12/17/25  Children have more need of models than of critics.

Cloudy, 26 degrees, a light east breeze.  Cloudy today with a brisk SW breeze, high 35.  Clear overnight, low 20.  Partly cloudy tomorrow, a SSW breeze, high 40.  Light rain after midnight, low 34.  Rain Friday, a strong south wind with gusts up to 40mph.  A high of 55.  Overcast skies after midnight, west wind, low of 22.  Partly cloudy Saturday,a WNW wind, high 28, low 24.  Snow showers Saturday night and Sunday morning.  Peeks of sun Sunday afternoon.  A WSW breeze, high 37, low 15.  Partly cloudy Monday, strong NW breeze, high 20, low 11.  PM snow showers Tuesday, a WSW breeze, high 24, low 20.  Partly cloudy next Wednesday, a strong NW breeze, high 28, low 8.   Partly cloudy Christmas Day, a NW breeze, high 20, low 12.  1-3 inches of snow Friday, the 26th, a NW breeze, high 27, low 13.  2-4 inches of snow Saturday the 27th and Saturday night, a NW breeze, high 22, low 9.  Morning snow showers Sunday, the 28th, a stiff NW breeze, high 18, low 10.  Partly cloudy Monday, the 29th, a NW breeze, high 18, low 10. Partly cloudy Tuesday the 30th, a WNW breeze, high 23, low 13.  Snow showers Tuesday night and Wednesday morning.

    Two concerts yesterday, one more than I could handle.  I didn't go to the afternoon one.  I packed the Christmas t-shirts for Alaska and Hawaii  and took them to the post office. Even though I'm mailing them later than I intended, the postmistress thinks they will reach their destination before Christmas.

   Three Christmas trees left.  Last year we had people looking for trees until just a few days before Christmas so those three will probably find a home.

    An email came yesterday reminding Bekah that it was time to get the order in for next fall's mums.  The spring order of plugs and cutting order is sitting on the table, along with the notifications of "not available" and substitutions.  Bekah will go through them and see what changes she wants to make.  Nursery and greenhouse work doesn't end with the fall frost.  The vegetable garden's work is just starting, she is working on the seed order.

    May your day be blessed, Sally

 12/15/25  Short days are nature’s reminder to slow down, take stock of blessings, and allow yourself a bit more quiet.

Clear. calm. 9 degrees.  A light WNW wind today, sunshine, high 20.  Partly cloudy tonight, low 7.  Mostly cloudy tomorrow, a SW breeze, high 299, low 19.  Cloudy Wednesday, a brisk SW breeze, high 36, low 20.  Partly cloudy Thursday, a brisk SSW breeze, high 39.  Rain Thursday night, low 35.  Rain Friday, a strong SSW wind, high 51,  Snow showers Friday night, low 16.  Partly cloudy Saturday, a stiff WNW breeze, high 23, low 17.  Snow showers Saturday night.  Morning snow showers Sunday, a WSW breeze, high 35, low 16. Mostly cloudy next Monday, a WNW breeze, high 22, low 11.  Afternoon and overnight snow showers next Tuesday, a west breeze, high 22, low 6.  Partly cloudy next Wednesday, a NW breeze, high 15, low 5. Partly cloudy Christmas Day, a NW breeze high 18.  1-3 inches of snow Christmas night, low 9.  4-8 inches of snow Friday and Friday night, the 26th.  A north breeze, high 20, low 7.  Snow showers Saturday morning the 27th, a brisk north breeze, high 21, low 8.  PM snow showers Sunday the 28th, WNW breeze, high 22 ,ow 12,

    Six Christmas trees left.  I hope that is just enough.  We don't like to have to tell someone looking for a tree "We're sold out."

We don't like to have any left over either!

    Sister Lynne spent a good part of her Saturday redoing my plant jungle.   Instead of curtains I have a hoya hanging either side of the large window. Their vines go across the window. Shelves and stands make room for lots of other plants.  Seven go outside for the summer.  This year only 3 went out, the others got too big for their spots.  Mostly I pruned plants why Lynne cleaned  My Christmas angel.  Couch covers, the blankets we wrap up in, pillows, they are all being washed today.  The first load is nearly done.  Maegin is going to go through the kids' toys when she gets through the bus run. By tonight the room will match the window!

   Six of Doug and Nicole's children live in North Bradford.  Yesterday Doug and Nicole took the grandchildren on the Christmas train ride.  Several of the parents went too.  Making special memories!  After church I sorted the Country Junction  t-shirts I'm giving everyone for Christmas.  The ones going to Alaska and Hawaii  need to go in today's mail.

  May your day be blessed, Sally

 12/14/25  Cloudy, calm, 15 degrees. A north breeze today with a high of 28.  Clearing overnight with a low of 13.  Sunshine tomorrow with a WNW wind, high 20, low 5.  Then a few days of pleasant winter weather.  Thursday night rain starting at  at 32 degrees warming up overnight.  Mixed precipitation Friday.  High 47 early in the day , low 12

  The Angel said to them,"Do not be afraid, for see, I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people".  Luke 2:10

  Some days we feel like the injustices in this world are more than we can handle, some days it seems like evil is taking over, some days we anguish over our own sin, and other days we long for the day when God will call us Home. The third Sunday of Advent helps us move out of these moods and into rejoicing, because God has come to save us and to be with us, and He will come again. 

   Focus on Jesus and the Blessings God has given us for joy.  Share your blessings and the reason for the Season.  May your day be blessed.  Sally

 12/13/25  Make each new morning the open door to a better day than the one before.

Mostly clear, calm, 14 degrees.  Partly cloudy this morning, cloudy this afternoon and tonight.  A light SSW breeze today. high 29.  Tonight's low 16.  Cloudy tomorrow, a NW breeze, high 27, low 14.  Sunshine Monday, a strong WNW breeze, high 20, low 8.  Sunshine Tuesday, a WSW breeze, high 27, low 14.  Mostly cloudy Wednesday and Thursday, SW breezes, highs about 33.   Tuesday night's low 18. Wednesday night's low 32, a stiff south breeze with rain.  A WSW wind Friday with showers, high 44.  A stiff WNW breeze, Friday night, low 11. 1-3 inches of snow late next Saturday, a west breeze, high 23, low 19.  Snow showers next Sunday morning, a west breeze, high 31, low 15. Partly cloudy next Monday, a WNW breeze,  high25, low 14. Snow flurries at night. 1-3 inches of snow Tuesday, the 23rd, a brisk west breeze, high 23, low 7 under partly cloudy skies. Partly cloudy Wednesday the 24th, a NW breeze, high 15, low 3. Snow showers on Christmas, a NW breeze, high 15, low 7.  PM snow showers Friday the 26th, 1-3 inches of snow Friday night.  High 18, low 6. A brisk west breeze Saturday the 27th, partly cloudy, high 16, low 6.

    All of Maegin's plumbing in the trailer is on one wall.  That is fortunate because the plumber says it all needs replaced.  What isn't good, he says he doesn't know when he can get to it.

    The dump run was a success.   Already we have found more that can go.  Next Wednesday morning the dump is open again.  We will be taking some things over for last minute "shoppers".

     I took an online class on pressure canning.  The class was good.  I had Bekah watch sections of the replay.  It was followed by an hour of questions and answers.  They were as interesting as the class.  She explained why the dry canning so popular on FB wasn't safe.  I might quickly put my hand in my wood stove oven to check the temperature.  I couldn't put my hand in a pan of boiling water.

    We expect lots of Christmas trees to leave today and tomorrow.  We will be doing more decorating in the house.  Sister Lynne is coming this afternoon to help me refurbish my plant jungle in the front room window.  I usually do that in spring and fall.  It wasn't done last spring or this fall.  Maegin went through the toys not long ago but there is still too much in that room.  If we have time after we redo the window we may work on the rest of the room.

    May your day be blessed.  Sally

 12/11/25

Friends and family, work, laughter, prayer, love. They add up to joy. For you, for me, for anyone.  If my attitude needs more adjusting, I visualize God holding me upside down and shaking all the negative stuff — fears, doubts, insecurities — right out of me. Try it. Ask God to turn you upside down! It’s a surefire pick-me-up. Dolly Parton

Partly cloudy, 12 degrees.  Partly cloudy today, a west wind, high 24.  Clear tonight, a strong west breeze, low 11.  Cloudy tomorrow, a light SSW breeze, high 28, low 14.  Morning clouds/afternoon sun Sunday, a NNW breeze,  high 27, low 15.  Sunshine Monday, a strong NW breeze, high 20, low 9 .  Partly cloudy Tuesday, a west breeze, high 28, low 12.  Mostly cloudy Wednesday, a SW breeze, high 33, low 22.  Mostly cloudy Thursday, a SSW breeze high 38.  Rain Thursday night, low 35. Morning rain changes to snow showers next Friday.  High 40, low 6, a strong west breeze.  Partly cloudy next Saturday, a WSW breeze, high 25, low 21. Partly cloudy next Sunday, a west breeze, high 32, low 15.  Morning snow showers next Monday, evening fog, overnight snow showers. A WNW breeze, high 23, low 14. Morning snow showers Tuesday the 23, a west breeze, high 21, low 10. fog and snow showers after midnight.  Mostly cloudy Wednesday the 24th, a NW breeze, high 17, low 6.  Evening snow showers.  Partly cloudy Christmas day, a WNW breeze, high 20, low 10.

    Maegin turned the water on, there was a leak in the bathroom.  The plumber is coming today.  She was discouraged.

    On its second use the butter churn that we got off ebay quit.  It can be returned.  Making butter with the kitchen aid mixer works fine but only a small batch can be made at a time. Amazon sells new butter churns but the customer ratings aren't very good. Bekah was discouraged too.  She enjoys milking and caring for Mabel.  Butter sales would cover her expenses. Her butter is so good!   But she needs an electric churn.

    Our dump employees maintain a building to recycle.  They do a super job, a community service.  We have collected some nice things for children that we are taking over today.  Nice enough for Christmas gifts.

    May your day be blessed, Sally

 12/11/25  Be the break in someone’s bad day. Be the yes in their world full of no. Be the reason they still believe good people exist.  

 A coating of ice overnight.  Cloudy, calm, 27 degrees.  Clouds and 31 this morning..  Some sun this afternoon, a strong west breeze, a high of 20.  Clouding up tonight. a strong WSW breeze, low 12.   Partly cloudy tomorrow, a west wind, high 24, low 12.  Partly cloudy Saturday, a light SW breeze, high 29, low 13,  Morning clouds,/afternoon sun on Sunday, a NNW breeze, high 27, low 13. Sunshine Monday, a strong NW breeze, high 1, low 9. Partly cloudy Tuesday, a WNW breeze, high 25, low 8.  Mostly cloudy Wednesday, a SW breeze, high 31, low 22.  Pm showers next Thursday, a WNW breeze, high 37, low 29.  AM snow showers next Friday, a strong WNW breeze, high 32, low 11.  Morning snow showers Saturday the 2th, a west breeze, high 23, low 15.  Cloudy Sunday the 21st, NW breeze, high 21, low 9.  Partly cloudy Monday the 22ed, a NW breeze, high 19, low 11.  Snow showers Tuesday the 23rd through Christmas Day.

    The doctor's appointment was good.  The bloodwork that had been left out of Friday's drawn was left out because it was 3 days before insurance would cover it.  The bloodwork was done yesterday.  The doctor  worked on me, putting my back in place. I stood straight  and went to my sister's for brunch.  I was home well before the light rain at 2 degrees made the roads treacherous.  Maegin made out fine but it was a slow bus run.  Jordn and crew had a window replacement job in Mexico, Maine.  Darel said it was a long slow drive home.  They pull a good sized Renewal by Anderson work trailer.

    Bekah's Christmas cactus came out of my bedroom, it is covered in buds. Christmas cactus care says fertilize at bud break.  We have.  We're hoping it blooms like the pictures we see on FB!

    May your day be blessed, Sally

    

12/10/25    The Sun itself is weak when it first rises, and gathers strength and courage as the day gets on. Charles Dickens

A heavy dusting of snow last night. Cloudy today with 1-3 inches of snow this afternoon, rain this evening ending as snow around 2AM.  A SE breeze, high 31 this afternoon, 33 this evening, 28 overnight.  Cloudy tomorrow with a stiff west breeze, high 32, low 13.  Partly cloudy Friday, a west wind, high 25, low 13.  Partly cloudy Saturday with a WSW breeze, high 27, low 13.  Cloudy Sunday, a WSW breeze, high 26, low 11.  Mostly sunny Monday, a stiff NW breeze high 18, low 8. Partly cloudy Tuesday, a west breeze, high 21, low 9.  Partly cloudy next Wednesday, a SW breeze,high 29, low 24.  A wintery mix next Thursday, a SW breeze, high 35, low 26.  Ice to snow next Friday, a stiff west breeze, high 32, low 15.  Mostly cloudy Saturday the 20th, high 24, low 17.   Snow showers Saturday night.  Mostly cloudy Sunday the 21st and Monday the 22ed, WNW breezes, highs 25 and 21, lows 12.  Snow showers the 23rd and 24th.

    Another quiet winter day,  keeping the house warm and the animals comfortable was the goal. Doug had some poor quality hay that he bales in large round bales.  Just for winter's cold.  He unrolls a bale in a protected spot,  soon the cows are all laying on it.  He and Bekah keep the water for the cows and chickens ice free.  Sometimes, when it is really cold I take a teakettle of warm water out so the hens have warm water to drink.  I've seen Doug carrying 5 gallons of hot water to the water tub.  Farmers know the wild animals don't get such TLC but we know our animals are more comfortable thanks to our efforts.  The wild birds flock to drink from the heated water pan set up for them.

    I have an early doctor's appointment.  May your day be blessed, Sally