The Lost Days

On Thursday, February 3rd I looked longingly at the roadside vegetable garden. All the snow had melted. It might be about time to start cleaning it up and continue on with more loads of wood chips for a fresh layer of mulch in preparation for spring planting.



The strawberry patch was mushed, but looked just fine. It needs a nice layer of compost.



Great minds think alike and as if by magic I opened the mailbox to find a copy of Michele Owens new book, "Grow The Good Life" in there. It is a compelling case for why a vegetable garden will make you happy, healthy, wealthy and wise. More on that fun read later.

Then I found out that the Hughes satellite internet had died during the day. The calls to India were unable to affect a repair and an appointment for a technician to visit was set for a week later. That was my only option.

I started reading books.



On Friday the trim work to cover the plumbing vent was nailed in place.



No more ugly vent to look at.



Saturday night a mega hoar frost descended on the mountain.



A bit different from rime, but a similar effect.



In the early morning sun it was quite magical.







A clump of aster has a last frosty bloom before it gets chopped and dropped in the coming spring cleanup.



I was out and about early that Sunday morning and lucky to see the mega hoar frost because I was headed to Asheville to help with some Girlilla gardening.

The public beds being cleaned were across the street from Christopher Mello's garden Gnomon.



Gnomon is also just a block away from the new Fairegarden East. I saw new plants there.



Even in the nakedness of winter there is something to catch your attention in Christopher's garden.



Sadly some thievery had occurred there recently.



By Monday winter had returned. There was rain and rime and snow and sleet and snow. You know the drill. I did manage to tidy and mulch some in the road side vegetable garden before the fresh layer of snow arrived.



I kept busy. The under cabinet lights were all hung. I continued working on all the trim details. Fine carpentry is not my best skill. I'd give this over the sink trim to hide the lights and wire a C.



The sides of the cabinets that face the living room were covered with a thin oak plywood stained to match all the other wood in the cabin.



The upper cabinet was made to look like the cabinet doors. Better.



I rummaged through boxes that have been wandering down to the cabin. Some more art work is once again seeing the light of day.



A pretty picture will distract me when I am forced to look in the mirror.



A full week later on the next Thursday, the gas company came and connected all the gas appliances, quickly, efficiently and with no fuss. It made me feel so much better after the previous horrible day in which my Hughes satellite technician canceled the appointment until Saturday and GE sent me the second LP conversion kit for the dryer with a broken ignitor. What is that big lie they keep telling about the free enterprise capitalist system being so much more efficient than government services. I say bull!



This lovely tankless gas hot water heater is one of the things that lives in the closet in the bathroom. It won't be long now until hot water will actually come out of it.



Friday I went to pick up the counter tops. Today two of the three pieces were screwed into place.

The top sheet kit for the dryer was not exactly attractive. A bit of it sticks out past the counter top and this was the dryer with the least amount of depth I could find. I think a strip of white contact paper will work to hide that ickiness just fine.



But look I have counter tops now. I should be able to get the sink side screwed in tomorrow. Once it is set in place the hole for the sink can be cut and that process can begin. Caulk, I think I need caulk.



There you have it, the lost week and a half. It wasn't really lost and it wasn't so bad spending time reading actual books.