Imbolc Valentine Moon
Last of the furnace vendors. Get your hot one, right here! Red hot and cozy! Discounted. Tax credited. Rebate worthy.
We’ve made a decision. We’ll go with Centerpoint, a dual-stage, variable speed motor operating at 95% or 96.5% efficiency. A bit more with these options but they optimize the conservation of both natural gas and electricity. Once we get it in that’s one less matter we’ll have to worry about over the next few years. A good thing.
After Brad left, an interesting guy, knowledgeable about food as a former catering manager for Lunds, we put on our winter gear. I got out the Sorel’s and clapped my work gloves on, wool hat and down vest. Kate got ready. She has less stringent requirements for work in the cold than I do.
Outside in the deep snow, bright with a clear day’s sun, we first cut back to the ground all 
the raspberries. In clearing the snow with a coal shovel, I discovered that I could clear snow and prune in the same motion. Kate went in afterward and cleaned up.
When I finished in the raspberries, I went to the tangle of grapevines that have grown on our front 6-foot chain link fence. Originally a Celt (our first and dearest Irish Wolfhound) escape prevent barrier, it now serves mainly to give us an ample supply of wild grapes in the fall thanks to the volunteer vines. Last summer though there were few grapes.
Lots of leaves and vine, not many fruit. We’d never pruned it before, or if we did, it was a while ago, so it had overgrown. I whacked away at the orchard side today; I’ll finish it tomorrow. Kate got after the bittersweet. It was a good day for this work.
Back inside I had a snack of bacon and blue cheese with chestnut flower honey, the first installment in my birthday gift, a monthly specialty bacon club. How cool is that? Thanks, Kate.
