The Snow Moon exploded onto the scene Wednesday with tornadoes across the region. I awoke at 2:15 a.m., Wednesday morning to see that a tornado warning had been issued for our immediate area. There was rotation spotted in the radar in a thunderstorm headed our way. We did get some very heavy winds for about a minute that ripped down several of our trees on the farm, but no damage was done to any of our buildings. We were very fortunate. Over 50 people were killed by tornadoes that night across our region.

The weather overall for the week was more like a Rain Moon than a Snow Moon. Here on the farm we recorded .72 inches of rain. Other places in eastern Ky reported from an inch to 4 inches causing some flooding for folks down in the valleys.

The temps were very mild, too. The average high and low for this week is 45/27. Our actual average high and low this week was 57/40. Our highest temp was 70F on Wed with the lowest temp 29F on Friday morning.

The transition to Spring is becoming more evident, everyday. Vicki and I thought that we heard some Spring Peeper frogs peeping early in the week. Sure enough, Wednesday morning on my way to work I saw frogs leaping across the road in the rain. I noticed that the Doves have begun calling again after a winter of silence. The flowers are getting in on the act, too. Daffodils and Irises are sprouting next to our house and Saturday I saw the first Coltsfoots blooming. You can see some pictures in our most recent album. I also included some pictures of the wind damage to the trees on the farm.

Saturday, Vicki and I spent the better part of the day cutting away a Beech tree that had fallen across Fox Trot path in the storm. Vicki trimmed some of the bigger branches to use for fence posts.

Rachel is out of heat now and greatly enjoys the freedom to roam as she pleases with the other dogs. We’re expecting pups around the first week of April. Should be a good time for them to arrive.

 Hope ya'll have a great week!

Rg

Nin Ash

“No prize in beauty higher than the sky,

Wider than spear can shoot or seer can scry.

The fork that wefts the web can straighter grow

Than any weaving woven here below.” *

Another shuttle launched into space this week. This mission is carrying a science lab which will be added onto the space station. Astronauts have been my heroes since I was a little boy following the Apollo Moon missions, watching Neil Armstrong step onto the moon on our neighbor’s TV (they had color TV), proudly wearing my space watch which had a space capsule orbiting around the dial as a second hand.  The new science lab promises benefits for mankind. Molecules behave differently in the zero gravity of space and space science has already provided us new technologies and products. New medicines and cures for severe illnesses can be created in space which are not possible to create here on earth. “Forks…can straighter grow” in the upper realm of space.

Our Celtic ancestors were familiar with an upper world where superior tools, cures and wisdoms could be appropriated by those who were brave and wise enough to make the journey. I admire those today who are pioneering the effort to venture into the frontier of the upper world. My hope is great that the wisdom found there will be a great benefit to our world here.

* from “Ogham Wisdom Sticks” by Caitlin Matthews

The weather highlight of the week was 1.2 inches of rain falling onto Crann Mor Feirm. That brought our total for the month of January to 2.43 inches which is about an inch below the normal of 3.56 inches of rain for the month. The drought, though not severe here, lingers on.

The temps were near average for this time of year. We had a high of 55F on Tue the 29^th and a low of 16F on Thu the 31^st. The average highs and lows for the week were 45/27. The normal averages are 43/26. Our monthly average highs and lows were 42/26 which is the dead on the normal January average of 42/26.

A big departure for January was the amount of snowfall we received. According to the National Weather Service 3.5 inches of snow fell in our area in January. The normal snowfall for January is 7 inches and the snows we received were in doses of about a half inch at a time and these snows melted before the next fell. We are coming into the Snow Moon soon. We’ll see if that makes up for the January deficiency.

With the rainfall we experienced some hard, gusty winds of up to 40-50 mph. No major damage but with the soft ground and the heavy winds the fences caging the fruit trees and the split rail fence in the backyard did some heavy leaning which needed correcting.

Rachel, our Golden Retriever, came into heat this week. Jake, our male retriever and Rachel hooked up Saturday and so we are expecting puppies around the beginning of April. Spring is going to be very busy around here and puppies will add to the fun!

We celebrated Imbolc by spending a lot of time outdoors on Saturday. Imbolc is the ancient Irish holiday which celebrates the return of the sun, the first glimpse of Spring around the corner. Imbolc is the time when sheep begin lactating in preparation for the lambs. The goddess of Imbolc was Brigit, the symbol of light, inspiration and healing. We felt like we could tell a difference in the “tone” of the day Saturday.

Along with the sheep lactating other signs of coming Spring are the mating seasons of Bobcats, Skunks and Raccoons beginning this month. Screech owls will begin calling. Wood Ducks will be scouting for nesting sites. Great Horned Owls begin incubating their eggs and Turkey flocks will be at their largest at this time of year. We noticed that the Red-Bellied Woodpeckers and Wrens have been especially chatty, recently. Even though February is seemingly the “longest” month of the year the signs are in the air that Spring is on its way. Take heart!

There will be a dramatic astronomical event this month on the 20^{th (Wed)}. That evening there will be a total eclipse of the moon which will be visible throughout North America. It will start around 8:00 p.m. in its beginning phase and go through about 10:00 p.m., I think. Hope for clear skies and check it out.

“No prize in beauty higher than the sky,

Wider than spear can shoot or seer can scry;

The fork that wefts the web will straighter grow

Than any weaving woven here below.” *

I have the opportunity to be outside driving in my Jeep for several hours every workday in the wee hours of the morning. At all times of the year but especially during the winter when the air is dry and clear the night sky dazzles me with its brilliance. The moon, the planets, the stars never cease to amaze me with their beauty. Sitting by a campfire on a cool, Fall evening watching meteors flash across the sky is a spectacular bonus. Like most, I suppose, since I was a child I have been mesmerized by the night sky. Beyond its beauty, its magnificence, the night sky with its Billions and Billions (remember Carl Sagan?) of stars, planets and galaxies speaks to me of infinite possibilities. The scope of it all is beyond what my mind can comprehend. It only takes a few moments gazing into that sparkling expanse to renew my perspective of my life, my place in the world and of life on our own planet. It is humbling and inspiring at the same time. The night sky has captured our imagination through the history of Man like nothing else. Small wonder the ancient Irish included it in the sacred three of Land, Sea and Sky.

* from Caitlin Matthews “Ogham Wisdom Sticks”.

This was easily our coldest week of the 2007-2008 Winter. An arctic cold front swept down from Canada across the Plains and Midwest and shocked us all with the bitter cold. The northern plains were the worst with temps way below zero. Our coldest temp here at Crann Mor was 1F on Friday morning, the 25^th. But we were also down to 7F and 6F on Monday and Tuesday, the 20^th and 21^st. Our high for the week was 40F on Tuesday the 22^nd. Our average high and low for the week was 33/14. Normal averages are 42/25, so we were well below normal this week. Our precipitation is also below normal. We have had skiffs of snow almost everyday but the actual precipitation is negligible. We only had .2 of precip this week and only 1.53 for the month. Our normal precip for January is 3.56. The National Weather Service has updated their Drought Monitoring to show that Eastern Kentucky is still in a drought with southeastern Ky in a severe drought. We have been catching up a little the past few months but we can use some more water falling from the sky.

Monday morning I awoke to find our water pressure low. Last year during a freeze our water pipes froze for most of a day and we had no water during that time. I tried to prevent that this year by wrapping the water pipes under the house with foam insulation and by covering the ground outside the house with a pile of straw where the water line comes in and is shallow. The low water pressure made me think my efforts were half successful – some freezing had occurred but we still had water flow. I let the water run from the faucet to keep it from freezing more. A couple of hours later I looked out the back door to see the sun rising and heard an unfamiliar gushing sound. I craned my head to look towards the back of the house and saw ice all through the back yard. The water pipe to our outdoor faucet had frozen and busted and the low water pressure in the house was because so much water was gushing from the pipe into the yard. I made an unplanned trip to Wrigley’s and got a cap for the pipe and some glue and in the 6 degree air cut off the pipe and glued on the cap. That solved the problem for now. This Spring I will install a gate valve under the house to turn off water to the faucet with the hope that it won’t freeze and burst again next year.

Even though the snows we received this week barely covered the ground and the roads Cindy’s school was dismissed early on Thursday and called off for Friday. The bus didn’t come up our drive on Tuesday either. And with the early dismissal on Thursday the driver called and asked Vicki to pick up Cindy down on the highway so she wouldn’t have to drive the bus up our blacktop and driveway. In the past this area has averaged 18 inches of snow in the Winter. When we get the average snowfall they must not have school at all in Jan and Feb.

I took the Jeep down to Ben’s to get the brake pads replaced. They were worn down to the metal. Ben’s shop is just down at the end of our road at the intersection of Route 7 and Hogtown Ridge. We thought we would only need the back brakes replaced but when we looked at the front it was obvious they needed replaced, too. Ben drove 10 miles down to West Liberty to get some pads for the front. All four brakes were fixed for $110. The only paper I signed was the check and while Ben and Kevin worked on the brakes I stood next to the coal stove to stay warm. We talked about fishin, the recent murders on Bear Ridge, the cold weather, the high gas prices, high cigarette prices and quitting smoking. All done in an hour.

Vicki started another painting this week. She is painting a goldfinch hovering in some wildflowers. It will be a beauty.

We found a product at Lowe’s Saturday that we are going to use to amend our heavy clay soil. The product is a 40 lb mix of compost and cow manure for $1.50. I am going to pick up a bag or two every week and use this to amend our garden soil and other spots where we plant vegetables and flowers. There is a little sawmill just up the road a piece from us. They bring their sawdust up to the side of Hogtown Ridge and anyone can pick up all the sawdust they want for free. We think it will make a good mulch and soil amendment to help our soil drain better so we are going to start filling up some bags and using that around the farm as well.

Rg

Uir Heather

Deep underground there sleeps the summer’s brood,

Waking at sun’s lance whence the seed was strewed.

Shrouding the dead one, winter turns her face,

Welcoming growth within earth’s dark embrace. *

The dispersal of seed receives a lot of attention in the plant kingdom. It is interesting to me to note how plants have evolved to exploit the various agents of dispersal available. The Dandelion and many plants like it create tiny seeds attached to fluffy dander that can be carried easily by the wind. The Maple trees use the wind, too, but having a much larger seed they create the familiar webbed key that we see spiraling through the air. Other plants like the Flowering Tick Trefoil attach themselves to animal fur as they rub against the plants while searching for food. Still other seeds hope to be ingested by an animal and be execrated at a different location. And then there are plants which are content to let their seeds fall nearby and stay close to home. The Walnut trees, however, seem to like a buffer zone. They secrete an enzyme into the soil around the base of the tree which prevents other trees, including Walnut trees, from growing too close.

I am reminded that plants are very sensitive to their environment and adapt themselves to use the available agents to accomplish their purpose. A similar sensitivity and wisdom would serve me well.

* from “Celtic Wisdom Sticks” by Caitlin Matthews.

Winter Turns Her Face

Uir Heather

Deep underground there sleeps the summer’s brood,

Waking at sun’s lance whence the seed was strewed.

Shrouding the dead one, winter turns her face,

Welcoming growth within earth’s dark embrace. *

Here in the mid-latitudes we have the privilege of seeing Winter’s face. On this January morning she is staring at us head on – the temperature is 8F. We tend to avoid Winter’s face. We stay indoors to avoid the coldness of her stare, the gloom on her brow. Winter must be a lonely woman – few will look her in the eye. We hunker down our heads against her cold breath. We wrap ourselves in scarves and hoods so that the only thing visible as we brace ourselves against the face-numbing chill are our feet trudging through the snow and ice.

The ancient tales speak of an old, haggard woman – a hag, as the personification of Winter. Clearly our perception of Winter is not a pleasant one. Winter is an uninvited, unwelcome guest that must be uncomfortably endured. And yet, in the ironies and paradoxes that color our world, we find that when kindness is shown to the forsaken magic can happen. Can we find it within us to see the beauty in Winter’s face? Does Winter represent the many in our world who are forsaken? Do I see the beauty in their faces? Can we welcome Winter as a friend? If we can, perhaps a new beauty will be seen in our faces.

* from “Celtic Wisdom Sticks” by Caitlin Matthews.

Wolf Moon 2 gave us an average week temperature wise. We had a high of 48F on Sun followed by a low of 15F on Wed. The average highs and lows for the week were 38/26. The normal averages are 41/25, so we were pretty close to the average for this time of year. Snow flurried about several days this week but there were no accumulations, although Cindy’s school was called off one day due to the skiff of snow on the roads. We did get a tenth of an inch of rain on Thursday. That gives us about 1.23 inches for the month so far.

Vicki sold one of her paintings in her Ebay store this week. This was Vicki’s first sale from her Ebay store and it was very exciting and encouraging for her. She will be placing some more of her paintings in her store soon.

I was in Loew’s one day earlier this week and saw they had fresh supplies of seeds and gardening supplies. That’s all it takes to get our garden dreams going so we went to Loew’s in Morehead and picked up some peat pots, watering trays and seed starting mix along with some seeds for perennial flowers which we will start and plant along the driveway – “Bell flower, Snow-in-Summer, and Carnations. We also got Rock Soapwort, Primrose and Sunflower seeds. We’ll start them all indoors and then harden them off outside and transplant them.

Caney came out of heat this week so she is back to running with the big dogs. She was grateful for the release and the opportunity to bed down with Rachel and Jake where she can stay warmer. Winter is tough for a short-haired dog.

Wolf Moon Week 1 Jan 6-12, 2008

Another wide-ranging week temperature wise. We reached 72F two days in a row this past week. Things cooled down by the end of the week when we reached a low of 29 F Saturday night.  Our average high and low for the week was 60/42. Our normal averages are 42/26. The rains keep coming. We received a total of 1 inch of rain this week. A half inch of that rain fell on Wednesday. The creeks are running full and strong and there has been some flooding in the valleys.

It’s the time of year when Red Lichen Moss begins blooming and it is right on schedule. The tiny little blooms are clustered together in spectacular displays of bright, bold red. The blooms remind me of eency weency cauliflower heads that are striking red. They are worth a trip into some clearing in the woods to see them. Five-fingers are beginning to sprout new leaves. They will be sporting yellow strawberry like blooms in a few months. I also saw a Lamb’s Ear plant down in Bobcat Alley sprouting new velvety soft leaves. On the two days when the temp reached 72F I saw moths fluttering about outside while I was walking. That seemed strange for this time of year.

I saw a coyote cross the road in front of me in the fast food district of Maysville as I was driving through the other morning. Coyotes in town will get some people agitated I am sure.

Two men were murdered over on Bear Ridge this past week. The family claims they were robbed for some settlement money. The two men were both shot in the face execution style. Some are wondering if there wasn’t a more sinister motive to it all.

Vicki and I celebrated our eleventh wedding anniversary on Thursday. We went out this weekend to an Italian restaurant for dinner. Vicki ordered a calzone. It turned out to be as big as a football. That is not an exaggeration. She will have calzone all week, now. J Cindy and the neighbor’s granddaughter, Abbey, went with us. After lunch we went to the movies. Vicki and I watched “The Bucket List”. The girls watched, “P.S. I Love You”. Both movies are tearjerkers with some funny moments interspersed.

Rg

Deep underground there sleeps the summer’s brood,

Waking at sun’s lance whence the seed was strewed.

Shrouding the dead one, winter turns her face,

Welcoming growth within earth’s dark embrace. *

I see a tiny seed lying in the ground on a cold winter’s day. I see a ray of sunlight lighting the surface of the ground just above the seed. Every day the sunlight will linger a little longer upon that spot of earth. Every day the ground may get a little warmer until the sunlight triggers the seed to germinate. The power of the sun.

I am reminded that it is the duration of sunlight which triggers the growth process of plants. Now, in the middle of January with about 10 hours of sunlight each day the grass is green and healthy but it is not growing taller. Our whole growing season is mostly the function of how much sunlight, daylight we receive.

I wonder what the affect of changing amounts of daylight through the year is upon humans and other mammals and animals. I know there have been studies about the psychological affects and even chemical changes in our bodies. I imagine artificial lighting mitigates the affect somewhat but I doubt that it can fully compensate for the shorter days of winter.

I think a great amount of behavior in the natural world has been attributed to the daily duration of sunlight. It’s a phenomenon that can be taken for granted, easily forgotten. I am thankful for this reminder of the power of the sun, the power of light.

Rg

* from Catlin Matthews “Celtic Wisdom Sticks”