August on the Meadow

Oh my goodness ~ it's been too long since I posted on the Homestone.  
Life is crazy good.  

David and I just returned from a long overdue and wonderful holiday which we spent visiting family and old friends who we don't see often enough.  
Most of our time was spent in the southern end of the province where summer days are hot and the nights are equally as warm. We were so pleased that it was rainy and cool for the first leg of our journey.  It allowed us to work up to the hotter weather that arrived. 

We got in some wonderful visits, good hugs and conversations and home cooked meals with folks!  We have vowed to get away more often.  

Arriving home to our cool mountain meadow was wonderful too.  It's so great to have Vincent here.  He is the caretaker and steward of our 'solar powered idyll' and having him here means we don't worry about a thing when we take some time away.  


The hummingbirds are due to leave soon. Their numbers have already dwindled.

The swallows that are left are mostly raising their second broods and so there are still little ones in flight school and learning the ropes on how to be swallows.
We have three blue herons who are enjoying the fishing in Mackin Creek and lots of other birds about; finches, siskins, blackbirds, thrushes, nighthawks, kingfishers... and of course our community of marmots. 

It is socked in today on the meadow with weather reports of thunder storms this afternoon. This morning we lit the kitchen wood stove ~ just to take the chill off.  Is that fall in the air??
The potatoes are flourishing in our new outdoor garden area, we have loads of greens that are keeping us well fed.  Chard and Kale and boc choi and chives ... herbs and sunflowers. Corn and beans too though we likely started these guys a bit late.   There is always next year :)  

For now, we are tucking in and getting back to work with much to catch up on.  Emails from so many wonderful people to respond to and rings to build and summer projects to resume.

Here is a sweet pic David got of two of our marmots who were having quite a conversation on the path down by the creek the other day.  Well, that's a quick update. 
As always, thanks for dropping by and much love. Have a great August!  
As ever, Nicola and David

A Slow Motion Spring

It's the last day of March! Spring is just now springing from the snow packed ground. The melt has begun and the birds are returning.  The male Red Winged Blackbirds have been joined now by the females and their mellifluous conversations fill this 48 acre bowl we call the meadow. 

Our first arrival Canada Geese are back.  Yesterday the most magical thing happened ... I was standing outside on the grass when I could hear them honking from over a mile away. As they flew over the house and out toward the hay field, I said "hello you guys, welcome back" and they did an abrupt turn around and flew back over top of me ... so low... closer than I've ever had them come to me in flight ... I knew it was their hello.  

Spring is nothing short of miraculous!!  It's so amazing to be witness to the natural world waking up from winter, a world we know so well after all these years.
We watch for the first Dandelion.  And yesterday, there she was ~ her yellow flower open to the sun.

There have been a few ducks dropping by but the creek is still frozen in lots of spots and the hay fields hasn't yet turned it's snow pack into the temporary lake that we, and the waterfowl, look forward to.  

The warmth of spring is quite a bit later this year than last.  We enjoy the slow melt to spring ~ the slower it goes the more we can enjoy the change of season.  Spring in slow motion.
This is what it looked like last year on about the 28th of March.  And what we have to look forward to.

As you may know, I have written two separate blogs since early in 2005.  I believe it's time to join these two blogs into one.  And so, I am not abandoning "The Homestone", simply moving it all over to the Warmth of Wood blog.  

Our Facebook page is titled; Touch Wood Rings, 48 Acres.  It's an ongoing conversation about what's happening around the meadow and about the work we do (Touch Wood Rings) and the people we have the pleasure of working with.  

I sincerely hope you will join us at the Warmth of Wood  and also follow along on Facebook if you are one of the millions of people who use social media. With love and thanks.  Nicola (and David)

2015 drawing to a close

 A Winter Walk about . . . 

And I want to share two of David's recent creations;

the first, a Hawaiian Koa Wood Ring with an inlaid cross of Maple, and a figured Bethlehem Olive Wood Ring with a gentle taper.

It's wonderland time on the meadow again.

 And we are so very thankful.

For our solstice celebration, Vincent built a beautiful bonfire and the three of us and all our spirit friends enjoyed it's warmth and welcomed back the light.

Wishing all our family and friends (and friends not yet met) 

a peaceful and joyful transition into 2016.

Mid November on the Meadow

 Some mid-November Meadow moments.  Welcome! 

Our dear Whiskey Jacks looking a little bedraggled today.  First real snowfall of the year. Hopefully the treats at the feeders warm them up a little.

Just before today's Whiskey Jack snow fall, David and I took a wander round the meadow and got some pics of our almost winter white world ~ that transition day when fall is almost a memory under the first brush strokes of winter.

  Looking up ~ way up.

   The days are short now.  Sunsets sneak up on us.

   Welcome to Winter on the meadow. It's a beautiful time of year!

Hummingbird Arrival

Our newest arrival.  Sunday afternoon; our first hummingbird of the season made his appearance. Very exciting.  By late May and into early September we enjoy well over a hundred hummingbirds at our feeders on a daily basis! It’s absolutely magical.

David is incredibly in tune with our wild birds ~ he observes, listens and communicates with them.  Somehow, he knew it was time! I was sure we wouldn’t see a hummer for a few weeks yet, but David insisted on hanging a feeder about 4 days ago and sure enough, on Sunday afternoon ~ our first hummer arrived!!

Here’s our Sunday arrival on the tree outside our kitchen door that we sometimes refer to as our Christmas Tree because it’s a bird magnet.  During these next few months it’s almost always completely decorated with hummingbirds and other wee birdlets.

For all you fellow bird lovers; May 9th is 'Global Big Day' under the wing (haha) of Cornell University's Lab of Ornithology.  Go birding wherever you are, for any length of time on May 9 and enter your lists in ebird. Here's a link to the Global Big Day 2015 site.   

Their primary goal is fundraising for their excellent work with birds, but May 9th is about finding as many species as possible for the Global Big Day tally and to have a worldwide show of support for the birds! I hope you enjoy your birds wherever you are and if you have some time on the ninth of May ~ please count and record any that you see.

The tail end of March on the Meadow

"Is it spring, is it morning?

Are there trees near you,
and does your own soul need comforting?
Quick, then––open the door and fly on your heavy feet; the song
may already be drifting away."

 By Mary Oliver from her Poem "Such Singing in the Wild Branches"

 

We are so enjoying this crazy beautiful wild time of year!  Warm spring days followed by overnight snowfalls that melt in the sun by noon.  Half of the walk around our meadow is stuck in winter, half is full-on spring and makes a glorious stroll. 

 

 

We've had some tremendous March winds the past few weeks so there are trees down here and there that must be dealt with. Some we leave where they lie to offer habitat for critters and to build the soil. Trees that have fallen across our trails will go to our mill yard to turn into floors or counter tops or bookshelves in the addition we're building.

 

The beavers in our beaver pond are up and about and busy.  The ducks and geese and blackbirds are back, the yellow legs and robins, and a small contingent of swallows have arrived.
Life is good and we are well and truly blessed! 

If you might enjoy more regular updates and there will be lots now that spring has sprung; you may want to follow us on Facebook. 
Thanks for dropping by!