Happy New Year!

OMG, it's 2019!  Where has the time gone?  Has it flown by for you as well?

Here in the Pacific Northwest we have been blessed with minimal weather systems, just a lot of rain really and no snow!  Knock on wood.  I'm pretty sure we already have enough water up in the mountains for next summer.

It's been really quiet here with the bird feeders down.  I miss my birds, but not the mice or squirrels.  I do see some interesting wildlife from time to time still, such as the illusive Hermit thrush, who comes out and dances around the water hole, singing.  I'm not sure what that's about, but it's entertaining.

A deer came through the other day and grazed the lawn until I was spotted in the kitchen!

I honestly haven't done anything new with the house in months.  I know you all have enjoyed my many handy-gal upgrades on a budget, but things have come to a bit of a standstill.

I have applied for a weatherization program that is for senior citizens and the low income.  I am very excited about this opportunity, if it happens, so I have put all projects on hold for now.

If accepted, I could have additional insulation added to my walls and floors!  They also seal the windows and doors.  It's a very exciting prospect to think I could actually be warm next winter!

The process of qualifying could take a while and the work won't begin for months, so I'm ready to wait.  After they complete the work I may have some finish work to do.  After that I hope to repaint the kitchen and go from there.

I'd also like to install a propane fireplace stove and remove the wood stove, this year or next.  While I love a wood fire, it's only me here to do the work.  I get the wood split and delivered, but I stack it, haul it, clean the chimney and stove myself.  I don't really want to get on the roof in my 70's, so I'm planning ahead.

In my creative life I am leaving behind the metal jewelry work.  It was a fun and amazing five years learning and creating, but online sales were down last year and I don't seem to have enough time to get out to galleries.

So I'm taking up photography again!  Returning to my roots in black and white.  I may have mentioned this in my last post after my trip out to the coast was such a success.  Looking forward to returning!

So it's winter in the mountains and things have slowed way down.  I hope this finds you all enjoying your own creative paths. 

Here's one from my most recent photo shoot at the nearby lake.

copyright JG Photography 2019 - All Rights Reserved

One Last Blast

Apparently I spoke too soon in my last post, hasty to get on with Spring in the middle of January.
Mid February has brought some really cold temps and snow, perhaps making up for the easy mild winter we were having.

It's not a lot, just a lot of days.  Lows hit 22 this week and highs are barely reaching 32, very unlike the Pacific Northwest, but becoming more common as the years pass.

So I carry on with work anyway.  I love being self employed, having your own business is very rewarding, but you do question your sanity when you're working outside at 27 degrees cleaning a clients hot tub while it's snowing.  But as good natured as I am, I laugh at the bizarre-ness of it and add it to my list of fun stories I can recount one day.

Having a car with optional all wheel drive and even four wheel drive, gives me more freedom to actually make it to my jobs in winter, however the courage to do it sometimes wanes.  Fortunately I haven't had any negative experiences yet, but have some more stories to recount about driving uphill in deep snow or downhill in a blizzard, neither of which I recommend!

When I'm at home I work for the birds, they want to be fed and have fresh water, so I keep the feeder full and take out some warm water to break up the frozen birdbath from time to time. 

If I slack off there is a particular Towhee who will fly at the window and sit on the BBQ and stare me down in the kitchen window until I hop to it.  

I keep the fire going in the wood stove almost 24 / 7 during these cold spells as the furnace was surely built for some other climate.  I sympathize with anyone who lives in a vintage trailer that has to rely on electric heat.

I was really inspired at the beginning of the year to finish the latest photo book, poetry book and to start shooting black and white film again, and I will get to them, but the inspiration is limited right now.  Extreme weather makes me uncomfortable, and it's best to just get through it, and wait till it's "normal" again, before starting new projects. 

More snow expected this afternoon but hey, at least the power is still on and I can take tomorrow off from the work that takes me away from the house.  There's another perk, you may sometimes work 7 to 10 days in a row, but when you do finally get two days off in a row?  You think you're on vacation!

Till next time~

PS:  Hey did anyone else notice?  I just hit 35,000 visits!!  Woohoo!  Thank you all for sharing my journey!

Winter 2017

We've had a lot of snow this winter - for us, anyway.  The above photo is the front yard the first time it snowed.  We had about a foot the next time, and several days of just an inch or two.

The second photo is Highway 101 - the main road north and south along the Hood Canal, this is in front of the Lilliwaup post office.  Even the plows couldn't keep up that day!

I know so many people who had trees down due to heavy snow, unfortunately this year, I was one of them.  The damage was minimal!

I had just arrived home and heard a thump - turned around to see the neighbor's willow had just fallen over, on my new fence!

Fortunately they were home and we were able to cut away the branches to take the weight off the fence, then cut away the trunk.

I was greatly relieved to see very little damage done!  A few boards will need to be replaced and one beam is leaning slightly, but I think it can be propped up from this side.  Several piles of branches in the end, which they promptly hauled off.

The bamboo all survived, save for some minor embarrassment of being tossed about by the whole experience.

Winter is not over, and more snow could fall, I just hope nothing else does.  :)

Snow Days

I don't much enjoy snow anymore.  It's stressful to drive in and I live at the top of a steep hill.
But there are some little pleasures that come with having it snow and stick around.

Foot prints.  Pictured here are squirrel prints.  I've also seen raccoon prints this week and possibly a bobcat.  Bird prints are pretty cute too.

It's fun to follow them and see where they go.  A lot of them are focused around the bird feeder and the water hole.

It's very cold here this week, not the norm, but it does happen.  Personally, I look forward to the rain returning, but until then I shall enjoy scouting for foot prints in the snow.

Return of the Sun

 At this time of year I eagerly track the patterns of the sun in anticipation of longer days.

Thinning out those weedy pines on the hill was a great step in extending my southern exposure.  I get sun on the house at any time of day now before 4pm, even if just a sliver of sunlight - when the sky is clear anyway.

We've had enough dramatic weather in the past two months to make up for a whole season if you ask me.  Snow, wind, and rain storms, 13 power outages, and that last cold spell down from Canada made me feel like I lived in the arctic!

I've been tested on my pioneer skills (and tolerance) enough to make me wonder if another location would be any easier.  But in the words of the Abraham collective;  you take your (energy) vibration with you wherever you go.  So until I can master this lifestyle with ease, I shall just carry on here.

The best thing that happened this winter was the purchase and use of a light box for the symptoms of S.A.D. (Seasonal Affective Disorder).  I wasn't sure to what degree I had this but learned about it in a terrific book called "Winter Blues" by Norman E. Rosenthal, MD.  (By the way, the fourth edition has updated information).

I feel like a new person!  I feel like the person I am during the longer, lighter days.  Energetic, inspired, confident.  There's a lot to be said for a balanced brain chemistry!  

With this new tool I am better able to cope with the challenges that come along here.

After the last snowstorm and nearly 3 day power outage, I got busy working with my local development on an emergency call list.  I'm happy to say that I have passed through all the red tape so far and will soon be implementing the plan.  We will ask residents if they would like to be on the list, to have someone call or check on them during outages or storms.  A designated representative from each division will cover their area.  Sometimes just a human voice that cares is a comfort to those that live alone.

It's a great concept that I hope will catch on in other housing developments and small communities.

Work continues on the kitchen, and small steps are getting accomplished.  I'm taking pictures of the progress and will post them when I'm nearer to completion.

In the meantime, I hope you are all well and getting off to a great start in this new year!

Waiting for Spring - Memories Revisted

Spring seems to have forgotten me this year.  Several late snows and a lot of rain aren't very encouraging to new growth or my attitude!

So I thought it would be a good time to reflect on past memories of life here in my community.

Trying to pick the best photos of visiting wildlife is difficult when there are so many to choose from!  But among memorable moments are these of a bobcat, bear, a squirrel, and a snake.  See captions for highlights.

One of two local bobcats a few years back.

This fearless youngster visited my yard several times.

Gotta love it when they stop to pose.

This is a common snake here, not poisonous!

I think the most snow I've had at one time was the winter of 2008.  At one point I measured three and a half feet depth - not really common for my area. 
I made this holiday card for my family out of state that year.  We all had a good laugh!

Fun with friends are also too many to name, but a few photos I ran across were these:

This group of women were part of a fun outing I created back when I had the art gallery collective.  We called ourselves Women in Wildlife, but later I think we preferred Wild Women.
We took day trips around the local area to explore trails, waterfalls and commune with nature.

This is one of my favorite photos from a couple of years ago when two of my friends and I attended OysterFest.  We had an opportunity to wear these "costumes" and get our photo taken with live geoducks!  (No harm came to them during this process by the way).

One of those friends went on to form a large drum circle group here which attracted people from all over.  It still carries on at our local library (after hours of course).

There are so many reason to love living in an area with a slower pace, nature abounds, and people are respective of it, for the most part.  You can hear yourself think, you have time to breath.
The highlight of my week is a day off that I can sit on the deck and bird watch, or work in the yard.
There is something nurturing in a simple life, it's somehow more fulfilling with less going on.

Snow Days

As with all glitches in life, I try to accept the inevitable shifts and changes in plans.

I think snow days are life's way of saying hey - slow down, smell the coffee, stoke the fire.

They are never planned and often a surprise, if not a monkey wrench thrown in your busy path.

Yesterday was just such a day for me.  Living in the foothills of a mountain range one becomes accustomed to weather anomalies.  The main road at sea level could be clear - but here at 800 feet we could have six inches to a foot of snow - even in March!

I bought an all wheel drive car last year and have quickly learned its limits - and mine.  It's not a snow plow and is no match for gravity on a slippery hill.  It performs much like a ballerina on ice skates on level ground that's icy.

So on these snow days I stay home, change plans, cancel work, apologize to clients.  What else can one do?

I find these unexpected days off to be a test of my attitude.  If I give in and allow it to be a gift, then it is much more enjoyable.

Soon I will find myself cooking and baking, or cleaning, sewing, reading a good book by the fire, or writing a blog post!  Time will pass and I will have forgotten all about the missed appointments.

I think it's a great lesson, a metaphor for life.  When sudden changes are thrown at you - are you resilient?  Flexible?  Adaptable?  I'd like to think that these bumps in the road are also part of the grand plan.

Seasonal Order Unaffected

I have become such a child of the earth, ignoring the "designated" dates for seasons, as well as the stereotypical assumptions of the calendar months.

Just last week we had snow, typical for "winter" as it is called.  But today I spotted shoots in the chives patch!

New growth!  Life in the garden!  OK, I do get a little more than excited with the first signs of what's labeled "spring".

Personally I follow the Solstices.  The waxing and waning of the planet.  I believe it is the breath of the earth.

In our northern hemisphere, mother nature is now busy with the tasks of bringing on new growth, as she has been since the winter solstice, when she began to wake up again.

Anyone who is in tune with their garden is beginning to feel these magical effects, reading the seed catalogs, planning this years crop, buying new tools.

My sister has a tradition of reading seed catalogs at Christmas, making her choices for the upcoming season.  I just begin to feel giddy about the longer days and looking forward to digging in the dirt.  

I am always fascinated with the ease and grace with which the plants add new growth.  How such a seemingly dormant looking plant could be so alive!

So if you're like me, don't live by the calendar, live by the example of nature.

Fall into Winter

Winter / Storm prep tips.

While it's a little early to be thinking about snow here in the Pacific Northwest, it is not too early to prepare for it! 
Women on their own must look out for themselves and be prepared for anything - because anything can happen.  I have been through many major storms here and been trapped for weeks, both at home and away from home.

I now have a preparation ritual.  In the Fall (sometimes sooner) I start thinking about what I need to do, from gathering supplies to making preparations.
Supplies always include extra canned and dry goods, anything I can cook or prepare on a camp stove should the power be out.
Preparations include winterizing the house.  Wrapping outside pipes, putting up heavier curtains inside.
I even pack an overnight bag that I keep in my car should I get stuck away from home. 

I always make sure I have a flashlight and extra batteries, several small propane tanks, lanterns and oil, matches and ground coffee!  Until they design a battery operated coffee grinder, this is a staple for me!  Of course a small drip coffee one-cupper and cone shaped filters must be included.
[ update:  I found a hand grinder!  No batteries or electricity required!)

Other useful things would be a couple of bags of ice in the freezer, so when the power goes out it keeps the food cold.  One year it was so cold outside that I just put the food out there.
Extra containers of water may be necessary if your water comes from an electric pump,  and did I mention candles?  Lots of them.

Obviously I have a back up heating system that doesn't require electricity.  I have a wonderful wood stove.  It is actually my primary heat source. I get my fire wood in the summer, stacked, cured and covered by Sept.

Keep the gas tank full in the car and the snow shovel by the front door.  Have a corded phone to plug in to the jack should the power go out.  Cordless phones are useless without power.
Up until about a year ago I didn't even have a cell phone, but now that I do, I keep that charged up.  While I don't get service here at my house, at least I can use it in the car if need be.

So these are some of the things we can do to be prepared for a long winter living alone.
If you're on a budget like me, or just like to conserve your resources, we have to think outside of the box a little more, get creative and work with the resources you have.

I'm really quite content with my independent life, and grateful to have a sharp mind and willing spirit.  It just makes life so much more interesting.

If you have any tips you'd like to share on winter preparedness, please leave a comment!  I look forward to hearing from you.