Today at Iten's Acres: Preparation January 19, 2014

A cold wind today at the Acres. Was a chilly walk--my face is still red. Beautiful sunset and winter sky--clouds racing on the back of the wind, pinks and reds, grays and blacks, even a touch of lilac. The sky "read" cold. Winter. Two bouts with the Arctic coming up this week though I don't believe they'll be as frigid as the last one. Come on jet stream do your job and get back up here. Let the Canadians have the cold. And Michigan.
I fought the chill with a steamy bowl of beef barley soup and a mug of Earl Grey tea. Followed by a cold Pepsi, of course. Take that North Pole! Hope the pipes don't freeze again. Spent yesterday filling up the water canisters. Bravado--tempered by preparedness. Hope we get a little more snow cover before the Arctic gets here--for my flowers' sake. Hope that one of these weekends soon, it's warm enough to do some work outside. Got stuff I need to do. Yes, "work"--and walks with Bonnie.
I have made it through the first semester of my resurrection as a teacher. Well, I still have some grades to record on Tuesday when we re-gather at the torture chambers. I don't think I'll ever catch up this year--a week ahead in planning seems like a miracle. If they can endure me for another year, at least I'll be a little more prepared next time. But this class will always be a little special in my memory. The "subjects" of my return from the wilderness. They don't seem too upset to have grandpa for a teacher. I think they know I love them, but I hope they have been challenged intellectually as well. If I haven't made them think, I haven't fulfilled my calling. I hope they feel that my room is a safe place for them to grow spiritually, emotionally, and academically. I certainly feel safe in their presence.
Tomorrow, clean the house. Don't faint sister Chloe. Take a stroll of course. Make sure I am actually ready for the start of a new semester. Finish a book--have to feed my own brain. Yell at Homesteader. Just another normal day in the hidden hollow of Morrow Country. Another "this is the best day of life" experience. May I like Joseph have a sense of His presence so that I can feel as He did that every day the Lord was with Him. He is, of course, whether I feel it or not. But what a tragedy to forget that my Creator, Savior, God of love will be with me all day long. I will never be alone.

Backroads of Morrow County: Wintery Roads January 17, 2014

Al Iten

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   Al Iten

   11 hours ago

   Backroads of Morrow County Update:
   
   There is a beauty to a ride in the darkness on the wintery roads in the country. The wind glides across the open fields flinging snow clouds in the air and painting swaths of white on the gray roads. Ever changing swaths of white. The swamp--frozen and white--shines even on this cloudy night. The trees there--gnarled by their constant struggle to survive their murky existence--raise their limbs into the gray darkness as if pleading for a rescue. Are the moaning, howling winds their voices? I wonder . . . Hay bales--still in the field--look like monstrous snowballs left over from some giants' snowball fight. Or maybe they were getting ready to build a snowman, giant size. Not much traffic--when you come upon another traveler, a quick game of "dim the bright lights" ensues. And then, the blackness returns as if the fellow nomad was a mirage in a graywhite desert. Tonight I encountered a deer. Like a circus performer dancing in the spotlight, he hesitated, whirled one direction, turned back, glared at the intruder, and slipped into the fields. He was soon swallowed up in the snow mist. I creep by the usual sights--old majestic barns--sanctuaries for some creatures, I'm sure, tiny country churches with their white steeples and cemetery back yards, houses--some asleep, some awake, country ponds frozen and still, fields without boundaries, or so it seems--endless white and darkness stretching into emptiness. Groundless, too, it seems. If I stopped and walked on them would I disappear into forever? I suppose I should be considered strange to wander the backroads on a frigid, windy, winter's night going nowhere in particular. I'm just on a solitary--but not lonely--hunt for beauty.
   
   Found it my friends.
   
   Glorious.

Today at Iten's Acres: The Arctic Vortex January 12, 2014

It appears that the Lenten Rose, rhododendron, and azalea have looked the Arctic Vortex in the eyes--so to speak--and smirked. They all look quite well. The Lenten rose didn't surprise me, but I was worried about the other two. Of course, I won't know about the hydrangea and hibiscus until next spring. I've actually heard that some environmentalist are delighted with the Vortex. They claim it has killed all kinds of unwanted pests--the beetles attacking the ash trees and even some ticks. And that it doesn't affect my honey bee hive in the Old Sentinel. Claims that the bees by vibrating their wings can keep the temperature in the hive in the 90s. Who knew? Is that true Jaime Iten? If so, I wonder how to build a honey bee furnace?

Today at Iten's Acres: The Return January 8, 2014

Well, somehow, despite the gnashing of teeth and the constant pacing of the floor, I have survived my two plus weeks of the peace, serenity, calm, and beauty of Iten's Acres. Those last two days were especially difficult. Whew. Life can be so difficult sometimes, but I endure. Tomorrow I shall get up in the darkness and cold, take a cold bath of some sort (the pipes froze last night), put on a shirt and tie, and drive down that lovely cow path/driveway that you see above and return to the world. As a certified hermit, I just love leaving my Acres and going back to civilization--wearing a tie no less!!! Can't stand the anticipation. Maybe I'll go tonight and just sit in my room and wait for school to start tomorrow. Then again . . . maybe not.
Good thing the kids will be there. Or you'd never see me again.

Today at Iten's Acres: Arctic Day January 6, 2014

A cold and beautiful and entertaining day at the Acres. I took my walk early before the Arctic weather got here, the "To Build a Fire" cold. Lovely time of day. The birds are here by the hundreds. I guess the cold didn't get them. Homesteader is busy entertaining us all. She sits in the green chair or "hides" behind it until there are thirty or more birds on the ground feeding and then her catness gets the best of her and she charges the window. She's excited, the birds fly--momentarily--and I get to laugh at her persistence and joy and, alas, disappointment. Back behind the chair she goes. Good exercise I suppose.
Bonnie and Gus were out frolicking early this morning as I traversed the front of the property. They love snow! Gus has since disappeared; inside I hope since he's not as fur endowed as Bonnie. She, meanwhile, has been around and about all morning. Walking around the pond and bog. Sitting taking everything in. Moving in and out of the trees. Quite content in her winter wonderland.
The only problem I have is that my car is frozen shut. Don't know how that will work out. I guess the school can send out a limo to pick me up once we have school again. It's only a tad over fifty miles. I guess I could get up early and run a double marathon. Or maybe someone has a tandem bike with snow tires? I'll worry about that when the time comes. Stay warm out their folks!

This Week at Iten's Acres: Frigid!!! January 5, 2014

I'm a little worried. I know, I shouldn't be--but minus 14 on Monday with 25 mile-an-hour winds. And a high on Tuesday of minus 1 with the same winds. What's that? A wind chill of minus a million? Cold. Worry.
I worry about God's creatures. I know He has them well-equipped, and they've been doing fine for centuries--but still I worry some. I find it difficult to believe that feathers can be that warm. How do the chickadees, sparrows, finches, and Cardinals stay warm? My sheds are all open, but I doubt if they use them--or would all fit. We do have tons of those little things out here. And I worry about Gus and Bonnie. Gus more than Bonnie because Bonnie has a lovely little warm place prepared for her by Dennis. And she has a coat a polar bear would be jealous of--thick and luscious. And she has brains. Knows enough to get out of the cold. I'm not sure Gus has those brain things. I'm sure he has a shed to go in to as well. I just don't know if he has the sense to do it. Many a night I've heard him out there barking at everything that moves. "Gus! Go inside dummy!" Hey, I even worry--a little--about the venison, I mean deer. I'm sure they spend all winter fantasizing over eating my flowers next spring, but, who can blame them? (Other than me, of course.) I'm sure they'll hunker down in Aaron's pines and be fine. The squirrels? Freeze to death you tree rats! And take the chipmunks with you!.
I, also, worry about my flowers and shrubs. Especially the Yankee versions of those Southern beauties--azaleas, hibiscus, rhododendron, hydrangea. Have they really been so toughened up--winterized--that they can take minus 14 and a wind chill of a zillion? (I know, worry always makes things worse.) We had a minus 24 the first winter I was taking care of Mom. Some things didn't come back. Dennis' hollies took a hit--but I think they may have recovered at least somewhat. Anyway spring with out the beauty of azaleas and rhododendron; summer without the beauty of hydrangeas and hibiscus. Don't want to think about it. Those tears in my eyes are not because of the wind.
Finally, I'm worried about my seniors. If it's that cold (a gazillion degrees of windchill), will they cancel school? I mean, they've already gone two whole weeks without my presence. Can they take a day or two more without me to ridicule them, pile on the schoolwork, give them more tests and quizzes? I seriously doubt it. (Even the not quite human freshmen, sophomores, and juniors in my speech class are probably worried about not being able to do their speeches for me on Monday--possibly.) Even now, just thinking about the possibility, I'll bet the seniors are on the verge of tears. Two more days without Mr. Iten--even worse, without English. Sigh. Maybe they can do one of those group text or group skypes or group twits or whatever it is they all do and have a group hug and a group cry over missing more English? Poor things. Don't worry gang. I'll just give you more work when we get back to make up for it!
Oh well, all I can do is worry. You know what they say: "You can't fight mother nature." Hang in there creatures. (Gus use your brain no matter how small it is.) Plants--be tough. Please! Seniors (and other sub-species) be brave. We'll be back together soon.

Walking Iten's Acres: The Mailbox January 3, 2014

I can see my mailbox. It's a long way away--miles. And though I love to walk my Acres--I mean, The Acres--it's cold. Very cold according to the weather folks. Six degrees is indeed very cold. (It was minus six degrees when I got up this morning! Very cold.) I didn't check the mail yesterday--but I did take a snow walk. I need to check it today. My neighbor has plowed my driveway so it won't be an arduous trek. (Yes! He's a fantastic neighbor!) I can see my mailbox. It's a long, long, long, way away--miles. And it's very cold. Very. I wonder if cats can be trained to go get the mail? (She'd disappear in the snow--white on white.) I can see my mailbox . . .