January seems to have gone by fast, and here we are into February already. We’ve had a good amount of cold weather in Central Virginia, but really no snow or ice to speak of. This past Sunday was incredibly bright and spring-like, with temps in the 60s, and Monday although cooler and greyer was also comparatively balmy. A small clump of early crocus bloomed in our front yard, and a little bee found its way to the flowers. However, things have since cooled off considerably, and truly frigid weather is back. I guess the groundhog’s prognostication was accurate.
Last week I joined Gary and friends for the better part of a week in Corolla, on the Outer Banks. The weather was quite wintry, and the wind was frigid. Walking along the sound in Duck, south of Corolla, we spotted sea birds hovering on the edge of ice that fringed the sound. Gulls, swans, a white heron, doing their best to stay warm.
On our way home, we stopped for brunch at the home of our daughter, son-in-law and four month old grandson. It is amazing to note how rapidly a little one grows and changes, moving from a tiny infant in arms to an older baby who can hold his head up, reach for a toy, turn over. How can it be that even after raising four children of my own, this progression still fills me with surprise and delight? I look forward to future visits and new opportunities to be amazed.
So, visits to our grandson (and his mom and dad), and watching him grow, are high on my wish list for 2015. I’m also hoping that we’ll be able to visit with our eleven year grandson -- ten+ hours from here by air. And, when not together, skyping with all four of our children, and our grandchildren, of course. And with family generally.
Also high on my list is expansion of our vegetable garden. Last year, as Gary has written about in his blog, at www.garymawyer.com, we undertook to get serious about veggies. Gary, with help from family and friends, built an 8 foot fence to the side and back of our house, complete with three hand-crafted gates. The resident flocks of deers that haunt our yard just cannot jump that high. Or open a fastened gate, for that matter.
Gary built raised beds, using cinder blocks, and we filled them with soil and compost. The results were way beyond expectations. Between late June to early November, we harvested a huge amount of food. My favorite was probably the almost daily supply of fresh tomatoes. And the several varieties of squash. And especially the 15 sweet pumpkins, plus a couple the size of Jack O' Lanterns.
From late fall into mid January, we had some of the sweetest kale, collards and cabbage I’ve ever tasted. Finally the harder frosts have taken their toll. Our goal for 2015 is to further expand the fence and add raised beds. Also, to dedicate more space for pumpkins and squash, which basically tried to take over the garden in 2014. And, we want to get a jump on the growing season by starting appropriate plants indoors.
Next on my list is making things. In particular, I want to try my hand again at knitting socks. I started a pair in 2014, but went wrong at the heel and wound up sewing the result into a small baby stocking for our grandson’s first Christmas. I had a lot of fun last year knitting and crocheting stuffed animals, dolls and amigurumi (see my blog post of January 9), and I want to do more of that. I also want to do more quilting. Gary bought me a lovely panel of Japanese themed fabric that he found online, very reminiscent of fabric used in a lovely quilt we saw this past December at a quilt show by the Crescent Halls quilting group in Charlottesville, and I've been thinking a lot about how to incorporate that fabric into a quilt.
I also want to pull out my jewelry making tools, wire, findings and beads, and pick up on that craft again. I've got a nice collection of hand-made beads, acquired in years past, that I'd like to use.
Another project I’d like to get back to is digitizing our old photos. I’ve done some of that from time to time as things have come up. And after Mom’s passing at the end of 2011 I digitized many photos from my and my siblings’ childhoods, and shared with family. Now I want to grapple with the 4+ decades of our children’s childhoods and beyond.
One other thing I’m especially excited about is continuing work on our family genealogies. My son Daniel started a Mawyer family tree in 2013, using Ancestry.com, and invited me to work on it too. This year Gary and I have decided to use AncestryDNA for further clues and insights into our ancestors.
It’s strange to realize how busy “retirement” can be. Looking forward to another busy year.