19 September 20XX +1
My Dear Lucilius:
The temperature had a sudden drop over the last two days.
This happens from time to time during the run up to Winter. It is a reminder that – while Winter is not quite here – it will soon be here with a vengeance. Nature’s gentle nudge, perhaps, that any business that needs to be taken care of should be attended to in rather short order.
In some ways, there is not much “business” left to attend to. All of the grain has been threshed that there is to thresh and this cold snap has put an end to any last lingering vegetables that were under the false illusion that they would make it to ripeness.
The beehives are girded up for Winter: feeders filled, access limiters in place, wrapped as they always are in hopes that anything is better than nothing (overheating here in Winter is not an issue). They, along with the quail, remain my biggest concerns, a non-replaceable asset if and when they finally die.
The inside of the Cabin has been reorganized for what feels like the 10th time since the start of Summer. Things were of course ferried over from Pompeia Paulina’s house, but even more things seem to have appeared in the last few days: jars of canned vegetables I have never seen before, a rather large collection of blankets, a stack of puzzles.
I started to ask but then got the raised eyebrow. I carefully found something else to concentrate on.
The stove is in almost constant use at this point – even more so during the last few days. I am re-evaluating whether in the depths of the incoming Winter we just plan to sleep on the futon that serves as our couch – yes, the bedroom is literally right around the door from the stove, but “right around” is not the same as “in the same room of”.
With the stove, of course, comes the wood. It does not use much, but even “not much wood” is going to be hard to come by this time. With deadfall and what was left from last year, we probably have enough to make it through to more temperate conditions. Probably. But there will likely still be expeditions every day as I am able to find more wood.
I think we are as prepared as we can be, Lucilius. Whether that will be enough remains to be seen.
Your Obedient Servant, Seneca
If I were Seneca, I would put in some effort now into collecting far-off wood now, keeping the easier to retrieve for later in bad weather conditions. If you want to stage their locations, so much the better to reduce amount of time finding it under snow later on.
ReplyDeleteHe very well might, Anon. As previous entries have indicated, he has been largely busy getting ready for Winter with the items that need dealing with near at hand. Now that this is done - for better or worse - likely he will have more time to invest in such activities.
DeleteUp in the mountains wood is a first priority. Spring thaw to first snow. You do not want to cut wood in winter in snow.
DeleteAnon - In his particular locale there are only hills of not a considerable height from the valley floor and only minimal trees at that elevation. Most of thd wood will be along the creekbeds or in the area right between the road and the start of the hills.
DeleteAlso keep the sharpening tools available for axes/hatchets to deal with firewood needs. You can NEVER have enough firewood TB.
ReplyDeleteGood point Nylon12 - especially after the fact that smaller pieces are likely to become harder and harder to come by.
DeleteNow being in New Home 2.0, the importance of heat is doubly made clear to me.
After I got married, my wife was homebound for nearly a year before she started working. During that time, I frequently came home to find new things around the house and things no longer around the house. After a year of this, it was almost as if I had done a complete swap with someone and all my bachelor stuff had disappeared.
ReplyDeleteThat may or may not sound familiar, Ed. I at least managed to get most of my things to New Home 2.0 with me, so I remain relatively confident that anything that was "left" behind I will probably not even recall having in the first place.
DeleteBees should not be considered a non replaceable asset. I bought my first hive. $300 for the set up. Every hive after that has been a swarm capture - free bees - from my swarm boxes. The genetics are not pure, probably have some Africanized genetics in some of my hives - they can be a little hot, nothing unworkable but what do you want for free bees. Swarm capture hives are definitely more resilient than my store bought hive. They are the strongest of my hives and have made it through 2 winters so far.
ReplyDeleteAnon - In this case Seneca is assuming the worst in that a swarm capture likelihood is slim to none, given the ability to get to a reported swarm is on foot and relies on someone seeing it - or the very small chance they appear in his yard.
DeleteSwarms are pretty easy to find in NH.
DeleteLook for masses of flowers and a nearby water source.
The Term "Bee Line" is true. A loaded worker bee carrying water or pollen literally will go the straightest route home.
Stand and watch, move toward the last place you saw the bee.
Repeat until you hear buzzing.
Standing in their path is awkward. They'll not likely sting you, but they do land hard, reorient and fly on.
Now that this Anon mentioned it I know of three bee trees within my property that normally I'd find a hazard if disturbed.
That is interesting Michael. I havd only seen a couple of swarms over my years.
DeleteThanks for the swarm bee idea.
ReplyDeleteLocal bees that survived without human help are tough.
Michael
They are, Michael. Although it's likely been years since I saw a wild hive.
DeleteMaybe because a lot of areas suffer from the "Scotts Lawn" syndrome where they spray their weeds and lawn.
DeleteSome states even airplane spray to keep down noxious weeds and illegal pot farmers. Road spraying is also a problem.
Thus, around here most hobby hives die off.
My property and the neighbors aren't into spraying. Our roads are on the do not spray list and they honor it.
That could be, Michael. In New Home 2.0, the landscaping efforts are everywhere which likely includes such things.
Delete"We are as prepared as we can be." That's about all we can do. Dan and I do keep a saying in mind to "expect the unexpected," because it's always the thing we didn't think of that pops up.
ReplyDeleteLeigh, I suspect many we often believe we can always do a little more. Sometimes I have to remind myself even getting the big things right can be enough.
Delete