On Wednesday I got up late again, after 6AM, and by the time I’d gotten my post up and done chores it was 8AM. This was the view out the dining room window as I ate breakfast on a frosty morning.
I had filled the feeders the night before and the birds were flocking to them. Feeder on right has a purple finch, next one has goldfinches as does the one behind it. There’s a purple finch on this one too.
On the ground the single squirrel that’s found the seed on the ground was there, along with a chipmunk. It’s unusual to see chipmunks this late in the year. I imagine the squirrel will figure out getting on the feeders sooner than later.
There’s a mourning dove by the chipmunk and a lone junco at bottom.
My general helper arrived at 10 and she mixed up the pumpkin pudding while I finally got dressed and ready for the day. We went and did errands and shopping and were home in time to discover the temperature on the oven had been changed lower and the pudding wasn’t even half cooked.
So I turned it up and when I took it out an hour later, I discovered that the little convection oven is failing in a third area: the fan. The back of the pudding was black in a few places.
It had already had the timer fail and the temperature had to be set at 450F to get 350F. So it looks like I will have to get a new oven sometime soon. That will make the 4th one of this exact model we’ve worn out over the last 25 years or so.
My general helper got all the house plants watered while I sat and rested. She left at 2PM and would be back at 5PM to bring me to Tom’s solstice party.
I tried to get a photo of the huge circle of friends around this fire, but the camera crapped out. I managed this one later with Tom and friend. There were probably about 40 people (lots of kids) there.
Once the circle and singing was done, complete with candles for everyone, we went in and dug into the wonderful food everyone had brought. Then the kids who played instruments or sang gathered in the living room and made music.
My intern, Tom’s middle daughter, had come up from South Carolina and I was so delighted to see her. She has done well down there, a good job and just bought a reliable Jeep. That’s her in the ornament she made me a couple years ago.
I visited with another friend of the family, comparing gardens and homesteading and home repair stories. I had a grand time listening to the music, eating good food, and talking with people.
My intern brought me home around 9:30PM, late for me. I got the fires tended, candles off and shades pulled and was in bed just after 10PM.
On Thursday I hope to finally finish the bills/budget cleanup and in the late afternoon I have another mulch hay delivery.