Neighbours

It’s clear cold and bright outside. The stars are screaming bright and the snow makes everything glow in the dark. And the sound of the wind, high in the trees, is thrilling because it’s so a wild and natural a sound like the sound of pounding waves. The fresh air on my skin feels wonderful and I love the faint smell of my fire, smelling like my forest incense.

I’m meeting Jay for breakfast. The rest of the day will be as uneventful as the past few days. I may get some fence work done; I may work on Mertz Manor.

Friday, my only real accomplishment was going out to the cistern to look for the new gauge on it — and to read it — before I paid the invoice for its installation. It’s there, but I think it’s reading incorrectly so I need to talk to Al and I’d rather pull all my fingernails off than talk to Al.

At 1:30 in the afternoon, big white flakes of snow started falling amongst the raindrops. It was dark and gloomy. I loved it. I got comfy by the fire and sat and watched it fall. Soon it turned to exclusively heavy wet snow and I was out shaking it off my Rhododendron. I got just a dusting. Jay called from the other side of the island; he had three inches.

When I went out to get some wood I decided to try burning a few pieces of bark. I have a lot of it — big thick pieces from huge Fir trees. I’d avoided using it until yesterday but once I did I had to go around and open windows because it got so hot inside the house. Wow, just wow. Burning bark is like putting a jet engine in your woodstove.

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I have neighbours. The place next door was evidently purchased; I knew it was up for sale. But damn. Their house is quite close to our shared property line. I am going to do some planting to obliterate my view of their house.

My goodness: How I have changed! When Steve and I were living on West 15^th in Vancouver, when new neighbours moved in next door, I went over with flowers and baking to welcome them to the neighbourhood.

I think, on the plus side, they are only weekenders.

A saffron market in Afghanistan. Oh for one pile!