Spring is different up here on the mountain. There aren't flowering trees and shrubs blooming; and I've seen only a few daffodils here and there, planted around cabin lots. Researching "deer-resistant" plants, I've only found a very few. Once you move away from the city and into the mountains you accept that the growing season is short and the few things you can grow had better either be up on your deck/porch or in a green-house. Last summer we planted a few pines, aspens and supposedly deer-resistant ferns. Within twenty-four hours the foot-prints of deer told the tale of the completely missing ferns and almost leaf-less aspen trees. Live and learn.
The other day we came home from church to find a couple of birds bringing small twigs into the bird-house. We walked as quietly and gingerly past it so as not to disturb their nest building. A couple of days later, we noticed a large magpie bird perched near the bird-house. We haven't observed anymore nest-building since. I felt so despondent. Day by day I get lessons in the order of nature. The humming-bird feeders seem to have been dominated by one singular humming-bird. He stays perched up on the highest tree branch chirping and dive-bombs any other hummers that dare come near; and even dive-bombs me. I admire his beauty and his tenacity.
I'm learning to love and appreciate the bright greens and yellows of new growth on pine, firs, and oaks. After such abundant snow I envision the rings of trees being marked with a larger ring for the year 2023. There is still so much snow to melt in higher elevations.
Once temperatures stayed above freezing at night, I spent a week-end planting flower-pots for the deck and hanging bird and humming-bird feeders. We even put out a couple of bird-houses. The singing and chattering of chickadees wakes us on mornings the bedroom window was left open through the night. I love to complain about how cold I am all day, but at bed-time if I can't feel the cool air from the window above our heads sleep will elude me.
Poor Dave. He has a heated blanket on the end of his side of the bed. Self-preservation man! I tell him I'm a delicate flower, and to make sure to not let his blanket get anywhere near my feet or it could wake me up and I'll lie awake worrying about my children and grandchildren; my own empty nest haunting me in the wee hours. Visions of proverbial magpies lurking around my chicks and me having no more power than that of my love and adoration.
We've spent our Winter and early Spring months, going over our architectural drawings for the addition we've been planning for. We love our lot. We love our cabin. It's very tiny and we have a very not tiny family. For the beauty of the mountain that we live on, the price we pay is weather that is often unpredictable and too cool to gather as a large group of us outside. We have drawn up plans that will add enough space to hold our ever-growing family; at least for a Sunday or Thanksgiving dinner. Feed them food, feeding each other's souls.
I've almost become accustomed to living in a small space/perpetual construction zone. Almost. Though sometimes I get a craving for something like lemon meringue pie, but then realize I'll have to go to the shed and dig into some elusive storage bin to find my kitchen-aide mixer. The thought of either digging through bins or whipping egg-whites by hand deter me to the point that we haven't had lemon meringue pie since living here. Tragic.
All the extra kitchen and laundry supplies have been stored in the back of the cabin in a make-shift lean-to and are now in our living room area. No biggie! Well, it's a biggie to Freya. She had a serious case of the zoomies after all the furniture and bin rearranging. I chose to take a long soak in the bath-tub of our partially finished bathroom. I lie back in the water and ponder how the new bathroom will have a window with a view of the mountain. Maybe someday I'll even take a bath, while looking out at the mountain, and eat a piece of lemon meringue pie. If you haven't eaten dessert while soaking in a hot bath have you even lived?!
Today the lean-to was partially demolished off the back of the cabin. It was built on top of the pre-existing deck and was truly beginning to lean/sink away from the cabin. All the extra kitchen and laundry supplies have been stored in it and are now in our living room area. No biggie! Well, it's a biggie to Freya. She had a serious case of the zoomies after all the furniture and bin rearranging. Not having the cat's same energy for my own zoomies, I chose instead to take a long soak in the bath-tub of our partially finished bathroom. I lie back in the water and ponder how the new bathroom will have a window with a view of the mountain. Maybe someday I'll even take a bath, while looking out at the mountain, and eat a piece of lemon meringue pie. If you haven't eaten dessert while soaking in a hot bath have you even lived?!
I may or may not have cried a little when the light came streaming into the kitchen. Okay fine. I cried.
Stay tuned for further updates! The wall pictured above will be removed entirely one of these days. It will be the the opening to a large living/dining area that will hold all my "baby birds"; and their "baby birds" who will hopefully be ready to have their tummies and hearts filled.
Sourdough discard blueberry corn pancakes:
1 Cup sourdough start discard
1 egg
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. honey
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 cup cottage cheese
Corn cut off the cob (I used two uncooked cobs but I'd imagine any kind of corn would work fine - as always measure with your heart)
Mix all ingredients together and pour out 1/4 C. onto med-high cast iron well-buttered pan.
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