It’s Cold at The Windy Knoll

Finches at the Feeder

It’s cold as a well digger’s pa-tootie here at the Windy Knoll and we are doing  whatever we can to try to stay warm.  This house is something like a barn to try to heat — the old section was built in 1895 with high ceilings and when we renovated we also made high ceilings.  It’s easy to cool, but this is not the time for that.

John had 60 pounds of pecans cracked and has spent several hours sitting in the sunshine on the sun porch separating the meat from the hull.  Now he’s added four gallon bags of pecan halves to the freezer.  He can make a really good toasted pecan  — no doubt that’s how some will be used.

This weather makes me want to make sourdough bread and I made it for years; however, in the last few years I fail every time.  I have some starter on the way and I’ll try again.  Keeping it warm enough is one of my problems; however, all those years I made it and gave it away I had to keep it warm.  Even though it won’t rise as I would like it’ll taste good.  I wish I knew how many loaves I’ve made in my life.   One year at the quilt show I sold 27 loaves for $3 each (proceeds went to Geraldine Library)  and some lady came to me and said I was not charging enough.  I replied, “Well, here in Geraldine we can’t price it like you can in Atlanta.”

We have a new bird feeder that we’re enjoying a lot.  It’s just filled with Finches —  I can’t tell the House Finch from the Purple Finch, but I believe we have both kinds visiting.  I was not happy to see a cow bird on it this morning — I don’t like those scoundrels as they lay their eggs in another bird’s nest and they have to set on them, and then raise the babies.  Sorry birds!  Today we saw a big, fat Robin and a beautiful Bluebird — signs of spring maybe!

We are also enjoying the electric throws we received for Christmas.  We use them after dark when we move inside for the evening.  We are fortunate that we’ve had no frozen pipes.  As I said to you before, years ago when my folks got “running water” their pipes always froze in freezing weather.

What is that saying — when winter comes can spring be far behind?  Whew,  can’t wait for spring.  We’re calling this cold country living.