It is winter...our third winter living in the UP and, it's really cold and snowy here in Michigan. The Holidays are over and a brand-new year has started.
Today is a perfect day to just sit at our little kitchen table (minus the little Pine Squirrel who used to live here...before us) and look out at the snow, from the inside our warm and comfy 100 yr. old log cabin. We have a nice fire going in our woodstove and, our little old dog and cat are curled up on the blanket the I laid across my lap. The blanket reaches the floor and that is where they are...for one of their many daily naps. I have a big, new chunky pad of paper and some sharpened pencils on the table in front of me and the goal is to work on the plans for our various gardens We're planning on clearing and planting a large, raised bed garden of herbs, about an acre of cut flower garden and about two acres of a vegetable garden, in the upcoming spring. We will be in the planning stage until Mother Nature decides that we can begin all of our outdoor work. Until then, a cup of hot cocoa in one hand and a homemade chocolate chip cookie in the other fits perfectly in this picture of planning. This, to me, is all pretty darn wonderful.
As I said, this is our 3rd year living in our now cozier log cabin. The first two years were pretty much spent renovating and 'making livable' our sweet old log cabin. It had been used and abused as a 'camp' for many years since the original people had lived here in the early 1800's. So many things had been dragged up to this camp for so many years - it took us months and many dumpsters to clear out all of the useless, heavy items that filled the log cabin and also the outbuildings. We were now able to 'see' where we are headed and settle in more comfortably. Absolutely, not even close to done, but complete enough to begin our next phase which is our gardens that we hope will sustain us and will also give us product to sell. We have so many ideas. While working on the log cabin renovation and removal of so much old, dirty stuff...we kept ourselves motivated (with chocolate, coffee and cookies) and also by talking constantly about all of our ideas for establishing enough income on our beautiful land to support us.
We have had more than the average amount of snow this year. If we did not have to go out several times a day, no matter the weather, to feed and check on our animals, I probably would spend the day sitting in our warm cabin dreaming about warmer weather. I use cold, blowing snow days to work on 'warm weather' projects. I get up and throw more wood into our wood burner ensuring that I won't have to disturb my little dog, Tipo, for at least a little while. He is my foot warmer; He sits on the bottom of the blanket that I put over my legs and feet. We together will go over "How to" books that I found at the local library. Most of the books from my last trip to the library are about the most successful ways to grow, maintain, harvest and dry herbs. I would read aloud occasionally when I thought what I had just read was important enough to copy idea onto my pad of paper. Tipo, my little dog, would express his approval or rejection of the idea by looking up at me from under the warm blanket that I put around him and my feet. Our cat had left and settled in a basket closer to the wood burner. Today, with my pad of paper, some pencils and my trusty best pal, Tipo, I am going to start putting pencil to paper rather than ideas just rolling round and round in my always too active brain. The first garden that I want to lay out is one of the three we have planned - the Herbal Garden. We have a large area laid out (in our minds and on paper) to grow our wide variety of herbs. We're going to use as many raised beds as possible for these delicate plants of delight. Some of the herbs will be for our personal use, medicinal and for our cooking/baking but the majority will be for us to sell at several Farmer's Markets and also list for sale on the local fb marketplace. One of our many ideas to move us closer to self-sufficiency.
Wanting to make full use of the herbs that we would plant; I research what herbal plants would do well in our Northern Growing Zone. I wanted to learn as much as I could about cooking with fresh and dried herbs, how to infuse them in carrier oil and also how to use for medicinal purposes for my husband and I and for our animals as a natural preventative and a means of lessening the symptoms of ordinary illnesses. I want to attach cooking/baking ideas to each package of herbs - dry or fresh - that we would take to sell at the Farmer's Markets and on-line,
After working on my plans for our herbal garden, I bundle myself up in many layers because we have a lot of furry animals waiting for us to come out to feed, water and give them some love and attention. This morning, it was my turn to go out and take care of animal chores. I swear, whenever it is raining, snowing or just awful weather, it usually turns out to be my day to feed and water. But, my sweet husband, on those days, is usually right behind me feeding, checking on the waterers and petting heads that come up for some love. I do the same for him. All of our animals are always so happy to see us after the long night - warms my heart even if it's more about the food than us.
After stepping out into the cold, I go over and start up my old 4-wheel drive truck, so that she can warm up while I scoop out feed to fill all of our animal's food containers. She sounds a bit sleepy this morning, but after a few tries starts right up. I'll keep her running because by the time I come back for more feed that is in bed of the truck, she will be nice and warm, At that point, I will be more than ready to jump back into my 'warmer than outside' vehicle to warm up a bit before continuing with the morning animal chores.
After feeding our sweet animals and birds, I mention to my husband that since the truck is all warmed up that we drive down to the end of our road and pick up our mail. I put my truck in 4-wheel drive and tried to stay in the tracks that we had already made. Gave her some gas and cheered her on...go baby go. When I reached the end of our driveway and got out to reach into our big mailbox to get our mail, I noticed that the postman had also left a note saying that we had a package at the post office to be picked up. I didn't think that we had anything other than our first delivery of seed coming at this time. Seed for starting our cut flowers and also our initial herbs. I wanted to go there as soon as possible. My truck was all warmed up and running well, why not? I am not the most patient person in the world when I want to do something...bad weather or not. The post man in his regular 2-wheel drive car could get out...so, I knew that we could also. My husband basically said...whatever you want to do...you're going to do it anyway...so what does it really matter what I think or say. True enough. You do get to know another person after 35 years of marriage. Since this is my...maybe not such a great idea...idea - driving to town to pick up my precious seeds on this wintery day - my biggest motivator will be to prove that my truck and I can make it to town...because I have now committed...no going back. I tried not to let the words that were repeating in my head - over and over ...I think I can...I think I can...accidently pop out of my mouth. That would definitely not be the first time that would happen to me. I will be careful because I do not want to get stuck or go off the road and hear about it forever. After carefully maneuvering my sweet truck down our semi-plowed (two tracks) driveway which is gravel and dirt with potholes that fill with water, freeze and thaw to pick up our mail. I was ready to pull out onto our road. We are the only people living on this road, so it usually isn't plowed by the township until we make a call to remind them. We have a skid loader and a plow on my husband's truck - but sometimes there is more snow than our equipment can safely handle. To my delight, the township grader had come down our road and cleared it. I gave my 'old girl' another pat on her worn-out dashboard, and we together were off and on our way to town. We have had quite a bit of snow over the last few days and nights. So, slow deep breath in and out, drop shoulders from their position currently up by my ears as I grip the steering wheel and I push down slowly on the accelerator pedal. At first my husband was saying, "this is crazy" but his tune changed to, "come on girl...you can do it". I think he meant both of us...the truck and me. There were no cars on the road that we take to town...I just had to stay in the middle of the semi plowed road and watch for any oncoming traffic if there was any. And judge the height of any of the drifts of the road. Can I make it through them...or not...should I try? Since moving out here, it always amazes me how happy the smallest things can make me. And I basically - just giggle about these little happy moments - like my truck actually moving straight and forward in the snow - made my day...and now a box with so many possibilities waiting for us at the post office - it's the best day!
As I pull into the Post Office, I feel so excited about picking up my precious box of colorful little bags of seed for the beautiful gardens that I have imagined a million times over. With the word 'SEED" printed plainly on the box, the Postmistress asked if we had plans of planting a large garden. I told her that we were. A large vegetable garden, a large cut flower garden and a large herb garden. Word travels quickly in a small town - good free advertisement. I said that we hoped to sell our bounty at several local Farmer's Markets and also on fb marketplace. After telling them that I will have many more seeds coming, I say goodbye to the ladies at the Post Office and thanked them for their assistance and kind, neighborly words. They always seem excited about our projects and also hearing about them. We are probably the only 'newer' people in town. Also, I am a writer after all...so, my conversations are always engaging and creatively enhanced...not really fibbing...just making fun stories out of the simplest of ideas or events. It's my enthusiasm and the rush of adrenaline that I got from driving here when many others would not even be out on the road today that really put this story over the top. It will give them something to talk about after I leave with my box. I am always very animated and I occasionally...well, all of the time...make every conversation into what I think is a fun experience.
The library is within walking distance of the Post Office so, I put the box in my truck and thought I would take a look through the gardening and plant section and possibly pick up a few more books. I trudge through the snow on the semi cleared sidewalk. After stomping the snow off of my boots I was greeted by the library folks. They all knew me well - I am probably one of their best customers - my books are often late, and I pay the fines - so, I say 'that's my financial support of my Library'. I will be supporting it in other ways - they've asked me to give a class on 'how to get your book published' as I am going through that process right now. After talking to the library folks, I set out into the room to find 'new books' about plants. I was able to find 10 books that I had not read yet. I checked them out and waved goodbye. I walk back to my truck excited about my 'new reads' and of course my 'new seeds'. With my husband in the truck, we kept it running...even when he ran into the local coffee shop for two big cups of coffee and two chocolate covered glazed donuts. I back out, and we began our trip home.
I should stop calling my truck 'the old girl' - I'm in that category also - and wouldn't appreciate that name. I'll think of some other name for her. The ride home went very quickly. It was one of those rides that you remember leaving and then all of a sudden you are at your destination. Thoughts about my precious seeds flooded my thoughts apparently. I did get us home safely. We rarely meet many other cars on any of the roads we travel to town and if we do...we always do the small-town wave. Today would be a one finger wave not a full hand wave, as I was hanging onto the steering wheel which would get jerked around by drifts of snow.
Pulling into our yard, I couldn't wait to get into the cabin and open my much-anticipated box of seed. I have so many pots of dirt waiting for these precious seeds placed everywhere around our cabin. By every window and under every skylight. We also did venture into our upstairs area and found some amazing grow lights - apparently plants were grown up here that are now legal in MI - but were not when this operation was happening. Until we can build a greenhouse, our log cabin will have to do to get all of these plants started. I'm thinking that possibly the existing mobile home on the property could be renovated into a greenhouse - we'll see, it's already here and has water and electric.
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Our sweet loves waiting for us to feed, water and visit each day...
