Before the Demolition!

2009-2010
12 Days Open House at BelleWeather Farm
Friday – December 25th thru Tuesday – January 5th
5:00 – 8:00 pm

5:00 pm – Soup’s On the Cookstove
6:00 pm – Tree Candle-lighting

In this darkest time of year, come share in some of the richest traditions of the season, followed by the evening’s events.

…What can you bring?…
Pot luck desserts-gluten welcome!
Veggies for next day’s soup
Cider, fruit & cheese
Dear Friends
Instruments, Songs, Wintry Poetry
Slippers & Sweaters

In the home of the Mason Family at BelleWeather Farm
1216 State Highway 235, Coventry, New York
Use 1216 St. Hwy 235, Harpursville, NY 13787 for Mapquest
or call 607-693-3210 for directions

“The Twelve Days” Schedule of Events:

Fri 25: Song Circle- Our Friday eve song fest with Skm on the banjo, come sing along!

Sat 26: “Folk and Baroque”- Martin Bidney partners violin with translated and original poetry in a presentation exploring dance from baroque and Scottish tunes to the whirling dervishes of Persia…

Sun 27: Schmooze by the fire…

Mon 28: Longer Tales for Taller Folk- Tuck your young’ns snug in bed and come on over while we share in a longer literary piece that we rarely have time for. We’ll serve tea.

Tue 29: Schmooze by the fire…

Wed 30: Woolly Winter’s Eve- Bring along your current knitting or spinning project and enjoy a woolly evening together.

Thu 31: No Open House Tonight! (Masons at a New Year’s Eve Wedding)

Fri 1: Song Circle- Our Friday eve song fest with Skm on the banjo, come sing along!

Sat 2: Almost Epiphany Celebration
See end for details!

Sun 3: “Shepherd and Ewe”- Julian and Lee Shepherd, cello and piano, play from the English Country Dance repertoire. After a short concert, you’re welcome to join in. Bring your Peter Barnes Books, I and II (blue and red).

Mon 4: “Early On”- Tina Salasny-soprano, Barbara Kaufman- recorder, Paul Sweeny-guitar, Stephen Stalker- cello, Peter Browne-keyboard will grace us with selections from the Italian Baroque period, English and Brazilian songs with guitar and piano, and solo pieces for recorder.

Tue 5: Schmooze by the fire…

Almost Epiphany Schedule
Saturday January 2nd

4:00 pm BelleWeather Puppet Theatre presents:

The Thought Lion – Through ill luck, orphaned Annika has found herself the servant of the old troll. When he gives her tasks that no human girl can accomplish, she wonders, “Is there no one in the whole wide world that can help me?”…

5:00 pm Soup’s On the Cookstove

6:00 pm Tree-lighting Ceremony followed by the Young Friend’s Recital- Calling all young friends! Bring your instruments, your dance clothes, your favorite recitations or songs, and share your accomplishments of the year. (Piano available for pianists)

7:00 pm Gingerbread Village Demolition

7:30 pm “Musica Universalis”- Marie Lutins, soprano, alto and tenor recorders; nyckelharpa; zils, Allen Lutins, Irish whistles; lute guitar; clarinet; saz, and Adam Flint, fiddle join us in medieval garb for an evening of music and instruments from another era.

The Twelve Days

Celebrating the arrival of SophiaBella, born Oct 30, 2009, to my son Noah and daughter-in-law Winter, Lenox, MA.  Uncle Johannes could not be more proud!

Newborn SophiaBella

SophiaBella (6 weeks old) and Uncle Johannes

There is so much to tell, but it will have to wait for the completion of the 12 Days  Open House invitation! Off to work (who’s idea was it to ‘blog’ anyway!?). Check back in for Open House details in a day or so!

It has been a long and full August, September, October.  No time for blogging. Here are some highlights:

Remember that empty garden?

Garden Gate

Garden Green

So Sunny!

Michaelmas, the first week of school.  We dyed silk with goldenrod for Johannes’ first sewing project. He learned to use the vintage sewing machine he has owned for many years. Completed; His Knight Michael’s cape!

Johannes Learns to Sew

Knight Michael's Golden Cape

Two birthdays:

Yes, I'm 50!

They figured it out, 10 candles times 5 waffles makes 50!

My Favorite Gift, from Amelia

Johannes is 9!

Thinking About that Wish...

Week two of school, the Creation and Sukkot:

Lulav and Etrog

Unexpected Guests in the Sukkah!

Uh oh! Orphaned kittens! (Can there ever be too many pictures of kittens?)

Smokey

Hungry Billy

Mittens Weighs In

Upsidedown Billy

Sleepy Bundle

Well, that’s if for now. We may not re-appear for a bit again, but if all goes as planned, the next entry will be the new grand (grandest!) baby!

Have a blessed autumn and don’t get chilly!

… Tuesday Again …

It seems that “Riding Tuesdays” are going to be the impetus for a major growth curve in the state of my mothering this summer! Yet another Tuesday filled with ponies and challenges.

At last minute, Johannes was asked to meet the riding crew at THEIR farm 3/4 of a mile away. That meant getting him, on Binta, past highway, ditches, trucks, and numerous other things that make a mother cringe. I took the leap and found a route that nearly seemed safe, all in sight of my tailing vehicle… at least until Binta decided she wasn’t crossing a ditch! I got out of the car to help, and in moments Binta decided the ditch didn’t look so bad after all. One small detail… I was under her, in it! Thank heavens she’s a little pony and a patient girl, and I’m a patient mother!

Here’s the experience, from a mother’s vantage point in the car…

Off They Go...

Passing the First Neighbor's

Past the Farmstand (and farmstand dogs)

Survived the Ditch and Up the Hill

Approaching Their Destination

Round the Last Turn

Arrived!

Worth the Trip, Friends Ready and Waiting

And They're Off!

Well, while on this jaunt the leader’s horse bucked her off. I received a call at sundown… “I am anxious to get this misbehaving horse out of the woods before dark, can Johannes come through the woods alone back to the house now that we’re on your land?”  Hesitatingly saying yes, I took off running to meet up with him. He, of course, rode it beautifully, and made it most of the way before I found him.

What can I say… I’m learning how to breathe …

Motherhood…

… Garden Green and Full of Glory! …

In spite of a very late start, the greens are being served at last, and the flowers are too beautiful for words:

Flower Fairies at Work

Words Fail...

First Salads of Summer

… Tree Down …

Our neighbor friend helped take down a substantial oak that was failing on the side of the house. It was a bit painful to see a tree felled, but the resulting light and air movement are notable. In time, now that the shade is gone, the whole side yard will be additional gardens.

First Cut

Half Tree Down

Tree Down, Boys Up!

It’s hard to believe that all that tree processes down into such a small pile! Note the branches center-photo and the heap of leafy twigs upper left corner. With the help of friends who kept “appearing”, we had the tree cleaned up in 24 hours.

Light!

Welcome back tomorrow for
… The Adventures of Yet Another “Riding Tuesday!” …

Johannes said to Stephie, “Gary’s pond is full of sunnies!”  So when I said to Stephie, “I’ve got to get those sunnies in the garden before the rain hits,” she really had to think…

And Johannes gave Stephie the long dissertation on casting for fish. So when I said to Stephie at the knitting group, “I haven’t taught the kids casting on yet,” she really had to think…

…  So much for Johannes’ and my parallel worlds  …

The days are flying past. There is hardly time for writing, so you may not see as much of us during the summer! But a few highlights from the past few weeks before I get running again:

Sunny Day at Last

Our summer tutoring program is going beautifully. On our first day of sun in weeks Stephanie led the day’s painting project, gold on gold on gold, and warmth as well! Sadly, we put Steph on the train to Ann Arbor yesterday. Five weeks together, 12 hours apart, and we miss her already.

Johannes did indeed join the next Tuesday horsebackriding group. It was daunting enough to see him execute a cavalier wave of the hand calling, “Bye mom!,” as if an 8 year old just strolls off on his horse with no mother present every day! But when the sky changed minutes after their departure…the photos say it all!

Waiting for Friends

Off They Go

Across the Highway and Out of My Hands

Weather Turns

Last Ray of Sun

They arrived home 3 hours later, drenched, enthusiastic… it was the “Best ride they’d ever had!” Complete with brilliant lightening, crashing thunder and hail, galloping through fields on frenetic horses in torrential downpours… Glad I was home!

Tomorrow we visit the garden and witness the felling of a tree.
Goodnight all!

A visit from musician and avid historian Kurt Osgood produced some interesting finds. Kurt and his son arrived equipped with metal detecting equipment and digging tools, Johannes worked alongside. They hunted down a number of exciting treasures:

Johannes Mans the Detector

Treasure Hunt Booty

1: Mystery Item- Maybe Horse Tack?
2: Dalley’s Magical Pain Extractor Lid- From 1869 (see ad below!)
3: Trilon and Perisphere Medallion- 1939 World’s Fair
4: Pulley (6 ” diameter)

And check out this wild advertisement for Dalley’s. Our farm was owned by Dr. Beardsley, the local doctor and his descendants for 99 years. He had 12 children in this house! This must have been one of his remedies:

Dalley's Magical- 1869

Our dear friend Stephanie from Ann Arbor (she appears unidentified in Summer Days: Only 1 Week Along) arrived for an extended summer’s visit before she heads off to college. In just a few days, the stranger wary sheep took to her. Actually, all the animals fawn all over her, she has the “charmer’s gift”!

Sheep Charmer

One of the more meaningful moments during Stephie’s visit so far included a visit from Robin and Lawrence Mathews, also from Ann Arbor. Lawrence was the class teacher who took my place when I left as Stephanie’s teacher at the end of 2nd grade. Somehow, being together long after her 8th grade graduation made the circle feel complete.

Beginning, Middle, and End in the Present

Johannes plays softball with a group of local families that gather every other week:

Proud on First - Running to Second

The knitting crew is making great progress. It is a joy to watch a new knitter find her way! Our friend Taylor is knitting a kitten.

Working a Stitch - Got It!

Amongst the steady stream of summer guests, our four-legged neighbor friends paid a visit. Binta will join her friends for a hike this coming Tuesday, with her boy Johannes:

Tuesday Evening Riders

I am always awed by the variety of colors the wooly sheep produce. Mr. “Big Heart” makes another appearance!

Multi-Color Production Commitee

The days are SO full but couldn’t be richer. While time to write is at a premium, the experiences to share have increased exponentially!

The Solstice came and went in a whirlwind of activity amidst a torrential downpour, but we managed to relish a few precious hours with dear friends around a bonfire and dinner. Jerome, Lisa, and Amelia brought the most astounding salad ever enjoyed, see it right here!

Jerome

Adoration Committee

Nutkin Cozying In

Ripe for the Turn of the Season

We recovered the dining room from the ravages of fiber artistry just in time for the table to fill with summer fun for a few neighbor children. While offering some time for the young ones to achieve new levels in reading, we’re immersing ourselves in Charlotte’s Web in many different ways:

Dining Room Recovered

Drawing and Writing

Painting

Knitting

Tea Time

Our Beloved Servants!

Time is LONG overdue for sorting and washing May’s wool harvest:

Sorting

The Contributor Sends Love from the Heart!

The garden looked like THIS:

Before!

I was graced by a four day visit from Flower Fairy Amelia, who has claimed the new title of  “The BelleWeather Gardener”:

Amelia Builds the Garden Gateway

Gardener and garden superintendent take a break next to the hoop house Amelia designed for Johannes’ cucumbers and gourds. The garden border at left is now a beautiful perennial bed, on the right is Johannes’ flower creation:

Gardener and Superintendent

Amelia’s parents Lisa and Jerome coached the organizing of the vegetable beds and gifted us organic seeds. Ten days later, the seeds have all sprouted- Russian kale, collards, peas,  potatoes in a barrel, lettuces of many types, beets, chard,  and the Three Sisters, Corn, Squash and beans. I added plants of full sized and cherry tomatoes, varied herbs, and morning glories to grow over the gate. There are sunflowers sprouted in a flat and ready for transplanting soon. Mr. Fix, the scarecrow, received some assistance from Johannes and papa:

Yes! This is the same garden!

Lettuce and Borders

Tomatoes and Basil

The Garden is In! Better Late than Never...

Now we can put our attention toward mulching the paths and building a wooden gate to keep the animals out… and to see REAL farmers at work, visit Amelia’s family’s blog at Harmony Valley Homeschool!

Please forgive the long absence! We’ve been lost in the garden since our return from our yearly jaunt to Monhegan Island ten miles off the rocky coast of Maine. The next post or two will be devoted to Monhegan. These photos were taken over 4 days, it’s hard to imagine we live in such a beautiful world…

Monhegan Sky 1

Monhegan Sky 2

Monhegan Sky 3

Monhegan Sky 4

Monhegan Sky 5

Monhegan Sky 6

Monhegan Sky 7

Monhegan Sky 8

Monhegan Sky 9

Monhegan Sky 10

Monhegan Sky 11

Monhegan Sky 12

Monhegan Sky 13

Monhegan Sky 14

Monhegan Sky 15

Monhegan Sky 16