Thursday, January 3, 2019

Cosmetic sunshine

The sun has been bright the last two days, and this helps me a great deal.  However, it is "cosmetic sunshine", the temperatures are still in the 20s and everything is so frozen. 

I went into the backyard and tried to reassemble the makeshift rain barrel cover for the larger one behind the house.  I might try to sew together all those old truck curtains rather than buying a whole new cover.  The big smoker covers run $30 or more.  We'll see.  right now they're encrusted with ice. 

I picked up a lot of down twigs, and was surprised to see the squirrel was out and about.  I took down the little feeder some time ago; so I half filled it and hung it up.  He picks through the sunflower seeds to get to the peanuts, but the magpies eat the seeds which fall.  I can't find the suet blocks, not sure if we actually have any. 

There are drifts of leaves on the patio and against the steps, and under the trailer ramp.  I know Larry would hate that. I may go back out this afternoon and see if I can get some of them into the trash can.  The yard tub I would normally use is all full of twigs for the firepit.  I can't run a fire because the air quality is moderate, and it will get bad fast.  No open fires.

And I need to fill the coffee canister with ice melt. 

It all makes me teary eyed.  These are Larry chores which he loved doing.  Me?  Not so much. 

I haven't have my light box on, because it is at the art table.  I haven't been making art, so I'm short on light.  Going outside helped, but I really need an hour or two in front of my artificial sunlight on the darker days.  And I need to take my multi-vitamin for the Bs.  Without Bs, I get sad.  Sadder?

My attention this morning was taken up with Larry's genealogy.  Very German, of course, but also English, Irish, and some Scots.  Tales of boys kidnapped by Indians, indentured servants, German soldiers who deserted, and what looks to be old family colonialists.  Interesting. 

My DNA results tell me I am both a Viking and a Wild-Eyed Scot.  Whoot.  Still, I'm mostly English and Welch, and a bit German, and a teensy bit Finnish.  

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