Todd’s Ewe Turn – Random Thoughts @ 4 Months

We moved in four months ago today.  No ewe turn here.  As I often tell Peg, I’m all in.  The weather is turning cold, but we got our JØTUL 3 wood stove installed in the fireplace yesterday, and with PLENTY of wood here, we should be good to go for whatever winter has in store for us.

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Until I came to this place, I don’t think I’ve ever touched a rebar.  I just got four more from Home Depot this afternoon.  Something like $3 each.  They are great.  First use here – set them as corner posts for our temporary corrals and pens.  I might take one and use it to keep the small door open in the barn – run it through the door handle and pound it into the ground.  Plus, I just thought of another use – make a jig for cutting down firewood that is too long for the stove.  Pound four into the ground, stack up the long pieces inside them, make one cut with the chainsaw and we’re done.

We have very generous and helpful neighbors.  Marty got both the lawn mower and Moby out of touchy spots for me (on the same day).  George helped us try to get Martha and Dolly back, and loaned his log splitter to me.  Both have offered to give us hay this winter.  I’m sure they’re laughing up their sleeves at us, but I think they appreciate the effort.

I take showers at different times than I used to, now that I’m a “farmer”.  It’s typically in the mid to late afternoon.  I do chores during the day, clean up, then move on to dinner preparation.  Lately, I’ve been featuring “eau de Briggs & Stratton” from the log splitter.

Back in Wilmette, working from home, my favorite time of day was around 5 to 6 pm.  That was when I would prepare dinner.  It’s still my favorite time, for the same reason.  I have cooked I don’t know how many recipes out of Mark Bittman’s The Food Matters Cookbook, but I keep finding new ones to try.  Paella a few nights ago was almost fantastic (should have cooked the brown rice a bit longer).

There are good little breweries here in Vermont.  Long Trail and Harpoon right now are two of my favorites.  (Someone brought us a sampler from Smuttynose – it didn’t do much for me.) Long Trail has a Double Bag Ale that I first discovered while searching for properties last winter and spring.  Peg and I would typically end the day having an “Executive Committee” meeting at Bentleys Bar in Woodstock.   That’s where I discovered Double Bag.  Unfortunately, it seemed kind of expensive at Shaw’s Supermarket, and only came in six packs.  Well today I stopped in at The Beverage King (open since 1955) and they had it in twelve packs for a much better price.  Yay!

(Sidebar – Bentleys had a kitchen fire around the same time that we moved in.  Seriously damaged their menu.  Went back in September with Kate who really wanted their fries, and the main kitchen was still closed – no fries for you!)

Yesterday we went on a field trip in search of hard cider.  Peg had read an article about the ciders being made by the folks at Poverty Lane Orchards in Lebanon, so we went to give them a try.  We tasted 5 different hard ciders – one still and four sparkling.  They ranged from quite dry to semi-dry.  None were really sweet at all.  The labels on the bottles said “Farnum Hill Ciders”, which made Peg ask if they were made on the property.  Of course.  Then why the different name?  “We didn’t think the name Poverty Lane Ciders would sell as well.”  Good answer.  We bought two bottles as well as some plain old cider.  They’re in the fridge, but I’m not so sure we’ll develop a taste for it.

In a little while, we’ll head down to WRJ (White River Junction) for our first First Friday.  As the website says, “the first Friday of each month WRJ merchants, businesses, and artists stay open late and host great receptions!”  It also says we can “ejoy a glass of wine.”  I’m so looking forward to ejoying a glass of wine!

Todd