THE WOLF MOON

Click on photo to enlarge - © 2010 jim otterstrom

The Wolf Moon, the largest, brightest moon of 2010, 14% bigger in diameter and 30% brighter than our lesser full moons (see why here).

The Wolf Moon was named by Native Americans for the wolves howling during cold winter nights. It is also known as The Old Moon, or the After Yule Moon.

The photo was taken from our deck last night at 9:19.

Canon S10IS---Hand held, full zoom (560mm), 1/500th second, f/5.7, ISO 80---cropped.

Here Comes The Sun...

Solstice Eve Sunrise

Click on photo to enlarge - © 2009 jim otterstrom

Looking east from the frozen shore of Stanfield Marsh yesterday morning at 6:39.

Peggy and I are heading out with the dogs in a few minutes to see what our world looks like this morning, on the shortest day of the year.

Tomorrow the days begin lengthening again.

Hooray!!!

~HAPPY SOLSTICE~

Snow Dog...

...In His Element

Click on photo to enlarge - © 2009 jim otterstrom

We received over a foot of much-needed new snow today and Dallas couldn't be more content.

He really loves the snow, rooting around and frolicking in it like a kid. Then he'll pick a spot he likes and go 'round & 'round in circles, until he has the snow all packed down, before plopping himself down in his comfy new den.

He sat here like this today for well over an hour, under a steady snowfall, refusing to come in the house and leave all this fun white stuff behind. At one point I could hardly see him because he was so covered with snow.

~A Wider View Of The Dallas Den~Click on photo to enlarge - © 2009 jim otterstrom



The View From Our Porch At Noon TodayClick on photo to enlarge - © 2009 jim otterstrom

Makin' Tracks...

~Monday Morning~

Click on photo to enlarge - © 2009 jim otterstrom

During our brisk morning walk yesterday, Peggy, Dallas, and I left these fresh tracks in the 4 inches of new snow that fell Sunday night. Today is sunny and colder, 0° F when we woke up at 5:30, and only 28° at half past noon.

A nice day to be at home.

The First Dawn Of Winter

Click on photo to enlarge - ©2008 jim otterstrom

This fleeting moment was captured at 6:52 this morning along Highway 18 between Big Bear and Lucerne Valley.

A couple of minutes later the sun disappeared behind the clouds leaving us with this golden memory to warm a gray and drizzly day.

A perfect beginning for winter.

The Beauty Of The Season...

...From Our Own Yard Click on photo to enlarge - ©2008 jim otterstrom

The view eastward across our yard yesterday morning was breathtaking. How suddenly a landscape we have become accustomed to can be transformed by the magic of nature.

If you look closely, between the trees, you will see about six inches of our four foot high fence protruding from the snow.

Our Street - Robinhood Boulevard

Click on photo to enlarge - ©2008 jim otterstrom

Looking east from in front of our place. The fence on the right is our 4 foot high chain link perimeter fence.

To The West

Click on photo to enlarge - ©2008 jim otterstrom

The view down Robinhood to the west from in front of our place.

Our PlaceClick on photo to enlarge - ©2008 jim otterstrom

From the street you can barely make out our little cabin snuggled beneath the snow-laden trees.

From The Deck Click on photo to enlarge -©2008 jim otterstrom

This photo was taken from outside the front door of our house.

Our Mountain Cabin In The Snow
Click on photo to enlarge - ©2008 jim otterstrom

Morning light filters through the trees onto our roof, as Dallas, on the deck there, wonders what I'm doing as I wander around pointing my little black box at things.

This photo was taken from the east side of the yard looking due west.

The 'Temple Of The Lost Civilization', and it's new addition, my tiny toolshed, workshop, pub, and fallout shelter, is directly behind where I was standing.

More pictures on the progress of that project coming soon.

A Day In The Life...

Yesterday's Sunrise

Click on photo to enlarge - © 2008 jim otterstrom

At 7:08 yesterday morning Dallas and I were walking westward along the north shore of Big Bear Lake into an icy wind as the sun rose from the east to reveal the front of a storm moving over the ridges into the valley.

I was bundled up in several layers, with two pairs of mittens on, and still had to guzzle my dandelion/licorice root/ginger/turmeric tea down so I could put my insulated mug in my backpack, thus enabling me to keep my hands warmer in my pockets.

Furry ol' Dallas was unfazed though, alternating between wading in the ice water, and curiously sniffing through the brush along the shore.

I should've worn Thinsulate gloves and a parka instead of the mittens and thermal vest, but the storm was moving in earlier than predicted so I didn't really expect it to be that cold and windy on the lake yet.

Throughout our 2+ hour walk I was on the edge of discomfort but it was such a beautiful morning I didn't want to turn around, and besides, Dallas was having a blast.

So, I just occupied my mind with other things than the bitter cold and we made it all the way over to Juniper Point and back, about 5 miles round trip, with many stops to take photos and enjoy the scenery.

When we got home Peggy scrambled up some home grown eggs, with baked garlic, onions, tomato, green chili pepper & turmeric, and we juiced up a blend of beets, carrots, kale, parsley, cucumber, apple and ginger.

Once breakfast was over we bundled up again and went outside to prune the pear tree and clean up some winter debris in the yard & gardens.

We let our hens, and Boris the banty rooster, out of the chicken yard to roam the native plant garden in search of chicken delicacies.

We then uncovered our beds of winter greens, which were getting too warm this past week or so, with the spring like daytime temps, and decided to leave them uncovered to reap the benefits of the coming snowfall.

The greens (several types of lettuce, spinach, kale & green onions), have survived the frozen winter in their covered raised beds and are certainly hardy enough to withstand a March snowstorm or two. Very cold temps may slow them down a bit but the greens will spring back with the slightest warming daytime temperatures, especially after a healthful natural drenching.

We had some cord wood that was too long for our woodstove and I had cut that down to under 18" on Friday, so I cleaned up the scrap and sawdust from that project before snow started falling in the early afternoon.

The rest of the day was spent indoors by the warmth of a fire while Peggy put together a delicious Mushroom Tofu Stroganoff for dinner (see recipe at bottom of post).

By late afternoon snow was falling heavy, but intermittently, with patches of blue sky in between. We woke up this morning to enjoy our green tea with a view of 4 1/2 inches of fresh, light, white powder.

For breakfast today it's cooked buckwheat, quinoa flakes & oats with hemp hearts, banana, raspberries, blueberries and almond soymilk.

The appetizer was another juice blend of beet, carrot, kale, apple & ginger.

MMMMMmmmmmmmm!

Today, at 8:30 A.M.

Click on photo to enlarge - © 2008 jim otterstrom

~

MUSHROOM TOFU STROGANOFF

Adapted to our own particular tastes from

The Tassajara Recipe Book

Note-

Prepare yogurt cheese* and marinate tofu** at least 24 hours before you plan to prepare the meal.


1 16-ounce block of tofu, pressed, drained, and marinated**(see marinade recipe below)
3 tablespoons avocado (or sunflower seed) oil
1 tablespoon tamari or soy sauce
1 tablespoon Bragg’s liquid amino’s (or substitute with more tamari or soy sauce)
1 large yellow onion, diced medium-small
1 pound Crimini or Shiitake mushrooms
5 cloves minced garlic
½ teaspoon paprika
¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
¼ teaspoon dried thyme (or ½ teaspoon fresh thyme, minced)
½ cup of dry sherry or red wine
1 cup of vegetable broth
1 ½ cups of yogurt cheese* (drain 32 oz. of plain yogurt through cheesecloth overnight in refrigerator)
salt & freshly ground pepper to taste.

Drain the marinated tofu (see recipe below)** on a slanted board while you gather and prepare the rest of the ingredients.

Cut the tofu into strips or cubes and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or so.
Remove and set aside.

Heat 2 tablespoons of avocado oil in a 12-inch sauté pan.
When the oil is hot, add the onions. Sauté them on a high heat until they begin to brown, then turn down the heat and cook the onions carefully until they begin to caramelize, stirring frequently. This will take about 15 minutes. They should be soft. While they are cooking, slice the mushrooms about ¼ inch thick, chop the garlic, and warm the vegetable broth.

Mix the garlic, paprika, and thyme into the cooked onions. Add the remaining tablespoon of avocado (or sunflower seed) oil, the tamari and the Bragg’s liquid amino’s. Add the mushrooms, sprinkle on the turmeric, and salt & pepper to taste while carefully stirring.

Once the mushrooms begin to cook, add the marinated tofu** (see below), the sherry or wine, and let bubble & simmer for 8-10 minutes.

Add the heated broth to the yogurt cheese. Once the mushrooms are sufficiently cooked, add the yogurt cheese & broth mix to the mushroom pan.

Cook until the sauce is hot (just a few minutes) and reduced to the thickness you want. Try not to boil the sauce for too long or the yogurt cheese will curdle.

Check the seasonings and serve over brown rice.



Tofu Marinade**
Also adapted to our tastes from The Tassajara Recipe Book

2 blocks of firm tofu (the stroganoff recipe only calls for one block of tufo but you can marinade the second one and save it for another meal)
½ ounce Crimini or Shiitake mushrooms
1 cup vegetable broth
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 gloves garlic, pressed or finely grated.
½ cup avocado (or sunflower seed) oil
½ cup red wine vinegar
½ cup sherry
½ cup Bragg’s liquid aminos (or tamari soy sauce)
¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
pinch ground cloves
black pepper to taste

Drain & press the tofu to remove excess water.
Simmer the mushrooms in vegetable broth for 15 minutes
Toast the oregano in a small frying pan over a medium flame until it becomes aromatic (without burning).

Combine the remaining ingredients, including the oregano, to the simmering mushrooms.

Bring to a slow boil and simmer a couple of minutes longer.

Cut the tofu into four slabs.

Pour the hot marinade over the tofu slabs & marinate overnight in the refrigerator.

The tofu can marinate several days.

If the tofu was reasonably fresh and fairly dry when it was marinated, the marinade can be boiled, strained, and kept refrigerated for reuse.

I'm sorry I didn't get a picture of this delicious meal, which included steamed brussel's sprouts, and a green salad with avocado & tomato, but the wonderful aromas permeating the house all afternoon had me so distracted that the only thing on my mind was, is it time to eat yet?

Peggy said she'd been wanting to try out this recipe for quite some time, and as far as I'm concerned, this one is a keeper!

Two Views Of Yesterday...

Rainbow Over Lucerne Valley - Monday, 9:48 A.M

Click on photo to enlarge - © 2008 jim otterstrom

One of my obligations as a friend and neighbor is to take Cheri, who lives across the street from us, down the mountain to her monthly doctor appointments. Cheri owns a car but she's disabled and cannot drive herself.

Yesterday I drove her down to Victorville for an appointment and we were treated to this breathtaking view as we came down the Cushenbury Grade, just below the Mitsubishi Cement Plant, and descended into Lucerne Valley.

It was snowing heavily when we left Big Bear Valley and made our way slowly through a white-out of wind-blown powder as we skirted Baldwin Lake (normally dry) and then began winding our way down a very slippery Highway 18 toward the Mojave Desert.

When we came around the last bend, where the narrow pass finally opens to the desert, snow and clouds gave way to a big desert sky being cleansed by fierce winds. A fine mist blown from the clouds behind us allowed the landscape to be decorated with the magical whimsy of a rainbow, of sunlight refracted through atmospheric water.

Oh, the Blue Planet!

3 Hours Later - Back On The Deck At Home

Click on photo to enlarge - © 2008 jim otterstrom

We got between 6 and 8 inches of new snow Sunday night and Monday, but it was somewhat difficult to estimate that measurement because the wind was blowing so hard that the snow piled up in uneven drifts.

Winter Sunrise Walk...

TODAY, at 6:45 A.M.

Click on photo to enlarge - © 2008 jim otterstrom

6:50 A.M.
Click on photo to enlarge - © 2008 jim otterstrom

7:12 A.M.

Click on photo to enlarge - © 2008 jim otterstrom

Three views along our sunrise walk this morning as Peggy, Dallas, and I happily trudged a few miles through nearly a foot of snow that fell Sunday night.

We came across two coyotes right after the second picture was taken and Dallas took off after them, having a ball and getting more than his share of the morning workout.

We saw the coyotes again on the way home, a few blocks from our house, after Dallas was back on the leash. One of them sat there just 25 feet away posing for us, but my camera batteries picked that particular moment to go dead. Dang It!

But what a brisk and exhilarating way to start the day!!!

Cozy Winter Coop...

~YARDBIRDS~ Click on photo to enlarge -© 2008 jim otterstrom

Some of our hens and the recently rechristened Boris Major, a bantam Golden Lace Cochin Rooster, enjoy the chicken yard before the approaching storm hits.

This is predicted to be a major winter storm so I decided to clean out the coop yesterday, laying down fresh alfalfa litter, and refilling the nest boxes with wood chips.

I also consolidated our three stacks of firewood into two, covered them with tarps, cleaned out the raingutters and generally straightened up the yard.

HENSPECTION!Click on photo to enlarge - © 2008 jim otterstrom

One of our Black Australorp hens carefully inspects the nest boxes after I freshened them up.

Everything Seems To Be In OrderClick on photo to enlarge - © 2008 jim otterstrom

The Black Australorp is soon joined by a Light Brahma and a Barred Rock who all seem to approve of the housekeeping efforts.

Food (check), water (check), edible litter (check), comfy nests (check), perches intact (check), OK, let's go back outside while we can!

ME FIRST!!Click on photo to enlarge - © 2008 jim otterstrom

The storm was supposed to hit last night but it was still clear and relatively warm when Peggy & I took our walk at 7 this morning.

It's clouded up now though and getting quite cold so it shouldn't be long now. Let's hope we do get some substantial precipitation, whether rain, or snow.

The chickens are ready...

Beneath The Snow...

~A WINTER GARDEN~

Click on photo to enlarge - © 2007 jim otterstrom

As you saw in the previous post, winter has unofficially arrived here, about 13 days early. The temperature at 6 A.M. this morning was minus 2° F, while yesterday it was a bit warmer, 9° at 6 A.M.

However, snuggled beneath an insulating blanket of snow, a winter garden is alive and well.

This is one of two beds of cold-hardy greens we are growing this winter and we just covered them with 6 mil plastic about 10 days ago, at which time we also harvested a good amount of baby spinach and lettuce, and a bit of kale too.

Well, Shiver Me Timbers...

Click on photo to enlarge - © 2007 jim otterstrom

It rained all day Saturday and we thought the storm was moving out during the night so we were pleasantly surprised to wake up to winter on Sunday morning.

I see that our Badwater Springs mascot is still in good spirits even though the waterfall & pond are frozen beneath the snow.~

~NICE HAT DUDE!~

~Lookin' Out My Front Door~Click on photo to enlarge - © 2007 jim otterstrom

Nine inches of light white powder is what we found upon opening the front door Sunday morning!

~A SIGHT FOR SORE EYES~

What a difference 22 days makes! Just four Sundays ago we were sitting at that same table, in shorts & t-shirts, enjoying Orchid's acorn processing class, shown in the previous post.

Hey, like I said, I'm a little behind...

The next two pictures are for Linda at Urban Wild, she'll understand...

Buddha Kiss One - Sunday Morning
Click on photo to enlarge - © 2007 jim otterstrom

Buddha Kiss Two - Monday Afternoon
Click on photo to enlarge - © 2007 jim otterstrom

Dallas With Snowflakes...

...On The Porch This Very Morning

Click on photo to enlarge - © 2007 jim otterstrom

Dallas, at 9:30 this morning, watching me from the porch with his chin resting on the lower railing.

Snow is falling lightly, Peggy is curled up on the couch downstairs reading Naomi Klein's 'Shock Doctrine', there's a warm glow coming from the woodstove and John Fahey is playing guitar on 'Robinhood Radio'.

I'm upstairs enjoying the peaceful ambiance of home on a Saturday morning while I sit at the computer restoring some ancient family photos in Photoshop and finishing up the Acorn Class post which will be on the blog sometime today!

Now David Lindley and El Rayo X are coming through the old Sansui with 'Tiki Torches At Twilight'.

Our 30 year old Sansui 9090DB receiver, and matching 1977 Sansui 5000A speakers, seem right at home with the nearly 13,000 hand-picked tunes playing through them by way of that new-fangled i-Pod gizmo hooked up to the system.

POSTSCRIPT

The songs below were also heard on our own homegrown Robinhood Radio today as the minutes ticked sweetly away...

Get Up, Stand Up - Bob Marley

Hip-Hugger - Booker T & The MGs

Dragalevska Ruchenitsa - Traicho Sinapov

There's A Moon Out Tonight - The Capris

Run Pete Run - Jimmy Martin

Raunchy - Bill Justis

Two Hearts - Chris Isaak

That Growling Baby Blues - Blind Lemon Jefferson

The Fool On The Hill - The Beatles

Ti-Pi-Tin - The Andrews Sisters

Prairie Lullabye - Jimmie Rodgers

Choo Choo Ch' Boogie - Asleep At The Wheel

Dancing In the Dark - Cannonball Adderly

Saucy Sailor - The Wailin' Jennys

Carry On - Crosby, Stills & Nash

C'est Un Mauvais Garcon - Baguette Quartette

Blue Suede Shoes - Elvis Presley

Blue Motel Room - Joni Mitchell

Ain't Enough - Guthrie Kennard

This Masquerade - George Benson

The Devil's Great Grandson - Sons Of The Pioneers

No Ordinary Love - Sade

In The Rhythms - Nobuko Miyamoto

Swanee River - Oscar Aleman

He's Funny That Way - Billie Holiday

Walk Between Raindrops - Donald Fagen

Spadella - Spade Cooley

Can't Feel At Home - The Carter Family

Come See About Me - The Supremes

Coal Creek March - Pete Seeger

Rock Island Blues - Lewis Black

When You Come Back Down - Nickel Creek

It Had To Be You - Billie Holiday

Mademoiselle Will Decide - Jools Holland's Rhythm & Blues Orchestra with Mark Knopfler

Khar-Shabi - T. Fazylova

I Betcha My Heart I Love You - Bob Wills & The Texas Playboys

Abilene - Dave Alvin & The Guilty Men

That Nasty Swing - Cliff Carlisle

Rollin' & Tumblin' - Canned Heat

Working Class Hero - Beatle Jazz

People Are Strange - The Doors

Opus 57 - David Grisman

Truck Driver's Blues - Cliff Bruner & his Boys

And So It Goes - Graham Nash

Just Like Starting Over - John Lennon

Hobo's Lullaby - Arlo Guthrie

Disgusted - Lucinda Williams

Em Mi Viejo San Juan - Los Panchos & Noel Estrada

I Know That You Know - Lionel Hampton

Mistreated Blues - Jimmy Gordon

Cookie Man - The Jazz Crusaders

Blue Light Boogie - Taj Mahal

El Paso - Marty Robbins

My Uncle - The Flying Burrito Brothers

I'll Be Ready When The Great Day Comes - Teddy Bunn

Driftin' - Eric Clapton

Contemporary Blues - Barney Kessel

The Day You Came Along - Jimmy Rowles

Carmelita - Linda Ronstadt

Viavy Raoxy - Henry Kaiser & David Lindley

I Wish It Would Rain - The Temptations

Beautiful Delilah - The Kinks

Cryin' Shame - Lyle Lovett

Lookin' For A Leader - Neil Young

Chains Of Love - J.J. Cale

Just Waitin' - Hank Williams

Ain't Got No Home - Clarence 'Frogman' Henry

Follow Me Home - Dire Straits

Take A Whiff On Me - Woody Guthrie

One World - Dire Straits

Las Cuatro Milpas (Four Little Cornfields) - Mariachi Coculense de Cirilo Marmolejo

Vaseline Machine Gun - Leo Kottke

4 on 6 - Lee Ritenour

Lucky Thirteen Blues - Brother Yusef

Keep It Clean - Charley Jordan

When The Sun Goes Down - Leroy Carr

Cold Blooded Murder #2 - Bumble Bee Slim

Nocturno - Andrés Segovia

The Roundup In The Spring - Martin Roberts

Slow Walk - Bill Doggett And His Combo

Blue Flame - Elvin Bishop

Almost Cut My Hair - Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young

Man In The Long Black Coat - Bob Dylan

Give Me One Reason - Tracy Chapman

Can't Put A Bridle On That Mule This Morning - Julius Daniels

I Can't Believe You're In Love With Me - Hot Club Of Cowtown

Does Your Chewing Gum Lose Its Flavor? - Lonnie Donegan

Mosadi - The Crusaders

With A Little Help From My Friends - The Beatles

Don't Get So Down On Yourself - Chris Isaak

Wrong Man Blues - Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee

What'd I Say - Jerry Lee Lewis

Morning Train - John Prine

Muskadine Blues - Little Walter & Baby Face Leroy

Tralala - Mark Knopfler

Blue In Green - Miles Davis

Gotta Serve Somebody - Bob Dylan

Hattie & Janelle - Joe Craven & Rob Ickes

Love Is A Rose - Neil Young

Oh Carol - Chuck Berry

Creepin' In - Norah Jones

Dance Me To The End Of Love - Madeleine Peyroux

...and, there you have it.

Nearly an entire day of Robinhood Radio (at least what I remembered to write down) as presented by the iPod at Earth Home Garden while Jim caught up on computer stuff, and Peg finished her book.

Goodnight all, it is now 10:03 P.M.

Nine Days Later...

A NEWBORN RHUBARB LEAF

Click on photo to enlarge - © 2007 jim otterstrom

Our last post, 9 days ago, found us with 4 inches of new snow but this week has been spring-like and new life bursts forth once again, ever-ready to reclaim its place in the sun.

WINTER LETTUCE

Click on photo to enlarge - © 2007 jim otterstrom

This is the lettuce mix we planted last October which has thrived outdoors at our elevation of 6,750', under fiberglass panels, through the worst of a rather mild winter, but still surviving temperatures as low as minus 10° F.

We'll leave these hardy greens uncovered at night from here on out, even though our night-time temps are still in the low 20's, unless we get another extreme cold snap. We will get more snow but these plants are established enough to survive, and even thrive, under an insulating layer of snow now.

WINTER GROWN ORGANIC BABY SPINACH

Click on photo to enlarge - © 2007 jim otterstrom

This spinach was also planted from seed in October, directly in our raised beds, and covered with corrugated fiberglass panels.

I kept the seedbeds wet until the spinach sprouted and then watered once or twice more afterwards.

Otherwise, the only water they received until today was the condensation dripping from inside the fiberglass covers.

This morning , after uncovering the plants, I soaked them with the watering can using snowmelt from our rainbarrels.

Snowfall---February 27th 9:21 A.M.

Click on photo to enlarge - © 2007 jim otterstrom

"What a difference a day makes, twenty four little hours".

From the song written by Maria Grever & Stanley Adams

A much-needed snow has been falling since we woke up at 5:30 this morning.

Big Bear's current winter, as of today, has brought less than half of the precipitation of our previous driest year on record, 2002.

We're still hoping for a couple of big 'March Miracle' storms but this one is definitely timely and appreciated.

About 3 inches has fallen here thus far but the storm seems to be dissipating now.

We had another 4 inches last week, which melted as soon as the sun came out, and we'll happily take every inch we can get.

Our daughter Jamie called from Lake Tahoe last night to tell us she had over 4 feet of fresh snow at their place, and it was still falling.

We are a mountain and snow loving family.

I posted today's wintry scene in good old-fashioned black & white for effect.

Solstice Dinner

Click on photo to enlarge

Peggy and I enjoyed a delicious stir-fry dinner on the Winter Solstice, fully appreciating each other's company and a very relaxing evening.

A toast to the returning sun...

...and to good healthful food, a warm fire in a cozy mountain cabin, and loving companionship, as we begin another cycle in our lives together.

Love and Peace...

Yuletide Greetings On The Winter Solstice...

Click on photo to enlarge

The Yuletide Wreath has many origins, not the least of which was the Pagan custom of the Evergreen Wheel, symbolic of the recurring seasons and the Circle Of Life.

Around the globe today many different holiday (holy day) customs are practiced on or near the Winter Solstice, and regardless of which religion you follow, or tradition you observe, Peggy and I would like to wish you a joyous season and a very good new year.

Today is the Winter Solstice, and, as we move through the shortest day of 2006, we celebrate the returning of the sun to bring us longer and lighter days. The precise time of the Winter Solstice this year is 4:22 P.M. (Pacific Standard Time).

This first day of winter marks the beginning of a new annual cycle, a time of renewal which also moves us humans, in cyclic harmony with the rhythm of life, to seek our own personal renewal.

Every year billions of us make New Year resolutions in an effort to improve ourselves and our lives. We quit smoking, or drinking, vow to lose weight, improve our health or get out of debt.

Maybe we'll strive to better our relationships with friends and loved ones, to be more open and honest, or less selfish, prejudiced and judgemental.

The making of these resolutions each year reflects the fact that we're not always as responsible in our personal lives as we would like to be.

So here's my resolution for 2007.

'To try and demonstrate thoughtfulness and personal responsibility in my every action.'

That covers about everything I can think of and is more than enough challenge for me.

PEACE AND LOVE TO ONE AND ALL

The Beauty And The Ice...

Click on the photos to enlarge - © 2006 jim otterstrom

Lakeside Decembers

December tilts toward the longest night

as ice and wind transform fluid surfaces

into fancy heaps of shattered crystal

where, upon the shore

slumbering 'neath the frozen bones of summer's garden

seminal marrow lies, dreaming

in rhythms slowed by time and place

of warmth, and song

of birds and bees

and butterflies

© 2006 - jim otterstrom

This morning, Peggy, Dallas, and I, were out walking by the marsh where we were treated to this very cool (indeed) early winter ice display.

The temperatures have been up and down for several days causing the lake to freeze and thaw.

What you see in the first three pictures is the result of a thin layer of ice being windblown to the eastern shores of the marsh where it piled up and re-froze.

The bottom one was taken in a sheltered area, out of the wind.

There's snow forecast here for tonight, tomorrow morning, and next weekend too, so I'm off to clean out the raingutters again and put some things away.

addendum (a), December 13th, 2006

The above poem has been edited at least 20 times since I posted it and it's probably not finished yet.

I may just delete it.

I'm never happy with my poetry but I keep trying to write it anyway.

There's something about writing poetry that I simply don't get.

It seems to me that it's not what you put in a poem, but what you leave out, that gives it wings.

Mine usually fly like like lead balloons.

I was hoping for some comments, tips, or criticism on this one, but all eleven commentors politely avoided the poem.

addendum (b) January 1st, 2007

Crystal-

Thank you for your thoughts and observations and I have edited one more time to smooth the flow of words, and to try and clarify meaning. By the way, it's not minnows dreaming, but seminal, as in seed, and marrow, as in bone. I assume the minnows are still swimming and eating in their cold liquid depths.

;~?

November Gardening

Click on photo to enlarge

A row of young lettuce plants thrive in their fiberglass-covered raised-bed today, in mid-November, at 6,750' elevation. We currently have 2 beds of lettuce and 4 beds of spinach, a bed of chard, and a bed of kale in various stages. This is the largest of the lettuce from our fall planting and, in just a few weeks, could be providing us with fresh winter salad greens.

March Miracle!

Click on photo to enlarge

Finally, winter has arrived bringing over two feet of snow to our part of Big Bear. It started snowing Thursday and didn't let up until late last night. Some parts of our yard are under four foot drifts and the picnic table on the deck has nearly two feet piled up.