Never mind the 5" of snow last night ... spring has arrived. And so has Mimsey.
Spring has spread its green fingers over the country. That is, the rest of the country. We hope to feel them soon here too. Still, maple syrup season is in full swing and it looks to be a fine year.
Oh, Wise Reader, we ask you, what is a home up on a hill without a mutt? Let us introduce Mimsey.
Michelle thought it’d be fun to have a dog to play with us in the woods.
Early in our marriage, we had a high-strung, independent-minded husky. Hmmm. This time she went looking for a rescue mutt who would be happy, obedient, and, well, kinda dumb.
At least we got happy. And mostly obedient. That is, unless it’s been unduly long since her last mile-plus walk. Like, you know, more than 45 minutes.
Since we still have ~2’ of snow on the ground, it’s too soon to plant the garden.
But it’s not too soon to start seedlings indoors.
Last year, our seedlings were small and leggy. So far, looking much better. Check out that lettuce. Doing so well, it’ll make it to our plates before getting into the ground.
Turns out that just not any grow light will do. Who knew?
Unfortunately, your humble editor has been out of commission for outdoors work due to a gimpy leg (“IT Band Syndrome” to the professionals).
Good news is that I’m well on the road to recovery now.
In the meantime, Michelle has picked up the slack.
You know the back of the New Yorker? Where they have those blank cartoons and readers can submit their own captions?
Doesn’t this photo deserve a caption?
Well, Esteemed Reader, it is up to you. Submit your entry now.
The New Vineyard Clearys had the pleasure of visiting the Bethesda/Potomac Cleary’s multiple times recently.
Zora and Chip went in February. Among the highlights: A dinner at Kevin and Francie’s and some crafting of fine pens (more below).
And then Michelle, who must’ve been impressed with our tales of gracious hospitality from Kevin, Francie, and the Grand Matriarch herself, came down in March.
As we introduce this year’s 25 Acre Woods Catalog, we’re pleased to announce that we now offer customizable artisanal pens, handcrafted from 25 Acre Woods maple.
Due to supply chain constraints and the limited availability of master craftsmen, your order make take some time to arrive.
As our final note for this digest, yes, we’re still burning. But we’re past the heavy lifting. Well over 80% done with the season.
We took a quick tally of the savings we realized this year through burning wood.
While we had some difficult technical problems getting an exact ROI, we’re pretty sure it’s impressive, right?
Yes, yes, needless to say, we’ll double down this year.
And, Gracious Reader, that’s a wrap for now.
As we look forward, key questions loom. Will the peppers pop? Will the Mule get a roof of its own? Will we have a screened-in porch before fall mosquito season? (We know it’s not happening before black fly season.)
Stay tuned in coming months as we unravel the answers to these and more.
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