MAJOR SNOW STORM BLANKETS THE FARM

We are heading into Christmas week, which for sure will be white. The farm has been blanketed over a 36 hour period with snow. It is difficult to say exactly how much, because of the drifting, but I would say somewhere around 2 feet, give or take a few inches. There is a drift by the front door that is well over 5 feet high. The snow started early in the morning on Saturday, continued all day and night Saturday, and when I took Parker out this morning at 4 it was still snowing. It has stopped now, and the sun is shinning. The front walk has been cleared, and the long drive packed so that we can get in and out. It is a strange feeling out here on the farm when there is a big storm. It somehow makes you feel much more alone, than if you are in closer proximity to neighbors. We survived, and now the dogs have a glorious playground in which to romp. This was Parker's first real snow, and oh boy did he think it was some kind of wonderful. He is in now, exhausted and curled up asleep. I suspect he will stay that way throughout the rest of the day. Tuckered out.

REVIVAL

Gosh, look how long it has been since my last post. Life has been busy, filled with all the mundane tasks that populate our lives, take up our time, but are somehow part of keeping everything together. There has been the great renovation, poor little Parker had an injury to his leg and Zoe has not been feeling well. With these things comes a steady procession of carpenters, electricians,painters, assorted installers, visits to the vet, the doctor, cleaning up plaster dust, and other messes, culling out clutter, and general organization. But now the way is clear and we are all back on course.
We had a storm over the weekend after I took the pictures that are posted. It was windy, cold and sleeting. A little accumulation of snow was a great adventure for Parker, who discovered that it was not only fun to play in, you could eat it too.
That is gone and the sun has been out. There was a definite change is the temperature though. It is frosty and cold in the dark mornings when Parker, Zoe, Jake and I venture out, and not until the sun is higher on the horizon line does the air start to warm some.
With all of the activities of the past month, I did not get to walk around in the garden to watch the changes that come with the decreased light and cold temperatures. I have noticed the Camilla's by the back door. It is hard to miss the bloom, so abundant and seeming out of place in the winter landscape. My lettuce is now available for cutting. The glass has been put over the cold frame, and I am hoping that with it tucked in I will be able to use if for another month or so. The Parsley has gotten a little burned on top, but underneath there is still plenty of good leaves. I cut some of the bulb fennel and that was a great treat for dinner. I use to think that the garden was a total dead zone in the winter, but as I have discovered there is much to be appreciated as the cold removes the cacophony of blooms. It is much more subtle and requires a keener eye, but there is a beauty in the bare twigs,dry grasses and seed heads. There is also an amazing variety of green underneath it all trying desperately to gather up what light there is from the short days.