Beautiful Day!

What a beautiful day in the "Hollow!" It is warm, sunny and almost feels like spring. I wish it were spring and the cold, wet, snowy, winter was behind us. The hill in my photo looks beautiful now but in winter all the snow that falls there ends up in my driveway. Not so beautiful. Because of the great day, I am putting up all of my outdoor Christmas decorations. It is so nice to put them up in a t-shirt instead of slogging through several feet of snow, trying to use a ladder, then ending up in the urgent care. (not that that has happened) The lights will not be turned on until Thanksgiving night. (except for a brief test lighting)

That being said, I mentioned in my last post that my phlox were still blooming. Here is a photo to prove it. Not a lot of blossoms but for November 8th it is almost miraculous! I will miss my flowers.


A few days ago, I got in a friendly, fun filled, discussion with a friend about who's hamlet is recognized by the state. I think I won as we have a sign and she does not. In my friends defense, her little hamlet is on the old maps. (as is mine) Here is a photo of my sign. I did not put it up, the state did. So I reason that if the state put up the sign, my little bend in the road is official. Hers is not! What say you?



On that note I see it is time to get a start on supper. Because of the beautiful weather we will cook outside and eat by a lovely fire in our fire bowl. If we are lucky our neighbors will join us. Till next time.

More snow!

We are having another fun filled day here in the "Hollow." They tell us that the snow will stop and then we should have a nice weekend. I love nice weekends. Our Halloween was uneventful. We travel to our sons house to see the littles in their costumes. They are so cute! Speaking of littles in costume, check out my sweet grand niece. I personally think she is the cutest!

My gardens are all put to bed with the exception of my phlox. I think I have backward flocks as they are still blooming! Really! Hot pink mixed with snow and dead leaves. I've said it before and still say it. The "Hollow' has it's own micro climate. Not a good thing in the winter as the snow loves to collect in my driveway. We also get snow when no one else is getting it. Whats with that? Enough of snow! I hate the stuff. Come on retirement and a warmer climate! Till next time.

Snow!

October 16th and we had snow! YUCH!!! Of course it didn't stay but the fact that we had it at all I find rather disgusting. As you could guess my garden has become a sea of stems and leaves with a few interspersed flowers that don't seem to want to let go. I think it is time to replant my three amaryllis bulbs and see what happens. Some years I get beautiful blossoms and others nothing. HMMMM. Speaking of blossoms, my Christmas catus is loaded with buds. I have never had so many. Must be it likes being thrown outside for the summer and ignored. I'll take a pic when the buds open.


The "Hollow" has a new member. His name is Tama and he is a beautiful burmese mountain dog. He visits with his mom quite regularly. He even has his own baby here. Right now he is only 15 pounds but he is expected to get up to 115 or so. What a sweet and beautiful animal he is.


My cats aren't even too afraid of him. That is unless he gets them to run. He loves that. I should say he has three cats at home so he is not mean towards them. He just wants to play.
I'm keeping this post short as there are a couple of hundred things I need to get done in the next hour so, so until next time.

I'm Back!

It has been some time. I was reeling from my moms death and buried myself for a while. It is getting better but I will always miss her. Forge Hollow has passed from summer onto fall. Fall has been as rainy as summer was. I long for sun. Lots of it. My garden was and still is quite lovely. There is a dahlia that is almost as big as a dinner plate and it's color is a dark red. Wonderful! The phlox are blooming again as are the fever few and shasta daises. In my new garden the mums and lavender are blooming and the smell and color is great. As for Lucy, she has gone to her original home. She liked to spend too much time in the road so for her sake she went back. I still miss her but it is best for her. The pond is on hold until summer. Then I will welcome wild geese and ducks. That way I hope I won't get to attached.
We had a bit of fun here in the "Hollow" last night. A hot air balloon came down across the road from my house. It was beautiful. I think I would like to take a ride.


As this summer has been a trial, I have spent a lot of time in the mountains. I have a very good friend who owns several cottages and he asked me to camp sit for him. Of course I said yes and headed north. I got to live on a beautiful lake and listen to the loons and get paid for it! A tough job but some one has to do it. I found it very restful. The view I had while there was great!


He asked me if I would be willing to watch the cottages next summer a few times. My reply? Does a bear ---- in the woods! Of course I will. I am not nuts! I took a quick trip up yesterday and the colors were spectacular. There is nothing more beautiful than upstate New York in the fall. The weather may stink but it is beautiful. That's it for now. Till next time.

HOME!!!

Lucy is home! Where she has been for the last 14 days is any ones guess. She isn't telling. Suffice to say, we are happy to see her. I can't believe I missed her goosage!



The garden is growing like a weed. Come to think of it so are the weeds. I really need to give it some major attention. The lavender is a deep purple with a scent that can only come from fresh lavender and the lily I took a pic of is a deep wonderful red. I did manage to mulch half of the garden and place stepping stones. Now on to the rest of it. As soon as it stops raining that is. Sunshine please!

The fever few in this pic is from my mom. She had three different varieties. So far I have two growing and flourishing. They are a beautiful plant that is great for cutting. What a pleasure it is to pick bouquets from my own garden. I see that the time is flying by so it is time to sign off. Till next time.

Gone

I have been up in the mountains for a few days and today my husband called and told me Lucy is missing. He has walked the creek and searched for her to no avail. I am hopeful that she just moved on as there is no evidence to the contrary. She will be missed.Till next time.

Fun In The Water

I walked down to the creek to see what Lucy was doing as she hadn't been up all afternoon. I had enough forethought to take my camera with me. She was swimming up a ways then floating down talking all the while. She is my only contact with domestic geese so I don't know if they all talk like she does but she is a motor mouth! If she doesn't like something she grumbles, if she is happy she chatters, if she wants something she looks at me a tells me. It really is amusing.


Lucy was having a wonderful time going up and floating down. Just like a kid she ignored me and continued on. I did enjoy watching her. You could see that she was really enjoying herself.


I snapped a few pics and left her to her floating and jabbering. About an hour later she came up demanding food. Which of course she received, in quantity. She loves to eat! But then so do I. For the next few days I will be in the mountains so maybe I'll post a time or two from there. Please don't worry about Lucy as my husband will be seeing to her wants and needs. When he isn't available there is a very good friend who will be seeing to her. Enjoy the sun. Till next time.

QUIET TIMES

I have a bench in the back yard that draws one to sit and reflect. The ferns I planted a couple of years ago seem to like the spot and the myrtle with it's beautiful periwinkle flowers are a sight to see. During the day it's a good place to listen to bird song but at night the wonder of lightening bugs are all around you. I remember as a child, my sisters and I would catch them and put them in a jar to keep by our beds to keep the night monsters away. It must have worked as I never did see a monster under or around my bed.


The locust trees are in full bloom now and the air is full of falling blossoms. The back lawn looks like it has snow on it. Lucy has a hard time deciding what to eat because the blossoms looked like her favorite food. (white bread) I tried to give her whole wheat once and the grumbling that came from her made me very aware that she did not like it! Yes, she is a very opinionated goose. Lucy is now sharing the back yard with a couple of squirrels, two small rabbits and a wood chuck. None of which seem to bother her or her them. It,s fun to sit and watch them go about their business with out getting to close to one another. In a few weeks the fawns will be in the yard. Every year the moms bring their babies to our yard so they can run and play. One year there were three fawns playing . What fun it was to watch.

I am sorry to say that the pond is on hold. My car needed the money more than the yard. I am still hoping though. As you can see, Lucy needs one. We sometimes go down to the creek and spy on her . She swims around talking to herself. I wish I knew what she was saying. With that thought I will say, till next time.

WINGS, FLOWERS AND THINGS

First I will tell you why I haven't posted lately. The day after my last post my mom passed away. Very shocking and very sad. I'm dealing. Now on to happier things. My gardens are growing at an amazing clip. The bachelor buttons are splendid, the lupins are almost ready to open their spikes and the feverfew have more buds than ever. Add to that bleeding hearts, columbine, (in two colors) beautiful orange poppies with many more getting ready to show off and you have lots of bright and happy colors. In the field next to my house are wonderful smelling wild flocks. The scent is almost intoxicating.

My new garden, (last fall) is looking good too. The winter kill I had has been replaced and all the plants are growing and blooming. Maybe next time I will show pics of that one. Lucy continues with her funny goose ways. She has a path around the house that she takes when she wants feeding. If I don't throw her some food she starts grumbling. Now be honest, have you ever heard a goose grumble? It is hilarious! She makes me laugh. Laughter is good. I'll finish up with a pic of our new driveway ornament. Till next time.

Of Goosage And Flowers

It's a beautiful morning here in the "Hollow." The gardens are growing like wild fire as are the dandelions in the yard. Lucy seems to like them. She has little paths where there are no blooming ones. If it weren't for the "goosage" I think a flock of geese would make my yard weed free. Because of the goose I can't put weed killer on the lawn so if she likes eating them I say great! In case your wondering how much a goose poops here is a pic taken of my very clean, just washed down side walk. Not pretty.


Putting poop aside, the bachelor buttons are blooming as are the chives and lilies of the valley. This yellow flower is quite lovely even if I haven't a clue what it is. Any ideas?



This afternoon the plan is to put my potted flowers together. I have several varieties of annuals to pot. Although I mix as many colors as I can, the lean is towards pink and purple. The only color I don't care much for is red. I will admit that there are several red flowers in the garden because the hummers love them. That reminds me, the humming bird feeder needs to put out. Also in full motion are the chipmunks. They're lucky I like them. My side yard looks like a mine field! There are holes every where. They have taken up residence right where the lawn chairs, picnic table and fire pit are. They are fun to watch even if they make a mess. Last year they "planted" sun flower seeds in the garden and I had several beautiful flowers from them. This year I have plans to plant them myself. Looking at the clock tells me that it's time to get a move on. Enjoy the sun and look at the wonders about you. Till next time.

Spring & Things

Spring has hit in a big way here in the Hollow. We have to wait a bit longer than some folks because we seem to have our own weather system here. But needless to say it is here. The bulb plants such as tulips and daffodils have bloomed and now we are enjoying the lilacs. I cut two large bouquets and put them in my house. The scent is wonderful! I wish they lasted longer. A couple of days ago my perennial gardens got infused with some new plants. There was a bit of winter kill that needed fixing so shopping I went. Lucy doesn't seem to care for them. I am very happy about that. She does like to taste them but leaves no real damage. As for sitting in them or strolling through them, now that's a different story. She drinks out of the bird bath! Her own personal watering trough.


We do love her! She still hisses at my husband but usually comes when I call her. I also come when she calls me! Yes, I am well trained. She sits at our door and tells me when to feed her. Of course I do. So far she has laid three eggs. None have survived the wild animals at the creek. Skunk maybe? The pond is still on hold but I haven't given up hope.

Many spring happenings here. I heard my orioles a few days ago so I know they are nesting in my huge willow tree. The morning sounds are wonderful. Birds are singing at the top of their lungs and in the evening the peepers are peeping as loud as they can. I love spring sounds. Smells too! With every thing blooming the scents are magnificent! With spring comes yard work. Mowing, raking,weeding and a myriad of other things to spiff up the homestead. Lots of work but definitely worth it. Lucy doesn't care for the mower but she just moves to another part of the yard. We have plenty of it for her to move in too. Well folks, that's it for now. Till next time.

Paths

I looked out my back window and saw Lucy's path. The ground was heavy with dew and between her belly and her large goose feet she left a very noticeable path. I just had to take a picture. She only came up to eat then went right back to her nest. Last night I tried to see how many eggs she has laid but she wouldn't let me near. They won't hatch as she is a single goose so I have to steal her eggs when she isn't looking. I feel like a bad goose mom but it has to be done.


I have new neighbors here in "The Hollow." A very nice young couple. As they like Lucy and cats they must be nice. I don't know if I ever mentioned the fact that I have four house cats. Their names are, Stupid, T.B., Bob and Sylvia. They are all characters. Speaking of characters, we have one here in The Hollow. Last night he was cutting down a very large tree right next to his house and even closer to the road. Why he was cutting it I don't know. It seemed healthy. But needless to say it was quite a good time watching. We congregated on my side lawn and watched and chatted. It was good that I had most of my lawn furniture out as there was a small crowd. Much to our dismay the tree fell right where it was supposed to. It didn't hit a thing. Maybe I ought to get him to cut a dead tree I have. HMMM!
As for the pond? It isn't any closer but I still hope to have it dug soon. I'll close with another picture of my favorite goose. (my only goose but still my favorite) Till next time.

Finally!

Yes, I am home. Yes, I am happy to be home. Yes, I have been exceptionally busy since my feet hit New York soil. You really don't want to hear of the many hospital visits or phone calls that I've had to make but I can tell you it is happily over with. My garden is starting to look like a garden and Lucy is doing well. She is eating pretty much what she wants and when I was gone she wanted my crocus's! My husband said she enjoyed every one of them. She tasted my tulips but found them not to her liking. Her pond is another step closer. Codes has given me the go ahead and the guy doing the digging came in with a very low estimate. (We have used him before and know the quality of his work.) Now we just have to come up with the cash!


In Colorado I saw many types of weather. We had a blizzard, rain, 70 degree sunny days and more snow. The day I left we had to wait for deicing. Long visits are nice but then so is coming home. Today I have been working a bit in the front garden. There are weeds to pull, borders to maintain and flowers to enjoy. Here are a few for you to enjoy.


This weekend we are going to the Finger Lakes for a wine and cheese tour. I will try to get some pics of the great views while I'm there. That's it for today. I will post again soon. Till next time.

Sunny Colorado?

Hello from northern Colorado. This morning the sun is shining and the weather looks good. But! There is a minor blizzard coming in for this afternoon and tomorrow. Their minor blizzard is only 6-8 inches so for us hardy upstate New Yorkers it's just a minor inconvenience. I've been in touch with the "Hollow" and Lucy is doing well. She is a bit hungrier than usual because I'm not there to feed her 8 times a day. I think she will survive. Even if she is only getting fed three times a day now. That's it for today. I hope to post some pics later. Till next time.

Rainy Sunday

It has been a rainy day here in the Hollow. The plants are loving it! My gardens seem to be growing as I watch. The crocus's are beautiful and the honey bees were in full force to be the first to taste them. Lucy seems to like the rain too. Of course she's a goose and geese are supposed to like things wet. All the more reason to put in a pond! As I type I can see her waddling about the back lawn. My husband is putting out a big container of water so she can drink without going to the creek. What a softy he is. We do love our "Lucy!"

I'm not sure when I will be able to post again as I will be flying to Colorado in a couple of days. My hope is to post from there. We'll see. I will be keeping in touch with people back home to make sure all the animals are doing well. I have my husband and two friends who are taking care of things while I'm away. Enjoy your day. Till next time.

The Girls

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This is what happened when the "girls" met. Nothing. They didn't even seem interested. Lucy now comes to the door for food. She has turned into a beggar! She looks in the door and honks at me. Of course I jump up and feed her. I train so easily. Just ask the cats!
My trip is just a few days away and I think I have every thing in place as to the care of the animals. My husband will feed morning and night, a friend will feed mid day and another friend will be on vet call. (I have two cats who need weekly vet visits while I'm gone) What fun animals can be! I do love them but would happily give up the vet bills. I think my son was cheaper! Then again, maybe not.
My gardens are showing more and more signs of life. All the bulb plants are shooting up at such a rate I am wondering if they will bloom while I'm gone. Other plants are popping green shoots. The pussy willows are blooming. I cut a few branches to put in the house. The "Hollow" is coming to life. Soon the trees will start to bud out and the grass will green up. I love spring, I love green and I love my gardens. So does the goose as you can see in this next photo. I caught her sleeping in my new bed. I hope she doesn't take a liking to perennial plants and flowers.

But isn't she cute?
Enjoy your day. Till next time.

The Forge

click on the photos
I took a walk yesterday and snapped some photos of the monument that commemorates Forge Hollow and of the creek I often speak about.

As for Lucy (the goose) she is doing well. She now knows how to come to the front door to beg for food. She also asks to be fed below our bedroom window. This usually happens quite early in the morning. It's a good thing we are early risers. I called our codes enforcer and was told I did not need a permit for a small pond. Yes, we are seriously talking about building one now. It seems we have a goose so it just follows that we need a pond for the goose. As I am leaving for my trip next week I don't think it will happen any time soon. Maybe in May if Lucy hangs around. That's it for today. Enjoy the sun. Till next time.

It's Here!!!

SPRING!!!

It is finally here! Yes, it's cold,24 degrees this morning, yes, I see snow out of my front and back windows and yes, we will get even more snow, but it is still spring! When I step outside, as I do every morning about 6:15, I am hearing more and more bird songs. My gardens are showing a lot of little green shoots. The willow on my front lawn is getting very yellow. The best part of spring is sunshine! I admit it. I am a sun worshiper. I lay in the sun, I read in the sun, I garden in the sun, any excuse to be out in it. Add a body of water and it's perfect. Oh yes, I love water too. At camp I sit by the water. If it rains I sit inside and look at the water. Today is going to be a busy day for me. I am spring cleaning! That's on top of getting everything I own ready for my trip to Colorado. No, I am not taking it all, just one carry on. But I have to have every thing ready for any kind of weather so that the day before I leave, after I will check the weather, I can pack accordingly. It has been quite warm there so I am hoping it will continue. That's it for now. Maybe later I will another photo of one of my indoor pets. HMMMM! which one? Have a great day. Until later. It's Bob!

Spring

Tomorrow brings spring to Forge Hollow. Here it means hope. Hope for many things such as, warm weather, forsythia blossoms, budding trees, green grass and my favorite, spring flowers. The bulbs I planted last fall are getting taller and I have noticed more and more popping up. The anticipation is growing. I planted many kinds of bulbs in several places so it should be wonderful when they start to bloom. I think spring is my favorite season. I love watching the earth come to life. Speaking of life, I hear Lucy calling to me. She now comes to my front door and honks for food. She is training me to be her servant! I must train easily as I have already been trained by four furry friends in the house. Our throw away cats rule inside and now Lucy rules the outside. Yes, all of our cats were abused or thrown away. We find them a joy. Of course I am one with my vacuum cleaner but it's worth it. That's another thing spring brings, shedding! I don't enjoy that. Big tuffs of hair drifting all over can be a bit annoying. Oh well, I love my pets so I put up with it and of course, vacuum, vacuum, vacuum. I am posting a photo of our newest taken last Christmas. Her name is Sylvia. Enjoy your day. Until next time.

Wonderful!

What wonderful weather we are finally having! I have been so busy. Today I hope to clean up my front garden. All the bulbs I planted last fall are sticking their heads out and giving the hope of spring. Of course this is upstate New York so we know the snow will still fall and the wind will still chill us to the bone but the hope of spring is there waiting with my flowers. Yesterday I heard a red-winged black bird calling. I love that the birds are returning to sing us awake.

Lucy, my resident goose, is still here and seems to be making herself at home. She spends her days in my yard and nights in the creek. We are seriously talking about a pond now. I talked to her owner yesterday and they told me we could keep her and that they would locate a male and give him to us in hopes that she would accept him. I'm not sure she is staying or what is going to happen yet so a male is on hold. Lucy has quite a personality. I had a small gathering yesterday and she greeted everyone. Her honking can be loud and startling if your not expecting it. As I said before, geese make good watch dogs.

In a couple of weeks I'm off to Colorado. I have a new grand niece I can't wait to see. Family is very important to me. I have three grand nephews who know they are loved and now my first grand niece. The sad part is she is a long way away. I guess that's why airplanes are popular. I managed to find a very good fare with great travel times so off I go.

It's now time to go out and work my little piece of earth. Till next time.

Spring?

I know it is to soon for spring but there are many signs of it being right around the corner. I am so pleased to find many bulbs coming up and several other plants showing signs of life in my garden.

As for Lucy, the goose, she is doing well. I am already trained to her demands of food and she is enjoying the temporary pond in our back yard. If she hangs around I may get the pond I've always wanted. What fun! I do wish her mate hadn't died but if she stays we will try to introduce a new male to her and see what happens.


Thats it for today. I hope for a sunny and early spring. Till next time.

Wonderful!

What a difference two days make! It is 57 degrees and I just noticed that several spring bulbs are peeking out of the garden mulch. What they are is any ones guess as I planted them last year and did not take note as to what was planted where. My windows were showing more dirt than glass so they got a fresh look thanks to water and ammonia. I love clean windows. A friend asked me once how I kept them clean?????? No, she wasn't blond. My friendly neighborhood goose is still living here. Her owner tried to catch her but to no avail. He said he would try to herd her to the creek and push her up while in the water. I hope it works because she is lonely and not very happy without her mate. This afternoon I received an e-mail from my niece with a photo of an eagle that has been hanging around her place. It seems he likes the good living on Keuka Lake over in the Finger Lakes. I am attaching the pic she sent me. What wonderful birds they are. I hope for a great weekend and much laughter. Until next time.

Still

It is now March 4th and we are still in a deep freeze. The weather man tells us that will change soon. We still have good sized snow banks and ice. Daylight savings time is coming upon us and spring is just around the corner. How I hope for an early and nice spring. As for the goose, she is still here. At night she goes to the creek and during the day she sits in my back yard calling. She now has a name. I decided to call her Lucy. It seems to fit. I have been feeding her bread but plan to pick up some cracked corn today. I figure if she is going to hang around I won't let her go hungry. I've been thinking that maybe a pond in my back yard wouldn't be a bad thing. We'll see if she hangs around. Till next time.

Sad news

I am very sorry to say that the male goose was hit by a car today. The female was sitting on my lawn but since has moved and I can't find her. How sad that there are people who don't care for their pets.

Visitors

The geese have decided they like it here in the "Hollow." Maybe it's the food I've been giving them? The neighbors have been joking about tough times and how good a goose dinner would taste. They are rather large but most likely not to tasty. I have called the owners which say they will be down to get them but so far no one has come. The male hisses at me all the time I'm feeding them. A bit ungrateful I think. They are lucky I like them. I hear geese make great watch dogs. Hmmmm.

Melting!

We in Forge Hollow are very happy the snow is melting. Robins have been seen and we even had two large white geese. Of course they were just visiting from a neighbors up the road but it was fun feeding them. They seem to show up when the creek gets high. I'm told they just float down and explore where ever they land. If they visit again I will try to snap a picture to post. Along with warmer temperatures come the need to clean out, scrub windows and make things brighter. I believe it is called spring fever. In this house it is very much in evidence. Drawers open, dust cloths out and vacuum cleaner running. My wish is to be able to work out side but that will have to wait for a couple of more months. I am posting a photo from last July because it is what I long for. The "Hollow" has been wet and white for much to long. Enjoy your day.

Summer garden

It is another cold day in "The Hollow." I wish for summer. The sun is shining and that should warm it up a bit today. Yesterday I did some errands in Ilion and upon returning I found that my section of road was the worst I had driven on. The wind never seems to stop here. As I write I have sheets on my clothes line in the hope that they will not only dry but will not wrap around the line. There have been times that I thought I would have to cut the line to get them off. The wind comes off Danials nose and hits my side yard at full force. Nice in the summer but brutal in the winter. Speaking of summer, Have I mentioned that I long for it? I am posting a photo of what I long for. I hope for an early spring and lots of flowers. Till next time.

Sunday, February 22, 2009

Forge Hollow is a small hamlet between two curves in a creek. It is not a village but a few houses with a sign. When the Forge Hollow sign went up a couple of years ago we all had to go out and look at it. We finally had a sign! Several years ago,before the sign, while working in my yard, a car stopped and asked where Forge Hollow was. I threw out my arms and told him he was there. I doubt that was the answer he was looking for as I had to give him directions to a certain house. With that said, it is where I live. The "Hollow" is a very historical area. There used to be a forge on the creek and a thriving business. We even had a school. The old school house is now a house and the forge with it's dams are gone. In the past there has been some discussion about the hill across from my house. I say it is called Daniels Nose. End of discussion. The weather here is different than anywhere else. Every road in the county can be clear but when you drive through here be careful. For some reason the snow likes to pack in here. Then it blows. Spring comes later here too. I can't explain it it just is. In the next posts I will try to tell more of this place and it's people. Have a great day.