December was a destructive icy venture into darkness with 6 days spent living off the grid. We were so fortunate that we heat primarily with wood. Keeping warm was not a problem and we had no worries about frozen pipes. Lack of running water was tough. The power outage was so widespread that it was difficult to find a nearby friend or relative with a working shower. We flushed our toilets with water hauled in buckets from the brook. Candlelight and meals cooked on the grill lost their charm after just a few days.
We watched the full moon rise and lend her light to an otherwise dark evening. Stars and planets were especially beautiful during this time due to lack of low level light pollution along the horizon. The importance of the return of light at the Winter Solstice became clear in a way not usually experienced in the 21st Century.
Happily electricity was restored on our sixth day without power at 9 pm, just a half hour before we drove to the Manchester airport to meet our son Kyle who was able to return for the holiday before reporting to Fort Drum on January 3rd. Our holidays had begun. An impressive snowstorm followed immediately.
We've added a generator to the Lichenwood wish list and will research that before purchasing. Increased self sufficiency is definitely the way to go in these times which brings to mind the garden planning that will happen over the next 2 months. We're hoping to extend the growing season a bit with home constructed greenhouse covering some of our raised beds. We are also planning to plant apple, peach, and pear trees this year.
Beneath the crystal crust supplied by December's ice storm, some hint of green remains in Lichenwood's grass. Cold, dark, ice and snow, cannot obliterate the living green energy of Nature. She is only resting and will return. We have already turned our calendars to the new year of 2009. With hope we look to future days of green, of warmth, of times spent with friends and family.
Comments