Some adventures of an emergent locavore

We're not going to talk about the snow that's falling while we're writing this post. Why? Because we remember reading years ago that one of the reasons Mondays can be so difficult is that many people dislike Mondays because they have a reputation for being difficult. Weather and Mondays seem to have a lot in common this year. This month's weather is topsy-turvy enough that it seems like our best strategy is to forego any sense of control or command and take what the weather gives us and do what we can with it. For now, we're really curious how much of the forecast snow will melt or get washed away by rain and if we'll get to enjoy a warm spell of seasonal weather before real winter sets in.

things I can and cannot control

On the chance that our winter may be colder and wetter that normal, thanks to La Nina, I'm going to spend more time studying the graphic our Daughter Person sent me some time ago [see above]. Notice, on the right hand side, it lists that I cannot control and will let go of "The weather." So, I'll focus on my actions and how I respond to this anomalous weather pattern. I'm hoping this will be helpful training for how to react to the election, its outcome, and the events surrounding the election and its outcome. I'm beginning to wonder if there may be just a wee bit of validity to the wild rumors I've heard, that I tend to be a bit of a control freak. My story is I'm a problem solver, not a control freak.

So, I'm spending the afternoon awaiting, with hope, a notification that a technician from our heating contractor will be able to squeeze in a visit today to replace the chimney cap that blew off during one of our recent wind storms. With cold and snow occurring in frequent episodes, I decided that someone with more experience roof walking would be a better course of action than me climbing up and taking a chance on falling off. Thusly have I disproven the other unfounded rumor, that I'm a total idiot.

Anyhow, while I'm house sitting, so to speak, the Better Half [BH] and the Son-In-Law are off picking up a "whole beef" we're splitting. I've never had, to the best of my knowledge, beef from Scottish Highland cattle. It's supposed to be so lean that there's no suet that comes with a whole beef. The birds would be disappointed to learn this but it just means we'll buy suet, but not beef, from our local grocer this winter. This locally-sourced farm-to-plate type food program we're working on is also turning eating into an adventure. Yet another challenge for someone that tends to find what they like and try to stick to it. Remember "Mikey?" "He won't like it, he's never had it before." The BH even managed to sneak a bunch of leeks into me a couple of days ago by hiding them in a squash and potato soup. It tasted pretty good but I'm afraid if she finds out I actually liked it, next year she'll trying something similar with zucchini.

Dust of Snow

Robert Frost - 1874-1963

The way a crow
Shook down on me
The dust of snow
From a hemlock tree

Has given my heart
A change of mood
And saved some part
Of a day I had rued.

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