And snow came ...

We had more snow late yesterday into over night resulting in about 2" on the ground--with a crust of ice beneath it. It feels very wintery with the current temperature at 8 degrees F.

I managed to get the deck cleared of furniture yesterday morning, and all the remaining garden ornamentation put away as well. The only outstanding task is getting some protection around the roses. I don't think I'm too late, and if it warms up next weekend--it's suppose to--it seems to me that will be a good time to do it. Feeling a bit relieved that the yard is now winter ready.

I moved the bird feeders closer to the side door this week. I recall the hassle of having to clear a path all the way around the deck just to fill them last year. I'm learning. They're only a few steps from the side door now. I could watch the hungry visitors this afternoon from this desk I'm currently typing at. A heartening sight.

I have to figure out now, when to empty the stove of ashes. Since it is still burning well enough when I alight from my slumber in the morning, I am able to simply throw a few more logs in with maybe a stick or two of kindling to wake it up as well. But the ashes are piling up and I guess I'm going to have to let it go out in order to clear the ashes. Hm. Perhaps I can push the hot embers to the side and scoop out some of what's underneath? Perhaps. I'll certainly try it. The soap stone lining in the stove is wonderful, indeed! It does take a little time to get it up to temperature, but then it retains the heat very well and seems to throw it out into the room in a most gentle manner. I'm sitting at the other end of the house from the stove--and there are walls in between--yet it is 69 F right here, and the amazing thing is the living room, where the stove is located, is not uncomfortably hot. Most pleased with this stove so far.

I think I am going to try to make my own lye from the ashes taken from the stove. It seems a simple enough process: Run rain water (I imagine melted snow will work as well) through the ashes and collect the liquid. It would be exciting to make soap from lye that was leached from ashes that came from my own wood stove.

It's hard to believe that the land is pulling up the blankets already and tucking itself in for another winter. Sheesh, golly, and wow! Summer seems to have camouflaged itself this year, I don't recall seeing it. But I know it happened, there were some hot, sweaty days.

On a positive note, the days will start getting longer starting next month.