Looking back, looking forward

 I have to admit that I didn't handle the new years eve crap well. It was a crazy busy week leading up to it, and the death of Woodchuck's brother just a couple of days ago, has saddened us all. I've been running myself into the ground lately, and getting exposed to illnesses at work, being in public, and our youngest son having the flu while home from college. I feel pretty damn rough, but I know it could be worse. What was supposed to be spent together, this first day of a new year, finds us apart yet again as Woodchucks work schedule was changed with only a few days notice. There were plans for a charcuterie board to be enjoyed throughout the day while I also baked some bacon crackers, and a Guinness Stew, and a trip to the land was also on the itinerary. But it is what it is and this day too shall pass like all of the others.

We got so much done on the land in 2022 and I am so proud of us! I'm a work horse and would like to see myself getting more done, but I know that with the weather and time we had, we made the best use of it that we could. It will be easier once we are living out there to work things into the schedule. Our last work trip out there had us filling in stone around the door bases, putting handles on the garage doors, finding Woodchuck a little white pine tree for his breakroom at work, and parking Ginny the Tractor in her new home.

 So what do we have to look forward to doing out there in this new year?

Our next work trip out there will be for starting to formulate a plan for working towards the watershed. We need to clear out the area between the blueberry bushes and phragmite and get an idea of the boundaries of where the watershed begins in that area. We also need to clean out around the NorthWest side of the pond. Lots of Autumn Olive there! And then also start the trek into the watershed to work on getting the invasive plants out of there, no trespassing signage up at all entry points, and eventually mow a firebreak path along two edges of it. We will also start the process of building the house this year! We anticipate lots of issues with contractors, so we are starting early. The time line is to start it this year and be able to move into it in three years.

Thank you so much for being on this magickal journey with us! Here's to an even more magickal, joyful and healthy 2023 for us all. 💚 )O(