our maine home – zone 5b
Camp work is plodding along at a slower pace. But keeping up the momentum. The staircase is almost complete. And there are knee walls built in the loft, with places for doors. Sheet rocking is coming next.
Update 2/15: Sam got the plumbing inspected and approved by Millard!
Having close proximity to the ceiling at camp is special. The scaffolding and the extra boards will be going away and it won’t be easy to get up there. Not that it’s easy now. My fear of heights kicks in and I refuse to get on the scaffolding. I don’t even like seeing other people up there. Except in photos, now that everyone is down safely.
Update Jan 27: Sam installed the ceiling fan using a pre-owned piece of iron pipe.
The camp ceiling is in progress. It’s knotty pine tongue-in-groove boards. It already looks dramatic, although the scaffolding is in the way.
I cleaned up the hoophouse today in anticipation of very cold temperatures tonight. Harvested some escarole and carrots. A white mold had eaten the tops of many carrots – maybe it cam in with the hay mulch? The roots seemed fine though. I’ll make a carrot soup and some escarole and beans.
Today we collected a pickup truck load of seaweed from Jellison’s Cove beach. Storms had created knee-high seaweed piles. Freezing temps had solidified the piles somewhat, but stomping on them helped break things apart enough to be able to shovel it. After dumping the pile at home, I immediately spread it on the garden beds and rows by wheelbarrow. I didn’t want it to freeze solid in a pile on the lawn, unusable until springtime.
I took some time to visit a friend and sit on her porch doing handwork. I enjoyed the sunshine, the view, and the companionship.
Deb and I took a walk from camp to Duck Pond. We were entertained by this curious beaver, who headed towards us from the faraway heath and then swam back and forth in front of us over and over.
Harvested at the community garden this morning. There are no crops left there. Just need to put the plots to bed. Sam blew out the water system so it wouldn’t freeze.
I’ve been frustrated by spotty germination in the hoophouse. Some things are growing lushly – escarole, spinach, kale, carrots. But others are just not where I’d want them to be at this time of year.
So I planted more seeds today, including in the vacant spaces left by the tomatillo harvest. Mostly spinach, but also some winter lettuce and ice-bred arugula. We’ll see what happens.
Also added some goat manure and watered. A very light snow – maybe sleet – ticked on the cover of the hoophouse while I was working.
New decorative items, gifts from a friend in Connecticut who is downsizing. A wind chime that looks like peacock feather eyes, made of glass, hanging on the right middle brace. And a decorative hanging pot just visible at the top of the photo.
