Yesterday morning we heard five robins singing gaily in the tree by the deck. The temperature is attempting to get into the 50's and wonder of wonders, the wind is not blowing. The pond ice should start melting soon so the duck migration can appear. These hints of spring inspired me to wash the bed linens so I could hang them on the line. I was even able to transfer some of the water from the 50 gallon rain/snow/ice barrel by the barn into milk jugs for my houseplants.

I found a bag of frozen bones from a chuck steak in the freezer to put on the woodstove. Stan and I laugh at our frugality but I get an odd pleasure out of getting the maximum usage from what I have to work with. Besides a good broth, there will be a little meat to incorporate into a green chili stew for dinner.

Still going up to collect the eggs, we generally have seven or eight dozen on hand. Now there are goose eggs also. I guess I need to make a sunshine cake or angel food. I've developed quite a following hiking up the hill.

A face in the crowd



Text and pictures © 2008 Mona E. Dunn