The Chimney Sweeps...

...are coming today!

Their names are H.O.W. & W.O.W.!



This picture is what one should look like,
in the true sense of the Profession.....
But....
Because Cowboy and I are both deathly afraid of heights, I'm quite positive we won't look so confident.
Fear will no doubt preside over our faces,
along with the soot!
Not to mention the fact that our roof line is NOT that flat! Ours has an 8-12 pitch!
That is STEEP!
(and no... I'm not talking Tea Talk!)




The next few hours shall be interesting to say the least.

Of course, since we are a family with a long history of Procrastinators, this chore has been put off way too long!
We must now, face our fears head on!
It has been downright chilly for well over two weeks, in the frigid range of 13º to 22º through the darkness.
Many a log has turned to glowing embers of scarlets and orange, already.
Smoke is infiltrating our breathing spaces each time the door is opened.

This old house has two, 2-story chimneys and the one with a funky crook in it's configuration has brought us nothing but billowing grief each winter.

Yet, for the sake of warmth which is nurturing for the heart and soul...not to mention for proper functioning of the hands that cook or these hands that want to blog, these chimneys are a blessing.

Thus far, this cold and blue morning, we have managed to kill some time by downing a pot and a half of coffee for courage as we sat in solemn silence.
Each of us secretly drawing from within the depths of our minds,
searching for the strength to carry out this dreaded task...

It is 7:18 am and the time has come!
...Without further ado, we must don our hats, gloves and coats;
grab the chains, the brushes and ladders!
We must meet the demons of creosote!

I fear, if we continue to drag our feet any longer,
we will cause holes to form in our souls soles!
New boots are on our list of things we cannot buy!

Just to make this more ordeal even more eerie....

The first time we were forced to clamber up the steep pitches towards the chimney top, was three Christmases ago (2005) in a pouring down rain.
We had had a chimney fire and all the burned off creosote came crashing down to that funky crook, plugging this whole chimney not allowing any smoke to leave. That fire smoldered for days. We were forced to hire a Pro Chimney Sweep.
Do you know they charge by the story?? It was way too costly, so we have taken on the amateur ways of a Chimney Sweep...do it yourself!
* * *
That cold and wet December night, was our second 'encounter' of having another "Presence" amongst us.

* * *

Maybe I'll post about that for Halloween...but it is the truth, and Hydro was here to witness it too!
Even the mere thought of, or the mention of, gives Cowboy the willies,
so I think I'll wait until this sooty story is behind us to remind him of that night's encounter!


By the way...if you don't hear from me in a few days?
You might send the search & rescue our way!
(Does not mean they'd find us though, Fed-ex never can!)
Silence on my end, could mean that our fears got the better of us
and we took a giant "leap of faith" and landed elsewhere....
OR...
the "Presence" reappeared at an untimely moment!


OOOooooowwwWWW




(Sorry, but I had to enable that word scrabble thingy...spammers are getting me
and I cannot find the "garbage can" thing to delete their nonsense!)

Why, when you have plans....

.....do they always go amuck??

I awoke this morning with grandiose goals.

They failed to come to fruition.

• Hence, no continuation from yesterday's Oprah post.
• Cowboy is gone gathering cattle up north for a week.
• Chores are all mine to do again.
• It dropped to 19 degrees last night....BRRRRRrrrrrrr!
• Water troughs were froze.
• The electric fence is NOT working and I cannot tell you how many times I walked around these pastures and pens, contorting my neck, touching wires, rewrapping, etc. until I just gave up! I'm pretty good at finding the 'errors' but not today! Hopefully, every critter will save their energy for warmth & not test the waters! Of course they'd have to climb through 4 other wires too if they feel the need for escape....but my luck???
• Chickens thought they died as I didn't lock them up in their coop last night.
• Split kindling and starter size firewood and brought armloads of wood in, hopefully for 2 days at least. I needed to warm the house up. Yea! my first fire of the year! A month earlier than normal, so Cowboy had better come back with a bunch more firewood!
• Have been on the phone non stop with different family members today with different "issues" with each one. (Yes...I have BROAD shoulders & cauliflower ears and that is why I'm so short! Years do take a toll!)
• My one sister is coming tomorrow for the weekend...bringing her 2 grandkids that she's raising...this will be "interesting" to say the least....(long story).
• I'm tuckered out and didn't get to do my curling up with a book and numerous cups of tea or coffee as I had hoped and dreamed about, but at least I didn't have to make dinner!

PB & J is always good for me!

G' nite, sweet dreams and I'll catch up with ya'll when I can squeeze a few minutes in behind closed doors...alone...I will be needing some alone time these next 2-1/2 days with the sister's visit.
(but where the heck are my blogrolls?? Blog Rolling Gone?? or just 'down' for the night??)
10/10~Guess they got hacked into...supposedly, now I'm going to go through and write all of you down,
so I don't lose it again...

The Dog Days of Summer...

...are winding down!


The chill of this morning’s air, a mere 33 degrees, fills my nostrils with a cool reflection of the days ahead. I am sitting on the front porch wrapped in my blanket (“Hydro” promises the robe is in the mail TODAY!) sipping my first cup of coffee and I see two deer heading towards the creek for their morning drink. They trod down the same dusty path that has been worn over the seasons,
they know their way.
* * *
I trampled the same paths every day for the past 3 months. I know my way.
But today, with the last of the tomatoes turned to sauce and the final Jalapeno’s thickened into jelly last evening, I can embark on a different route.
I’ve packed away the canners, the jars and the tongs; the kettles, the knives & the clean kitchen towels. What remains growing in the garden will garnish the chicken’s plates for a few weeks to come.
In a different time, in a different home, this time of year, the deer would come for their desserts of summer. I would watch them tenderly climb through my maze of tomatoes and vines, selecting only the finest at first. My garden beckoned them when I was through, and somehow they knew.
The deer here, in this place and time, seem to prefer the wheat stubble where the splattering of wheat kernels from the harvest now complete, will fatten them up for the long winter ahead.
I am grateful for this bounty that’s filled the freezers and lined my pantry shelves. We will reap the labors of my summer in the months to come.
When the killing frost arrives, I will pull the wilted remains tossing them on my newest compost pile. I then will do one last weeding, and fill my wheelbarrow over and over with compost from the 1st pile (I maintain 3, of different stages) dumping them into my raised rows, turning it into the soil lightly for winters rest period.
BUT… after this year? I may not plant another!
I say that every Fall!

I’m ready to enjoy the changing season.
With little time left before the cold Northerns begin to hover, I need to take the time to enjoy the warmth and colors of a lingering fall.



Today~ I will begin to breathe the sweet fragrance of the rose as it warms with the morning sun, and inhale the pungent Sage dripping in dew.



While Purple Verbena creep tenderly across the dampened soil,








a Yellow Rose will glisten under the
new blue morning.

Tea Roses will quietly open in a cool display,
as the “Flame Pot”warms with the breezy air.










My Crimson Roses will splash with color and profusely spread its perfume.
I love the mornings when they are living and vivacious!





The fresh cut grass lazily shakes its blades sending the bouquet of greetings to my senses, now renewed.

Even the spice of Marigold is welcomed this day as things awaken.



I am nauseous from the garden flavors,
their aromas drenching my walls.
So...
Today, I begin a new journey.
A new season awaits me.
I know there are more chores that await my attention, but for the moment, I plan to savor these mornings in their complete splendor.

Cowboy has been patient over the summer as he knows my passion for gardening, and he loves the rewards it brings, to his senses and his palette.
He does love to eat!
His labors are more intense without my help yet he never complains.
Secretly, as I stashed and stored my processing supplies for winter, I know he was grinning. Within a few days he can count on my shoulders to help him with summer’s neglected duties.

And I’ll be ready and eager for something “new”.
It will be a treat of sorts to get out in the barnyard, get a new kind of dirty!

Even back to the good old mucking!

Company, Clients & Chaos...

...meant I had to spend my day like this!

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Once in awhile, life requires indoor chores as well!

Thanks Sarah...for the pix :)