Perfect Morning

I do not need to remind myself why I love this piece of paradise we call home. But if I did need a reminder, all I would need to do, is take a morning like I experienced today.

Early this morning I ventured up to the upper level of our addition,(from this point on it will be known as, "The Loft"). While looking down on the river I had the opportunity to watch a Pileated Woodpecker, a flock of Mallards, a small group of Hooded Mergansers, a pair of Common Mergansers, and while I watched all these spectacular animals, a Bald Eagle swooped down and made a unsuccessful attempt at fresh duck for breakfast.

This was all in a 20 minute time span. Unfortunately I had just turned off the camera when the Eagle made his appearance, but I did catch a shot of the Mergansers and Woodpecker.


The Common Merganser. I do not understand why anyone would name this bird Common.


The Hooded Merganser. This is one of my favorites.


The awesome Pileated Woodpecker


I love every inch on this homestead.

Show A Little Mercy, Please!

It appears that Mother Nature has more then snow up her sleeves. Her latest challenge will be rain, and lots of it. The prediction is 1-2 inches of rain today with a flood watch in effect for today. On Monday the prediction is for another 1-2 inches of rain.

The snow pack may contain another 3 inches of water and as the snow melts, combined with the possible 4 inches of rain through Monday, the landscape around here will go from a deep snow pack to a very possible major flooding event.

This view from our new top floor will change dramatically over the next few days. We can only hope Mother Nature will show a little mercy

Pretty In Pink

This is probably one of the most interesting, and oddly beautiful creatures I have come across in a very long time.
If you do not recognise this interesting critter, it is a Hairless Rat, and I think that the kids and I should each get one.

The Search Is On!!!

Another Step Forward

One small step, One giant leap! The last time we did laundry in the house was sometime back in September of 2010. Today we did laundry at home. It was awesome!

I was extremely pleased that the washer still worked. Before we moth balled it for the past 6 months, we had problems with it and I took it apart in a uneducated attempt to fix it, and when I could not figure out how to put it back together, I duct taped it back together. It may be ugly, but it works and that's OK with me.

This is a big step for us,and now I don't feel guilty if I change my clothes more than once a week. I knew I was pushing my luck when the boy asked me why I smell like the cow barns up at Uconn. I don't think he was complaining, I think he was worried I went up there without him.

"Blink" The Weather Changed

What do you get when you add 1200 sq feet of roof shingles (36 bundles or 12 squares), plus 5 rolls of 30lb roofing felt, plus 3.5 rolls of water and ice protection, plus numerous pieces of step flashing, and add 6400 roofing nails with a whole lot of labor.
What do you get?
Answer - a roof.

Mother nature did not make this roofing project easy. Throughout Connecticut, roofs have been a issue this winter and attempting to install a new roof with the mountains of snow we received, and shoveled off the roof, and the bitter cold that turns a pliable roof shingle into something brittle like glass, has been a major challenge.

A week or so ago, it was difficult to feel your fingers or toes because of the bitter cold. Yesterday Earl Logsdon, from "Logsdon Contracting" was up on the roof in a tee shirt working up a sweat.
New England weather, "Blink and it changes".

With all the roofing complete, This is the first time in a very long time that the outside weather is not a issue and will not keep me awake at night.

Do Not Try This At Home.

In my younger days, my father would look at me after I did something he would consider dangerous, or something he thought lacked any reasonable amount of common sense, and he would say, "if you only had half a brain".

This morning I walked out onto the frozen river, and as I crossed over to get to the other side, I thought about the frigid water still flowing below the ice and I heard my fathers voice speak to me from the grave,"IF YOU ONLY HAD HALF A BRAIN".
I think this time I truly understood what he was trying to say, and I agreed with him.

It is not only the inconvenience of the extreme amounts of snow, but the sub zero temperatures are taking a toll. The river is frozen solid with only a few tiny pockets of open water. I have never seen this river freeze so solid during the winter.

Walking out on a frozen river would not be considered a smart move, but I did get this shot of the house from the middle of the river.

Looking up river.

Looking down river.

Venture wonders if it is to late to fly south.

A little color in a white landscape.


If I ever find the other half of my brain, I think life would become boring.

Looking Good

Could it be possible? Could we finally be over the repetitive cycle of snow storm after snow storm?

We are on the move again. Windows have been installed, the sheetrock is nearly hung, and the weather outlook is most favorable. I am very excited about some possible 50 degree weather next week.

If I was doing the trim around the windows, I would have cut the boards and nailed them in place.
I was very impressed watching Earl Logsdon from "Logsdon Contracting" take the time to create a perfect frame using pocket hole joinery. Now a pocket hole jig is something I will need to add to my workshop.

With the weather being on the docile side, we should be installing the siding starting early next week, and finishing the roof work.Thanks to Ron's help with the sheetrock, the interior work is moving along.

I really, really, really hope, it is safe to say that we, or I should say, Jeanne will not be going to the Laundromat anymore.

And to make the week really great!
I found my tractor.

Saving Corporal Haggis

For Hundreds of years, The domesticated Muscovy duck has been a favorite on many farms and homesteads. I myself have had the pleasure of owning a few of these sweet, interesting and extremely intelligent birds in the past.

Below is a letter that was printed in a British newspaper, "The Times" Jan 18 2008, about a very special Muscovy Duck, named Corporal Haggis.

Sir, Your letter about a dog adopted by British servicemen (Jan 12) recalls the remarkable episode of “Corporal Haggis” — a Muscovy duck adopted by a tank crew of the Royal Scots Greys in Italy in 1943, which saw service throughout the Italian and Normandy campaigns, before meeting an untimely end in 1945.

Corporal Haggis had been found in the grounds of an Italian farm, and was about to have its neck wrung when German troops suddenly opened fire. The tank crew, under the command of my late husband, John Warrender, later Lord Bruntisfield, scooped up the duck and stuffed it into the tank. Thereafter it was adopted by the driver, “Smudger” Smith, who kept it, through many battles and on the long journey across Europe, on the floor of his tank. It was transported back to Britain, then took part in the Normandy landings, crossed the Rhine, and reached the Baltic shore.

There, most unfortunately, it decided to make friends with a detachment of Canadian troops who killed and ate it.

So important a mascot had Corporal Haggis become that he was given a special medal, which he wore round his neck, bearing the eagle emblem of the regiment.

My step-daughter wrote an account of his adventures, called Corporal Haggis: The Wartime Story of a Muscovy Duck.

Lady Bruntisfield
Edinburgh

The Muscovy Duck is in trouble.
The "WILD" Muscovy is native to Mexico and Central and South America, and because the "WILD" Muscovy has moved into a small area of Texas, they now fall under the management of the Migratory Bird Act. This law does not take into effect the difference between the "WILD" Muscovy and the Muscovy that has been domesticated and raised on many large and small farms through out the United States and worldwide for hundreds of years.

50 CFR Part 21 of the regulation reads:
(g) You may not acquire or possess live Muscovy ducks, their carcasses or parts, or their eggs, except to raise them to be sold as food, and except that you may possess any live Muscovy duck that you lawfully acquired prior to March 31, 2010. If you possess Muscovy ducks on that date, you may not propagate them or sell or transfer them to anyone for any purpose, except to be used as food. You may not release them to the wild, sell them to be hunted or released to the wild, or transfer them to anyone to be hunted or released to the wild.

Thankfully the Federal Fish and Wildlife Service realized that they did not consider the difference between the domesticated Muscovy and the small wild populations when they created this regulation.
The law is still in effect.
The good news the Fish and Wildlife service has decided not to enforce this law until changes can be made to the regulations.


Now the Muscovy is in trouble here in Connecticut.

After the horrible, and emotionally gut wrenching attack on Charla Nash by a friends pet chimpanzee, The Connecticut Dept Of Environmental Protection has compiled a list consisting of dangerous animals, threatened animals, and nuisance animals.

I do understand that Harry the homeowner should not posses a pet Elephant, Lion, Rattlesnake, Kangaroo, Hippo, Rhino, Harbor Seal, Wallaby, Copperhead, or Bear.

I do find it very troubling that the Muscovy Duck has found its way onto this extremely long list. If this new regulation section 26-55-6, should take effect, Any one owning a Muscovy duck would be a criminal and could face stiff fines and possible jail time.

I have to believe this is a oversight on the part of the Connecticut Department Of Environmental Protection, and they will not force this wonderful, intelligent, entertaining, domesticated barnyard favorite into local extinction.

"SAVE THE MUSCOVY"

New Weatherman In Town

Special message to all local Connecticut weather forecasters,
" YOUR FIRED".

This is my forecast for the upcoming weeks starting immediately.

Apologies To The People Of Connecticut

When you raise a child you hope that they will choose the right path in life and always do the right thing.

Unfortunately Jordan has caused severe suffering to others including myself and the entire state of Connecticut. She has cost taxpayers and businesses owners millions if not billions of dollars, and many families vacation plans will be interrupted because school has been canceled too many times this year.

She will be punished and I beg for forgiveness from everyone affected.

Jeanne found 3 spoons that Jordan had placed under her pillow, and my understanding is she has kept them there for most of the winter.

I immediately thought this may be some unknown symbol affiliated with a cult or something , I started to research the meaning of 3 spoons under a pillow.

After my research I was a bit relieved to learn that this was not a sign of some type of sinister symbol, instead it was a superstition follow by many youngsters.

The belief is if you put a spoon under your pillow you will have a snow day off from school. I believe Jordan may have created a unnatural balance in the cosmic world of superstition by placing three spoons instead of one spoon.

It is because of her carelessness I have shoveled about 32 tons of snow this year.
I am sure over time, and with some family counseling, I will learn to forgive her for this winter of 2 foot snowstorms.
For now all of our spoons will be locked up, and I encourage all parents check under your child's pillow and remove any and all spoons and keep them out of reach of your children.

If we band together, we can bring this snow to a end.