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Sunday, October 14, 2012

Winding Down


September Sunfire




Another cool autumn  morning. Sunrise was non-existent and dull and dark.  Not like the beautiful Sunfire I collected only a few weeks ago -back in late September. The sun was at it's finest, the sky still asleep.  Why not wake up to natural beauty?  At times it pays to be an early bird. I  habitually waken with the sun year round, sometimes it seems it might be a bad habit, a now unnecessary relic left over from agricultural days, but it also offers amazing, surprising moments. In our area, rising with the sun means 5:30 or earlier in the summer, but closer to 9:00am in the middle of the winter. 

I'm guessing the lovely Indian summer here  is winding down fast. Being stuck in the middle of October may have something to do with it.  Here in NW Ontario we've already had our initial hissy-fit of  sleet, snow flurries, killing frost, cold rain and bluster.  The once brilliantly-colored leaves are fallen or turned dull as day-old pancakes by the rain and damp.  
Now it's time to wait for the first heavy snow and biting cold. What else to do but wait?  Too funny. We can certainly distract ourselves with work.  There are ever more tasks to complete before the snow hides them all.  
Pick up miscellaneous bits and pieces of trash. Collect dog toys from all over the yard. The snowblower doesn't like pull-toys, it chews them up and spits'em out with a vengeance.  Drain and roll up the garden and irrigation hoses. Winterize and park the rototillers and mowers.  Drain, service and store the irrigation pump. Collect and haul hay mulch. Haul in the last of the late cabbage.   Dispose of garden waste-giant tomato plants, sunflower stalks, potato plants, Canadian thistles  et al -organic detritus all-- gets buried in the  'heap' or will help in building the hugelkultur --an ongoing engineered gardening heap.  Mulch the garden beds. Plant the garlic. Locate the snow shovels. Move out an old vehicle. Clean the garage, install the big snowblower on the tractor and carefully set down the bonsai to winter-proof them...and so it goes.  Rake the leaves eh? Ok.
 I've already got the snow tires on, and the potatoes are dug and stored. Garlic is planted. Dozens of pumpkins and spaghetti squash are all prized possessions of new owners or tucked away somewhere.
Imagine that. I'm almost caught up, this October morning....a first. 
Why?  Unlike, in times past, there is no longer firewood to prepare.  Ground source geothermal heating does that. Fell, haul,  cut, split, pile and stack...no more.  I miss it. Get used to it, Jack. Lifelong habits die hard.  How lucky. Keeps the blessings in focus, doesn't it?
Coffee time.  That oughta' do it.  For now. Maybe tomorrow morning I'll sleep in. Maybe not.


Is that Incoming I hear?

Photo credit:  r.a.kukkee

12 comments:

  1. Wow.... I can't believe I've never really known what it takes to prepare for winter. You've been doing quite a lot of hard work to keep pace with the season changing. All I know are summer and summer and summer.... and yes of course, a mild winter (very chill winter from my last trip to Oz), and also quite a bit of the rains that happen for like six months in the year in India. Apart from that, I do not know anything about Fall. You've given quite a vivid description. I'm not really sure I want to experience this part of the winter eve. (Grins).

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    1. Mandy, you would love it. It's just another part of life, and a fascinating one. Four distinctive seasons each have their own requirements--that's one of the benefits of living in a more northerly climate. Thanks for dropping in! ":) ~R

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  2. Oh this routine sounds so familiar!!! My perennial beds are put to sleep, the garden needs tearing out, the kale cut back, the kindling wood gathered, the freezer filled up,the summer furniture stored away, the planters emptied and put away, the herbs cut and dried...It is an endless list but it is what makes life interesting in the north. I can wait long and hard for the snow fall but something tells me it is not up to me :) I dread it, but the sooner it comes the sooner it will be over...Fall leaves have departed and what ones remain are mottled brown and yellow. The vibrant dayglo orange and reds are gone. Happy change in seasons my friend. You are not alone in your chores. Blessings...VK

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    1. hi Vk, yes, it is quite the routine isn't it? An endless number of jobs jammed into a brief period of time--and yes, it happens every year, so we should be good at it. It's nice to know everyone is doing the same thing... ":) Blessings to you,Vk.....have a great day. ~R

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  3. You sound to have been busy Raymond and VK in preparing for your harsh winter months ahead.Winter preparation is a must..Even though we dont get the winters that we used to.. except year before last we had record low temps and heavy snow... Here in the UK even if we get 2 cms of snow everything grinds to a halt.. After the heavy snow of 2yrs ago I treated my car to snow tyres as I couldnt get to work,As all our roads were blocked, not even snow ploughs came to our rescue .. and then last year we didnt have any snow!... But they are there now if needed...
    Good to know you are ahead Raymond and snug and warm...
    Blessings.. Sue

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    1. Hi Sue, yes, it is essential to be prepared at all times, particularly now with so many unknowns. The harvest was good, the preparations for winter are well on the way, and if we allowed ourselves to grind to a halt with 2cm of snow, we would be stopped all winter. We can get 60-100cm of snow easily in one snowfall. I put snow tires on my vehicle this year too, usually we can squeak by without. Take care, Sue and do stay safe and warm all winter. ":) Blessings to you too. ~R

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  4. Yes, the cold weather is approaching and the darkness seems to be taking over. I've been sleeping in late the passed few weeks, and the other day I woke up at 7:00 am and it was still dark. I couldn't believe it.

    I guess being up in Ontario, you really have to prepare for the winter months. In Germany, we mostly get the cold. If we're lucky, we'll get some snow days that will last for a little while.

    Enjoy the warmth of home.

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    1. hi Denise! Nice to see you! In NW Ontario it is still dark approaching 8:00am now, and it will be even later, but they'll switch our time back like usual, upsetting our natural progression. Snow days aren't so bad if you keep warm, are they? Thank you for commenting ":) ~R

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  5. What are you going to do with all that extra time? Sleeping in sounds good.

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    1. Haha...how funny, Angela! I am busier than ever! Hm...sleeping in does sound good though...":) ~R

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  6. Deixou-me encantada com essa tua rotina diferenciada! Gosto de conhecer blogs não do Brasil e saber da vida de fora como é.
    E a India sempre me encantou...
    Temos sempre um " snowblower que mastiga brinquedos...kkkkk. Mas nós o amamos não é mesmo?
    Deixo pra ti um abraço carinho.
    Sua leitora
    Ivany

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    1. Welcome to Incoming Bytes, Van-Ivany! I'm glad to see you are visiting us and enjoying life! Yes, our snowblower does chew up the dog toys if we happen to miss them in the grass! Here in Canada "Indian summer" is what we call the nice warm weather that usually comes right after a killing frost in September. This year our Indian summer has been pretty nice!
      Thank you for visiting, and do come again! ps. Ivany, thanks for the hug too! ":) ~R

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