1/21/26  Independance is a virture but community matters, because there are seasons when we truly can’t do it all.

There are seasons of new babies. Of illness. Of caring for aging loved ones. Of unexpected challenges. And in those moments, we need the support of people around us.

     Enough clouds to make a pretty sunrise, calm, 3 degrees.  Sun and clouds today, a SW breeze, high 24. 1-3 inches of snow tonight, low 17.  Morning clouds/afternoon sun tomorrow, high 37, low 13.  A WSW breeze.  Sunshine Friday, a strong west breeze, high 25, low -7.  Sunshine Saturday, a strong NW breeze, high 3, low -11.  Mostly cloudy Sunday, a NW breeze, high 3, low -1.  1-3 inches of snow showers Sunday night.  1-3 inches of snow showers Monday, a north breeze, high 12, low 0.  Partly cloudy next Tuesday and Wednesday, WNW breezes, highs  14 and 18, lows 2 and 5.  Morning snow showers next Thursday and Friday, brisk NW breezes, highs 19, lows 8.  Partly cloudy Saturday the 31st, a WNW breeze, high 23, low 10.  Sunshine Sunday the 1st, a WNW breeze, high 27, low 12.  Partly cloudy the next three days, NW breezes, highs about 27, lows about 14.

    Nevermind what you hear on the news.  The world is full of caring, good people.  Family, friends and neighbors.  Home on hospice is where we want Gilbert to be.   It is not always easy to give an ill person the kind of care we want for him.  Barbie, Rachael and Barbie's sister care for Gilbert at night.  During the day there is a steady stream of people who take responsibility for his care.  Brothers, nieces and nephews, neighbors. members of Barbie's family who have to travel,  It has been many years since Gilbert was a basketball star on his high school team, yet it seems like a different member of the team comes by everyday.  Many have come several times.  Sometimes Gilbert is able to visit.   He tells us that even when he doesn't join in the conversations he enjoys listening and feeling the caring vibes.

    We have a bobcat hanging around.  It scared Lexi the other day.  She opened the door to their storage shed and it came flying out.  It is coming to the birds' heated water dish to drink.  Pastor Steve was at Gilbert's yesterday.  He told us a bobcat had gotten into his chicken yard and killed his chickens.  Bobcats are known to eat house cats.

    Andrew is in the hospital with fluid on his lungs.  They are putting in a drain today.  We are hoping a lab report on the fluid will enable the doctors to prevent  more fluid .

    The serious cold isn't even here yet and we've turned the pellet stoves up a notch.  We've lots of empty pellet bags if anyone wants some!

     May your day be blessed, Sally

 1/20/26 Live in such a way that you could sell your parrot to the town gossip.

Calm, clear, 13 degrees.  A west wind today with sunshine, High 20, low 3.  Mostly cloudy tomorrow, a SW breeze, high 23, low 17.  Morning clouds/afternoon sun Thursday, a SW breeze, high 35, low 13.  Partly cloudy Friday.  Strong west breezes will bring in cold air.  Friday's high 26, low 7.  Sunshine Saturday, a strong WNW breeze, high 1, low -14.  Partly cloudy Sunday, a NW breeze, high 5, low -6.  Partly cloudy Monday, a NW breeze, high 11, low 1.  Partly cloudy next Tuesday, a brisk NW breeze, high 17, low 1.  Partly cloudy next Wednesday, a NW breeze, high 18, low 5, Snow showers next Thursday morning, a brisk NW breeze, high 20, low 10.  1-3 inches of snow Thursday night.  A stiff WNW breeze Friday the 30th, high 21, low 11.  Partly cloudy the next four days, highs in the mid to upper twenties, lows about 13.

   We are thankful Gilbert can spend his last days at home with his family, comfortable and at peace.  Family is always with him. 

   The wind is starting to pick up, snow is falling off the trees.  Some greenhouses have started their fires.  This weekend will challenge their heating systems,  We will start the fires in one greenhouse 2/25.  The heat will be turned on in the second greenhouse the middle of March.  Avoiding frozen pipes and making sure the animals have ice free water will be our weekend challenge.

   Our favorite cucumber seed is no longer available.  We don't think the replacement is as early or as prolific.  It is a beautiful and delicious cucumber so we will grow lots of it.  There is a new early variety out, Bekah ordered some seeds to try.  Over the years we've found the new plants and new varieties  don't always live up to their description.  

   May your day be blessed, Sally

    

 1/19/26  A little time with real pages can give your days more depth, focus, and meaning.

 4 or 5 inches of snow, 21 degrees.  Cloudy today, a light WSW breeze, high 28.  Clearing tonight, a brisk SW breeze, low 13.  Partly cloudy tomorrow, A west wind, high 19, low 2.  Mostly cloudy Wednesday, a SSW breeze, high 23, low 17. 1-3 inches of snow Wednesday night.  Partly cloudy Thursday, a WSW breeze, snow flurries, high 36, low 13.  Partly cloudy Friday, a strong west breeze, high 23, low -8.  Sunshine Saturday and Sunday, brisk NW breezes, highs about 2 lows about -10. Sunshine next Monday, a NW breeze, high 11, low 0.  Partly cloudy next Tuesday, a brisk NW breeze, high 16, low 4.  Sunshine next Wednesday,a WNW breeze, high 20. low 3.  PM snow showers Thursday the 29th, a NNW breeze, high 19, low 10.   Partly cloudy the next four days, NW breezes, highs in the twenties, lows about 13.
    Over this weekend Gilbert enjoyed watching football with family and friends.  Tiffany went back to Rhode Island, she has to go back to work.  So do Evan and Rachael. Andrew had lots of visitors.  He sent me a text this morning, "Please No visitors today."  He tires easily.  Mike took Kevin to Logan Airport last night.  Mike got home about five-thirty this morning.  It took them about two hours longer than usual thanks to snow. They had looked at the forecast and left early so they got to the airport with lots of time to spare. 
   Bekah spent the weekend ordering seeds and scheduling planting dates.  She usually has about 100 percent germination on peppers.  She ran out last year so she ordered 300 more pepper seeds.  She ordered more Wisconsin 55 tomato seeds too.  Wisconsin is an old variety that is naturally blight resistant.  It is larger and has more flavor than the newer varieties bred for blight resistance.  An old favorite that has stood the test of time. It has a long season of production.

    May your day be blessed, Sally

 1/18/26  I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.  John 14:3

 Cloudy today with flurries, a light SW breeze, high 31, low 16.  Cloudy tomorrow. a light WSW breeze, high 28, low 13. After  some snow showers Thursday, the next ten days will be partly cloudy, lots of NW breezes and cold.  Highs in the teens, lows in the single numbers, below zero next weekend.

    Gilbert got home yesterday morning.  He enjoyed a day of watching football with family and friends.  We got about four inches of snow.  Enough so Erin could teach Rachae's Evan to plow using Gilbert's truck.

    Gilbert puts buckets of sand in his garage every fall.  But his long driveway was so slippery they had a sander come in and sand.  They used the buckets around the house.  Jay went to the town hall and got buckets of sand for our driveway.  Mabel had to stay in the barn.  The cat tried to run from the house to the barn.  After falling a few times she decided to walk!  This morning the snow seems to be somewhat stuck to the snow.  The church parking lot will be plowed and sanded.

    May your day be blessed, Sally

 1/17/26  Time is a precious gift.  Appreciating this treasure means spending it wisely.  "While we have time, let us do good.”   

Calm, Cloudy, snow flurries, 16 degrees.  3-5 inches of snow, mostly this afternoon, a gentle ENE breeze, high 26, low 16.  Cloudy tomorrow, a light SW breeze, high 32, low 20.  Cloudy Monday, a west breeze, high 27, low 12.  Partly cloudy Tuesday and Wednesday, brisk west breezes, highs 20-23.  Tuesday's low 2, Wednesday's 17.  Snow showers Wednesday night.  Partly cloudy Friday through the rest of the month with brisk NW breezes.  Highs mostly in the teens, warming up to 20 and 23 the 30th and 31st.  Lows below zero this weekend, in the single numbers the rest of the month.

      My internet and computer can't decide if they want to work this morning.

      Gilbert was dressed, discharge papers signed, and portable oxygen ready when the call came that the ambulance driver was sick.  Now the plan is for him to come home first thing this morning. Yesterday Kevin, Jay and Bekah emptied Gilbert and Barbie's living room of everything but the TV and the couch.  Hospice came and set up a hospital bed, oxygen and everything needed for Gilbert to be as comfortable as possible.  Kevin got a backup battery from Andrew's solar set up for Gilbert's oxygen.  Much like a computer battery back only much larger.  We haven't lost our power much the past few months but we've had lots of flickers and brownouts.  Gilbert has a whole house generator but it isn't automatic.  The battery backup is.

     Kevin and I visited Andrew yesterday.  He was tired, he'd been walking around their living room.  The step from the living room to the kitchen is too

much for Andrew.  Lil Andrew was making it so it would be two  steps.

     This dusting of snow and sand has made it so I can feed the birds.  I'm sure they are wondering where I am.  May your day be blessed, Sally

 1/16/26  Nothing is all wrong.  Even a clock that has stopped running is right twice a day.

Snow flurries, a variable breeze, 16 degrees.  Partly cloudy this afternoon, a WNW wind, high 20.  Clearing tonight, a low of 8.  1-3 inches of snow tomorrow, a light ENE breeze, high 26, low 16.  A light SW breeze Sunday, high 32, low 22.  Snow showers Sunday night.  Partly cloudy Monday, a WSW breeze, high 29, low 9.  Partly cloudy to sunny Tuesday and Wednesday, brisk west breezes,.  Tuesday's high 17, low 0.  Wednesday's high 26, low 6.  Snow showers Wednesday night.  Snow showers Thursday, A WNW breeze, high 21, low 1.  Partly cloudy next Friday, a brisk WNW breeze, high 1, low 1. 2-6 inches of snow next Saturday, a west breeze, high 20, low 9.  4-8 inches of snow next Sunday, a brisk NNW breeze, high 13, low -1.  Partly cloudy Monday the 26th and Tuesday the 27th with brisk WNW breezes. highs around 10, lows -3 and 3.  2-6 inches of snow Wednesday the 28th, a west breeze, high 20, low 8. AM snow showers Thursday the 2th, a brisk WNW breeze, high 19. low 5.  Partly cloudy Friday the 30th, a west breeze, high 22, low 7.
    Doctors were able to control the fluid build up in Gilbert's lungs.  Upping his oxygen helped him breathe.  Improved pain control made a big difference.  He regained his voice.  Last night it was decided he could go home on hospice.  Details are to be ironed out today.
    Andrew is doing well.  The hospital said no steps so lil Andrew made ramps.  The pt person had him take out two that were just one step.  He said Andrew needed to work on steps.
    There is a lot of glare ice.  I'll sand to the bird feeders and there are enough ashes to make a path to the barn.The path to the barn alternates between ice and dirt.  Lil Andrew sanded Gilbert's trailer park. This morning's skiff of snow has helped a little
    .Mabel, Bekah's cow, is a guernsey. Guernsey milk  is renowned for its rich, golden color, high butterfat (around 5%), protein (12% more than regular milk), and natural sweetness, often containing beneficial A2 beta-casein protein that's easier to digest for some, plus more Vitamin D, A, and calcium, making it excellent for drinking, cream, cheese, and butter.  Bekah has had Mabel's milk tested, her milk is the A2 protein.   This week Mabel was artifically bred with seman fron a bull carrying the A2 gene.

    May your day be blessed, Sally.

 1/16/26  If it’s not yours, don’t take it 🤍   If it’s not right, don’t do it.   If it’s not true, don’t say it.   And if you don’t know… be quiet     Pooh

Fog, clouds, 36 degrees.  Rain showers this morning, a south breeze, high 41.  Cloudy tonight, a brisk SW breeze.  A light WNW wind tomorrow, partly cloudy, high 22, low 9.    PM snow showers Saturday, a light ESE breeze, high 28, low 21.  1-3 inches PM snow showers Sunday, a light west breeze, high 32, low 19.  Snow showers Monday morning, a WSW breeze, high 30, low 9.  Partly cloudy Tuesday through next Friday, WNW breezes, highs 17-20.  Lows -3 to 7.  6-8 inches of snow next Saturday, A NNW breeze, high 18, low 2.  1-3 inches of snow next Sunday, a brisk NW breeze, high 9, low -2.  Partly cloudy Monday the 26th, a WNW breeze, high 11, low -3.  Accumulating snow the next three days.

    Andrew went home yesterday.  A happy man!  Rehab people say seven days of rehab for every day in the hospital.  Then more days of recovery on his own.  He has a long road ahead of him but judging from the progress he has made this week he will do well.

   Gilbert had a better day yesterday because doctors were able to do a better job of pain management.  Tiffany had gone back to Rhode Island.  She is returning today.  Evan and the baby are going to stay in Rhode Island.

   Jay's father has  a couple non working butter churns.  One has a working motor. He is going to try to make one working churn of them.  Even if he succeeds Bekah will continue to be in the market looking for another working 3 gallon churn for a backup.

   May your day be blessed, Sally