From Culls to Future Treats

There are always culls on a farm. Ken and I used to gorge ourselves on ripe melons that had a soft spot; they couldn’t go to market or a CSA box. And then my parents sent us an ice cream maker and I tried melon sorbet. It was a hit, so once we had eaten our fill, I cleaned, peeled, seeded and cubed the melons with a soft spot. Once cubed I packed for the …

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The Loop is Back!

After the recent storm, I was so lucky. I had so little damage. One minor inconvenience was an oak had come down across the west side of the driveway loop Young friends helped me so much. They cut and lifted and moved wood off the drive and the loop i once again open! I am so grateful

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Starting the Wood Project – with Help

Let the stacking begin! With deep gratitude toward two young friends who have helped me clear the drive and start cutting the old, dry kiln wood to length, I started stacking by the house The first trailer load is done, and after that dry wood is moved close to the house the empty space where it had been stored will be perfect for the green wood that came down in the storm – close, but …

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He Pushed Us All to Do Better

Ken did not have many (any?) close friends. Some people enjoyed or admired Ken; others did not. When Ken died it was interesting to see how varied people’s responses were – from people talking of him as if he were a saint to people trying to come up with anything nice to say about him. Our friend Josh gave me one of the most fitting appraisals I have ever heard of Ken. Josh explained he …

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The Master of Diplomacy

People frequently asked Ken for advice. With all his experience he could quickly asses the situation, and easily see a solution. The real problem for Ken was stating the solution in a way it could be heard – either the solution was complex or the solution was painful for the questioner. The best example was when a young farmer asked Ken why his pigs were not doing well. Ken said, ” Well, pigs like to …

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#Me Too – an Update

Reading the accusations against Placido Domingo last night was sad. As a victim of harassment and date rape, my bias is to believe the accuser. Courageous victims who speak out have so little to gain and so much to lose. Most victims say they come forward so it stops and another person is not harassed. Reading their stories brought up that familiar pattern: a person in power offers “help” and the help isn’t; in reality …

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My Family’s Woodstock Story

It’s the fiftieth anniversary of Woodstock. No, at 13 I was not there. But I do have a story from the time. My father, a Boston Commuter, picked up a young man hitchhiking with a sign for Woodstock. My savvy dad not only had two teenagers at home, he had in – laws who lived in the quiet, toney town of Woodstock, Vermont. So, Joe Gravel convinced the youth that no, he did NOT want …

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The Wife

Last night I watched a video of The Wife. The depiction of the relationship moved me deeply. I thought of the relationship of couples – and my own. No, I did not make the pots, and no, I did not grow the vegetables. When the actress Glenn Close, says, ” I can fix it. Do you want me to fix it?” I was struck with my role in Ken’s life. I was a willing catalyst. …

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Mea Culpa

Meet Chainsaw Betty. She is not too excited about learning her craft, and therefore is none too polite. This morning as she headed out the front door with her Stihl, a small expensive car came up the drive – past the closed sign. A passenger window slid down and a woman called out., “Are you closed?” Betty replied, “Can you read?” Then Judith resurfaced and said, “Look, my husband died and I am no longer …

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