February 5, 2012



From my walk on Thursday



Pine Drops in the snow on
Friday's walk





















My energy level is way up since my tooth was extracted (I say "extracted" because it was not merely pulled).  I think the decay from the tooth was poisoning my whole system, or maybe I'm just so relieved to have it out.  I have read that bad teeth can be a real detriment to your heart health, not to mention your breath. . .

The dogs and I took a long hike on Friday.  We left after lunch, and after JB was done baking bread so he could come with us.  I really enjoy hiking the circle east on our south ridge to the peak and along the ridge where it ends at the top of Erno's property, then down the road to our driveway and back up to Rose Camp.  The views are always phenomenal, and so was the day.  JB decided to turn back while we were still on the ridge so he wouldn't have to hike up our steep driveway.  I should have worn my snow shoes as it had snowed several times since our last sojourn to that area.  The dogs had it even worse than I did, so needless to say we all got our exercise.  I have never seen so many rabbit tracks.  They must be madly procreating this winter.  We even had several tracks in our yard Saturday morning.  And still lots of deer tracks.   Must have been some sort of wild critter meeting Up Here this past week.

Friday morning JB had also made a new gluten-free sourdough recipe that he had found on line.  Unfortunately he had closed the lid on the container in which he made it and set it in the sun.  When the dogs and I returned from our hike, I noticed that it had exploded all over the counter and floor!  We cleaned up the mess - wish I had thought to take a picture of it - and JB made some more.  He plans to make sourdough flapjacks for breakfast this morning.

It was 18 outside Friday morning and a bit chilly inside.  Neither of us had got up during the night to feed the fire.  If it is not in the single digits, I don't set the alarm.  It is interesting that when we lived Down There, I always turned the furnace down to 62 at night, but it never seemed at cold as it does Up Here at that temperature.  Maybe because the forced air furnace was able to heat up the house more quickly than the wood stove does.  However, I much prefer the warmth of a wood stove, and I love to stand by it even if I'm not really cold.

Thought for the day:  The difference between a welfare state and a totalitarian state is a matter of time.  Ayn Rand