The View

Just thought I'd share with you all a view from the pasture looking up towards the house, the stone structure you see in the distance up on the Rock of Cashel. My husband and I own a stone castle on a thousand-acres in South County Tipperary, Ireland. These are our sheep, aren't they beautiful? They're harder to take care of than chickens ever were, but we're still in the learning curve. With all this wool on hand, I'm learning to card and spin wool and to knit. Next year, everyone will receive an organic wool knit scarf for Christmas. That will be light to send (even if mailing overseas), my husband will be thrilled. He's been after me to choose lightweight gifts or convert to gift cards. We live just a half-mile from the nearest pub, after I'm done working in the garden and hubby's through playing some Celtic blues on his guitar, we often stroll to town for a pint (or two) of Guinness. Ah, life is good in Ireland. Come visit us, won't you? We keep telling our family that we have plenty of room for them to stay, and even more than one bathroom (since 2004) but we seldom have visitors. So you're invited.

Whoops, sorry folks, that was just my daydream. I was staring out the window when the sheep caught my eye. Don't want you to get the wrong idea. Try this picture instead taken a few minutes ago from my office window. Really. This is a 100 year-old Stayman Winesap apple tree, give or take a few years. And look! That pretty white layer on the tree, that's Snow. It's a natural phenomena that usually happens during the season known as Winter. Whether it's Global Warming, Climate Change, Climate Crisis (see should-have-been-President Al Gore's great documentary) or Mother Nature Being Downright Persnickety, we haven't had much winter to speak of this year. Three cold nights near Thanksgiving--already several holidays ago--that's been it so far. In fact, we've had five weeks of April, until today. I took this picture specifically to document that snow still falls in the winter month of January in the Appalachian mountains of southwestern Virginia.

Even in my Double-4th year I still find myself wishing for a Snow Day when it's been a while--or since last winter--that the snow fell. You know what I mean; a Snow Day filled with sledding, hot cocoa, a hot bath and a good book (in that order). But we have a problem since tomorrow happens to be the last half-day of the public school semester. Spencer (my son, see Healthy Cookies post) has two finals (Chemistry and Algebra II) and we'd rather he get them out of the way instead of having to take them next week. So as much as I long for a true Snow Day, I really don't want it tomorrow. Another time.

Where'd the sheep go? Don't worry. Here they are...all month long.
In May you'll enjoy photo's of our cattle along the Burren, in County Clare. Meanwhile, the snow is still falling, just not as vigorously as before. Using my imagination, from Floyd County....