Thursday, October 8, 2009

Is Winter Here to Stay?

When they are not busy ordering the household or ushering in storms, the cats pile in warm places. The "'kittens," Jemima and Chester, with Eggnog behind them.
Teasel [aka "Momma"s Darling"] waiting patiently through a long evening of quilt construction.


J. made applesauce yesterday from apples he gathered in Utah last week. He was looking at a camper someone had for sale and noticed the tree laden with fruit. The owner brought him out a plastic sack and told him to fill it. Apple orchards were all around us in Vermont as well as an apple "cold storage" and packing plant where utlility grade apples could be had all winter for a few dollars a bushel box. We couldn't guess the variety of these apples--green-skinned with a few reddish streaks-- but they were crisp with a tart-sweet taste. This is not a fruit-growing region and we miss having fruit and berries to store in various ways for winter eating.

Shadows on snow drifted around the guest cabin. Fallen branches, still in green leaf, are strewed about, but there is too much snow and mud for clean-up.



Snow clings to branches and comes skidding down in wet clumps.




The pond was partially cased in a thin glitter of ice. Today it has melted and we have seen the muskrat creating ripples as he moves. The Mallards have ventured out of the cattails to paddle around the far edges of the pond--keeping wary look out for the muskrat.





Dried weeds and cattails caught in snow and ice.






The small tree at the edge of the cabin has broken limbs. At the Post Office an ornamental tree--I think a variety of locust, split midway up the trunk so that dragging branches hung over the sidewalk.








5 comments:

  1. Hullo MM,
    Caught once again by the photos and the impact of the weather on you when here, although today is a dull day, it is moving through Autumn slowly and relatively gracefully. {Although like an old Aunt, sometimes she has terrible wind!}

    I have a boyish yearning for snow that comes early and stays long, although the adult recognises the problems and dangers, living here so close to the sea snow is a relatively rare and fleeting visitor to be enjoyed quickly while you can. Like a rare bird visiting and attracting all the 'twitchers' as bird watchers are called in the UK.

    The mention of the muskrat brought back forgotton memories of a childhood favourite cartoon, 'Deputy Dawg' who had a companion called 'Muskie' that was a muskrat if I remember correctly.

    {Why am I also hearing "Dagnabbit" in my skull? Maybe it was a favourite saying.}

    The apple sauce looks great by the way.......

    kind regards.......Al.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Oh those Siamese are so gorgeous! I miss my Siamese. We had him for 12 years.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Again you have captured some wonderful shots ...only improved by clicking on them to get closer to your wonderful world.

    ReplyDelete
  4. It seems so odd seeing snow on the ground and yet still green leaves on the trees. Looks like everyone's been caught on the hop.

    Your cats know the best place to be though. Most of mine (bar Honey) have started to be house-cats again instead of dirty stop-outs.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Had to pop back ...thanks for all your lovely FH comments. I love that you see what I try to do with the papers etc xx

    ReplyDelete