from India and has “quite an accent”.   She went out to say that when the professor said “checks and balances”, all she heard was “chicken bottoms”…..she hoped the professor wasn’t upset with her giggling!  Oh my…perhaps this semester will offer a bit more of a challenge to the girl, eh?

Chicken bottoms, indeed!  And Michelle? She was sprawled out and sound asleep by 8 pm!

Some shoveling required….

The kids had friends over today.  Although the sun poked through the clouds, it was pretty cold. The kids got sleds out and some of the braver ones decided to give it a go through the woods.  They had so much fun! 

I tried out my new telephoto lens and I was very pleased with the results!

Kelsi dared me to try a run down the hill and, hey, what not accept a dare!  It was too much fun, although I ahould have changd from my jean skirt to a pair of jeans.  I went down a couple of times, and no, no one caught that with the camera!

The kids had tacos for dinner and watched some movies.  It really was a very nice winter’s day!