Fetters Setters ~ Tributes and Memories

Thursday, September 2, 2010

May 29th, 1990: Letter from Paul Long

Over the years, John received dozens of letters from Paul Long, a tribute to whom is below. This is just one of those letters which portrays the unbridled wit and singular character which was Paul Long's own.

We plan to publish more of these letters, in one format or another, in the future. In the meantime, here is just one, with the typed text and thumbnails below the text of the actual letter.

One of the charming characteristics of Paul Long's letters, for anyone who ever received one, is that he always uses the day of the week he is writing it, and a sort of abbreviated weather condition, rather than the more common date, month and year.

This particular letter is Postmarked May 29th, 1990:

Monday a.m.
Raining

Dear Johny,

Last Friday I believe your letter came at time I had (2) fellows sawing down pine trees, 17 in all was afraid one or two would land on Mobile Home or kennel. The last tree they fell a branch landed on Utility Lines. Cut power all over neighborhood for a couple of miles. The branch went afire hanging on wire. Part fell and landed on some dry brush, set it afire. Firemen called, put it out. Utility Co. fixed wire, tightened lines and things returned to normal. What a day, was so tired did not open mail till next night. Down here with Hugo a fire could set N.C. afire trees are down everywhere you can not get into the woods. They have a plane on hold to carry water to throw on fire. Was I glad when it was over. More so than a dog running up a brood of grouse.

Am glad you liked the pictures when your granddad got together with George Ryman they sure knew how to start the fireworks between Harry Tinker and Elias. Back in those days thats what happened when old rascals got together to talk hunting and dogs. Thought I was in the middle of a cock fight. I would give some thought to what your friend Richard said and agree you should put your name on the dogs you raise.

Late July will be a wonderful time to come down. I always enjoy seeing your setters on birds. They bring back memories of the days when Elias and I trained Ryman dogs for George. I will have plenty of young birds and weather will be ideal to work the dogs.

Right now I am working on pidgeons and teaching whoa. My good friend Jack Stewart from Farwell Mich gave me a Tri-Tronics Bird Releaser. He invented them.

Last week went down to Myrtle Beach S.C. to the Quaker Oats Seminar and met hundreds of my old acquaintances. At the Seminar they honored George Tracy for winning so many trials during 1989. I had a wonderful time. First time I seen the ocean in years. Also the bathing beauties were nice. Take your family there once, they will enjoy it.

I'm glad Bill is coming with you and glad he is feeling better. And lastly for a smile.

Friend to Friend said one to the other. You have a suppository in your ear. Gosh said his friend, I thought it was my hearing aid.

Best

Paul

Click on thumbnails below for full-sized version of actual letter

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Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Tribute to Paul Long, Friend and Mentor

by John Fetters
© 2010 Fetters Setters, all rights reserved

Photo to left, Professional
Dog Trainer, Paul Long with
Cage of Training Pigeons

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VIEWMONT — Charles Paul Long, 87, of the Brian Center and formerly of 3395 Startown Road, died July 25, 2003. A graveside service will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday at Salem Lutheran Church Cemetery. The family will receive friends tonight from 7 to 8:30 at Warlick Funeral Home. Born in Middlesex County, Mass., he was a professional bird dog trainer. Survivors include a step-daughter, Virginia Adeline Richardson of Lincolnton; three grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren. Memorials may be made to Salem Lutheran Church, 3410 Startown Road, Maiden, NC 28650.

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Charles Paul Long, or "Paul" as he was more commonly known in the shooting dog world, first became interested in bird dogs as a young school age boy. He would walk by the kennel of famous dog trainer Elias Vail on his way to and from school. The dogs at the Vail Kennel captured his interest and when Elias Vail noticed Paul hanging around the kennels quite frequently and seeing the young boy had an on-going interest in the dogs, Vail offered Paul a job which entailed cleaning the kennels, feeding and watering, and grooming.

And in the early 1930s, a young fellow who had been Elias Vail's kennel boy refused to let severe physical handicaps dissuade him from becoming a professional bird dog trainer himself.

A great friend to my grandfather and great-grandfather, he became a great friend to me as well as one of my most valued mentors.

Although he did not specialize in any one breed, Paul had much to do in Irish Setter training and was given credit for his involvement in training ninety percent of the successful Irish Setters that came upon the scene during the early 1930s to 1940s.

It was indeed none other than Paul Long who piloted the Irish Setter Sally of Kildare to an unprecented twenty recognized field trial wins between years 1935 and 1941. Sally was owned by Patrick W. Hehir, long time Fish and Game Director of the State of Massachusetts.

Paul Long was legendary ~ a legend in his own time and still yet today ~ another crafty, old-school professional trainer with over forty-five years of dog sense under his hat.

He apprenticed under the likes of Hall of Famer Mike Seminatore, the acclaimed "Dean of New England Bird Dog Trainers," and the renowned gun dog trainer Elias Vail, before aspiring to a stellar career of his own, also writing "Training Pointing Dogs ~ All the Answers to All Your Questions" in 1974 ~ still a valuable and much-referenced source of information to this day.

Paul was associated with the development of a number of all-breed pointing-dog greats, of particular note the Irish Setter Rufus McTybe of Cloister and Ike Jack Kendrick; Britt of Bellows Falls, the first Brittany field champion; and the English Pointer Colonial Lady, depicted in the vintage Coca-Cola Company series of commissioned paintings of the ten greatest pointing dogs of all time.

Pictured above, Paul Long at his dining room table

reviewing rough draft sent to me by Rick Van Etten

for the upcoming April/May 1991

Gun Dog magazine article about my setters

Pictured above, Paul Long with wife, Virginia,

standing in front of numerous photos

of champion Pointers Paul campaigned on the

Field Trial circuit in his long, distinguished career

Pictured above, taking a break from field training,

left to right: Gale Stevens, Paul Long and me.

Photo taken by William L. Fletcher, owner

of Ryman's Allegheny Josh

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Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Tribute to Mr. Stu Ward, a Great Friend, Father Figure and Indefatigable Hunting Companion

by John Fetters

Photo at right is of

the late Stu Ward

with his English

Setter, Tri ~ in

anticipation of a

Ruffed Grouse flush

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"You're never lost as long as you have Grouse to chase." ~~~ infamous Stu Ward quote

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mr. Stu Ward was one of the best shots I have ever witnessed. But more than that, he was a great friend and indefatigable hunting companion ~ always ready for the hunt and raring to go.

Depite the difference in our ages, there were times in the field when I had a hard time keeping up with him. And in all the many years I hunted with Stu Ward, he only missed two flushed Ruffed Grouse that he shot at ever.

In 1979 I received an inquiry about my setters from Mr. Odie Adcock of Manheim, Pennsylvania. Upon sending out the requested information, weeks drifted into months and no reply was received.

On a March day in 1983 during the evening hours, I received a phone call from Mr. Stu Ward of Joppa, Maryland, inquiring about a well started tri-colored male English Setter named Tri. After about twenty minutes of conversation about Tri and a little dog talk with hunting thrown in, Mr. Ward made arrangements to come see this setter.

A week later on a Sunday morning Mr. Ward arrived with his shooting friend. Upon introducing himself, he turned and introduced me to Mr. Odie Adcock and I immediately mentioned that I remembered sending information to him back in 1979. Mr. Adcock informed me that the letter was received but was found a month later on the floor under his desk and apologized for not sending a reply.

Upon the completion of the initial polite formalities, Mr. Ward asked to see "Tri." After looking him over Mr. Ward asked if it would be possible to take him out into cover to look him over in a hunting situation. My reply was, you drove all that distance to see this setter and that is exactly what we are going to do.

We walked about 300 yards to an old abandoned farm apple orchard that was grown up in hawthorwn and fox grape tangles with Tri working the cover in a fast steady pace and then it happened ~ in a sudden whir and rock solid point. Mr. Ward told Mr. Adcock to come see Tri and I told them to walk in carefully, adding that Tri had a ruffed grouse pointed.

They asked how I knew that and my reply was simply, "Come see." Upon their approach, the grouse flushed.

Mr. Ward then stated he would take Tri.

From that day on, Mr. Ward and Mr. Adcock became two of my greatest friends and hunting companions ~ and we shared our favorite coverts with one another, my coverts in Pennsylvania and theirs on Maryland's famed Eastern Shore.

Over the years Mr. Stu Ward was my friend and mentor, taking over the role of a father figure to me after the death of my own father.

Mr. Stu Ward was a real gentleman's gentleman as well as a true die-hard grouse and quail hunter. Through the years of hunting ruffed grouse together I quickly came to realize he was without a doubt a crack shot with his Winchester model 21 16 ga. side by side, witnessing only two misses ~ up to his passing at age 75.

If I would have only known where our shooting friendship was headed the first day of our meeting, I would have just given him Tri.

Because his friendship ~ and even the "missing him" part ~ was and still remains more important to me than any monetary aspect of any deal. . .

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Rarely a day goes by when I do not think of him in one manner or another ~ and miss him terribly. Below are just a few of the many, many photos I have of Mr. Stu Ward in the field ~ and just a few of what we will ultimately publish here in an on-going tribute to him.

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Corey Ford and the DRFC ~ Part One and Part Two

Author Corey Ford and

his infamous English Setter

companion, Cider, with

their Christmas stockings

While many are aware of Corey Ford's famous English Setter books and pieces in national publications, it is a lesser known fact that Corey Ford was an extremely prolific writer with over 30 books and 500 articles to his credit.
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Corey Ford, both while alive and in death, was also extremely generous to his alma mater, Dartmouth University. Several films from Dartmouth are still in existence which feature Corey Ford extensively (along with his famous English Setter companion, Cider).
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We are sharing two of those films here with you below:

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Friday, July 10, 2009

A Well-Lived Life and a Squirrel's Best Friend

The passing of a loved one is never an easy ordeal to bear. No matter the now-touted "celebration" of a life well-lived, there remains a deep longing, a hole in one's heart which can never be filled.

And while many "happy memories" remain, it still is irrefutable that no more happy occasions will occur with the loved one who is gone.

It is a situation which is difficult at best to bear when others are experiencing the loss, and a situation which seems almost unbearable at times when it is yours personally to bear. There is at times little consolation in even the best-intentioned consoling efforts and only the memory of what the loved one would want somehow makes one's life still go on.

Such is the case especially when the loved one was one's father. But knowing also he would not want me to be morose even one day in my life, I will give him the tribute here of a life well-lived, a life well-loved and share one of the many happy memories left to me now.

In his later years, after decades of long hours and hard work, my father found time for many recreational pursuits. He had always loved nature and wildlife and a home in the mid-Atlantic mountains proved one of his greatest joys.

He had the patience of Job and one day began coaxing a squirrel closer and closer to him as he relaxed in his favorite patio chair. There was something inordinately kind and loving about my father which the squirrel apparently recognized before too long.

Within the space of a couple days, the squirrel was sitting in my father's lap, eating peanuts and other goodies from forks and spoons my father had obtained from my mother's meticulously kept kitchen.

Before long, the squirrel would be waiting at the glass patio door for my father each morning, then began the impatient tapping when he felt my father was taking "too long" to tend to his new favorite buddy.

My father reveled in this evolution of events, however my mother had misgivings (my father had jokingly mused aloud several times about letting his new little freind in to share their breakfast table) ~ but it was too late at that point as the squirrel had become one of my father's favorite companions and past-times.

As usually happens with "adopted" wildlife, there comes a time when their "wildness" gets the best of them. And their in-bred instincts and innate intelligence invaribly get them into one sort of trouble or another.

The trouble in this instance would ultimately be with my mother ~ however in the meantime, the squirrel was learning that the "goodies" my father had been hand-feeding him, in fact, came from several well-sealed containers in the garage.

The squirrel had begun accompanying my father around the house at times to retrieve more of these "goodies" for the squirrel's dining pleasaure.

Then one day, the squirrel decided it would be faster and easier to just by-pass my father's kindness and retreive the goodies himself. This, of course, was the beginning of the squirrel's undoing ~ and the beginning of the end of a beautiful relationship.

During the course of a day of yardwork, the garage door was left open and the squirrel wandered past the threshold and somehow managed to find a way to open one of the well-sealed containers ~ and well, simply put, made one heck of a mess.

The end of this close relationship ~ insisted upon by my mother ~ was not without its bittersweet moments (the chore of shoo-ing the pesky squirrel away subsequently fell to her more than to my father).

However it always brought a smile to my father's face and a subsequent laugh when recalling the too-smart squirrel with whom he had once been best friends.

My mother did not find it at all funny ~ even in the recollection ~ but then again that too was part of my father's great joy.

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Monday, March 23, 2009

The Month of March, by Any Other Name

First a howling blizzard woke us,

Then the rain came down to soak us,
And now before the eye can focus,
Crocus. ~~~ Lilja Rogers

It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold: when it is summer in the light, and winter in the shade. ~~~ Charles Dickens

Spring is sooner recognized by plants than by men. ~~~ Chinese Proverb

In the spring I have counted one hundred and thirty-six different kinds of weather inside of four and twenty hours. ~~~ Mark Twain

Behold, my friends, the spring is come; the earth has gladly received the embraces of the sun, and we shall soon see the results of their love! ~~~ Sitting Bull

A little Madness in Spring is wholesome, even for the King ~~~ Emily Dickinson

Up from the sea, the wild north wind is blowing

Under the sky's gray arch; smiling I watch the shaken elm boughs, knowing it is the wind of March. ~~~ William Wadsworth

The ides of March are come. ~~~ William Shakespeare

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Friday, March 20, 2009

More than patience for Pysanki

Photo from: How To: The Ancient Art of Pysanki
by A. K. Andrews

Years ago, I was sent on an assignment to explore the ancient art of Pysanki being produced by a small group of ladies from an area Orthodox Catholic church.

My editor had recently returned from an extended Eastern European trip with her father to find long-lost relatives not long after Glasnot under Mikhail Gorbachev had made those regions more accessible.

Freshly filled with the inspiration of the folk art crafts and dress she had discovered there, she was on a mission to un-earth similar roots in the states and it was I who was elected to investigate the art of these intricately-colored eggs.

I found when I arrived in the basement of the church where the group of ladies met and plied this amazing craft, that not only had I been volunteered to write the feature story, but had also been volunteered to be "taught" the art of the eggs ~ much to my surprise.

In some endeavors in life, I could be considered "somewhat" artistic ~ in other areas, I have found long ago that I have no talent at all and so have forgone ever again attempting to learn the art of such things as oil painting for instance. However the ancient craft of Pysanki was something new to me at the time (appearing to be more graphic than artistic) and so I good-naturedly gave it my best try.

Now, it should be said that one cannot expect to walk into a church basement and produce one of these beauties in the space of an hour or two ~ unless they are unusually talented and/or have a lot of prior experience in doing so.

And it also should be noted that the group of ladies who patiently tried to teach me the craft had been decorating these marvels since childhood ~ so they did in fact have a few years ~ rather, decades ~ of experience on me.

Pysanki can be learned by a novice to the craft, but it takes more than patience. It also requires an extremely steady hand as well as an artistic knack for intricate pattern (or at least the ability to copy a pattern already executed).

While personal instruction by an expert in this fine art may be preferred, excellent detailed instructions can also be found on the web, such as "How To; The Ancient Art of Pysnaki" by A. K. Andrews (which can be found by clicking here).

Mainly attributed to Ukranian and Carpathian area cultures, the art of Pysanki has been wide-spread over most of Eastern Europe and into many parts of the old Soviet Union. The preferred "canvas" for this ancient art are the larger goose and duck eggs ~ which have their insides blown out through small holes and are delicate canvases to handle.

Luckily however, one need not rely solely on their own artistic talents to have one or more of these eggs to enjoy and own. Many Orthodox Catholic churches still have groups who practice this craft ~ or who perhaps can at least direct someone in the right direction to where some may possibly be for sale.

They seem to be more difficult to find as time goes on and perhaps as less and less people learn and practice this fine craft. However occasionally one might find in larger cities a splendid source such as the Romanian Folk Art Museaum in Philadelphia who are exhibiting and selling Pysanki eggs through April 22nd, 2009 (found by clicking here).

Some of their offerings appear in the photo to the right, and they also offer an interesting history and regional claim on their web page.

However, no matter what region claims this wonderfully intricate art as their own ~ or in which country they are actually made ~ the eggs are pieces of timeless beauty sure to bring years of enjoyment to anyone possessing one or more.

And while one may not have the patience and talent to produce one of these marvels, it certainly does not preclude the patience to enormously appreciate the exquisite results of this ancient craft.
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Wednesday, March 18, 2009

The Heralding of the Green

Vintage Saint Patrick's Day Postcard

The Old Weir Bridge in Killarney

While the original Saint Patrick's Day was scheduled so as not to interfere with the Easter Holidays, how appropriate it should be in the Early Spring when green buds and shoots are appearing for the first time of year in many parts of the world.

It is not hard to see why the color "green" would come to represent the Irish, with Ireland so long known as "The Emerald Isle." An early Irish flag was all green with a golden harp in the center long before the green, orange and white tri-colored flag of today.

"Everyone has some Irish in them on Saint Patrick's Day," I have been told time and again. Perhaps it is so, perhaps the prospect of green beer ~ and even a river which is dyed green in Chicago each year for the holiday ~ is too inspiring and alluring for anyone to admit they do not have at least a "smidgen of Irish" in their blood.

Chicago River dyed green ~ 2008

But no matter if they admit to being "even a little" Irish or not ~ or good-naturedly pretend to be for this happy holiday ~ it is very few people who can turn down an invitation to a good hearty Saint Patrick's Day meal. Corned Beef of course, being the choice of many.

A Corned Beef dinner is a necessity in our home at this time of year. While we have tried many variations, we have found a favorite in Glazed Corn Beef Brisket, a hand-written recipe discovered years back in an old family recipe box.

Served with boiled herbed new potatoes and steamed baby carrots, it brings dreamy visions of the Emerald Isle and a cozy stone cottage overlooking the Irish Sea. With a "secret ingredient" or two added by the "master chef in residence," we admittedly have it sometimes more than once a year, especially in the Spring.

It should be started a day ahead of time, with the preparations on the actual day of serving being a generally easy endeavor. And if you didn't have your Corned Beef on the actual Saint Patrick's Day ~ well, it's never too late. May the road rise up to meet you ...

Happy Saint Patrick's Day!

Glazed Corn Beef Brisket (started a day before serving):
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one Corned Beef Brisket, 8 t0 10 pounds
2 to 3 large sweet onions, quartered
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 large clove garlic, peeled and crushed
whole cloves
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Mustard Glaze (made the day of serving):
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1 cup dark corn syrup or dark honey
2 tablespoons prepared mustard
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A Day Ahead of Serving:
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Place the Corned Beef Brisket in a large stove-top heavy kettle or pot (with lid) and add enough water to cover. Add the onion quarters, salt, pepper and garlic. Bring to a boil with pot uncovered. Reduce the heat and cover and simmer for about 4 to 5 hours or until the corned beef is tender.
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Remove the Corned Beef Brisket from cooking liquid, discard liquid. Stud the Corned Beef Brisket with whole cloves and wrap the Corned Beef Brisket well. Place in refrigerator and refrigerate until the next day.
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Day of Serving:
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Make the Mustard Glaze for the Corned Beef Brisket. In a small saucepan, combine the dark corn syrup or dark honey and mustard. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for about 8 minutes, stirring a few times to prevent sticking. Let cool.

Remove the Corned Beef Brisket from the refrigerator and unwrap. Trim any excess fat from the Corned Beef Brisket and place on rack in a broiler pan. Brush the Corned Beef Brisket liberally with the Mustard Glaze and broil about 5 inches from heat for 10 minutes, brushing the Corned Beef every 2 to 3 minutes with the Mustard Glaze.
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Serve with boiled new potatoes and steamed baby carrots, use any additional glaze as sauce for the vegetables, if desired. Recipe serves 8 to 12 and makes great left-overs.

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Saturday, March 14, 2009

Warm Sunshine in a Cup

Day and night temperatures rollick upwards and downwards ~ a seasonal roller coaster of warmer and cooler weather ~ almost near 60-degrees at times and then back down into the 20s and teens seemingly quite suddenly, wind chill factors not considered.

It is one of the wonderful paradoxes of the beginning of Spring ~ too warm to be cold and too cold to be warm And never quite in the middle either.

Subsequently it is a time of year when multiple layers of clothing are quite practical ~ peeling off and putting on, depending on the fluctuating degrees, the wind and the amount of activity engaged in at any one time.

We are committed coffee drinkers, we must at least have that first freshly brewed cup of coffee in the morning. Yet there are occasions during this time of the year when I turn to tea first thing in the morning instead.

Tea seems "lighter" somehow, more Spring-like ~ perhaps it is all in my head ~ but there is something about a good hot cup of Earl Grey, English Breakfast, Green Tea with Raspberry and various other types and flavors that revive me in a way that coffee doesn't seem to be able to at times.

One Spring only a few years ago, I became nearly obsessed with Green Tea with Raspberry.

I had received several gorgeous large tins of the Green Tea with Raspberry as a gift the year before and the tins were so beautiful that I hesitated opening them ~ thinking to myself I would save them for some "special occasion" instead. And then one dreary chill March evening, I finally opened one. And the aroma of Raspberries which seemed almost to jump out at me was like a basket of fresh fruit just picked from the bush. Fragrant, wholly ripe Raspberries fit for an award-winning pie.

It was a Spring in which for various reasons, it seemed we were almost always "on the road" ~ on our way to or from somewhere ~ and I would always pack at least two large thermoses of the Green Tea with Raspberry to take with us.

A small dollop of pure Honey mixed in ~ and it was like carrying a welcoming ray of warm sunshine in a bottle.

It too was a Spring of widely varying temperatures and occasional surprising wind chills ~ a time of year when folks of yesteryear used to employ their "home-made" tonics to renew their energies and to keep from getting ill.

The Green Tea with Raspberry was like a tonic for us that year. While we have been fortunate in our health, it somehow gave us an extra boost and helped to keep us from feeling run-down with all the traveling we were doing.

I always have a good supply in the pantry ~ along with a variety of other kinds ~ tea can be wonderfully versatile and fortunately keeps nearly as long as the hills, if properly stored. We still drink the Green Tea with Raspberry, although I am more likely to intersperse it with other flavors and types.

I still pack thermoses of it when we are traveling this time of year however, a wonderful habit which stayed with me ~ and because it seems, no other type of beverage will just quite do.

And still in this time of year, we turn to our Hot Apple Cider, undoubtedly a "tonic" in its own right ~ and one which seems to get us through the cooler and colder months of Fall and Winter each year ~ and well into the chilly days and nights of Spring as well.

While it was a bit warmer today, the reminder of the cold Winter's passing still blew on the icy breeze ~ and an occasional and surprising chill ran over me at times.

So before noon, a crock pot full of Hot Apple Cider was brewing and somehow the day ~ both indoors and out ~ was more delightful and somehow brighter than before.

Although on the few warm days we have seen, we will drink our Apple Cider chilled now ~ there is also something renewing about Apples and the resulting Cider which seems to refresh and re-invigorate our energies no matter what the weather ~ but especially at those times of year when there is a chill in the air of one degree or another with the Apple Cider served hot.

And perhaps it is like that with the blissful aroma and taste of Green Tea with Raspberry beginning in the early Spring. A warm and fragrant ray of sunshine in a cup or thermos which seems to taste like Spring itself as well.

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Thursday, March 12, 2009

Somewhere, Spring

Somewhere not too far away to the south, the green sprouts of Spring break through the still-cold ground. From my younger years, I remember a book about the "Root Children" which showed the little boys and girls clad in deep bright Spring-time flower bud colors ~ being gently awakened from their underground beds by a grandmotherly-looking Mother Nature ~ to begin their annual journey upward.

The several illustrations for this story were created in a dreamy, filmy, yet very vivid watercolor style. And the "Root Children" looked so cozy in their thick quilt-covered wooden nature beds ~ in a just-as-cozy room under a large tree within its massive knarled roots ~ that I felt sorry for them that they had to be awakened ~ but glad at the same time, as they promised the bright sprouts and flowers of the soon-coming Spring.

Spring is on the gentle mountain breezes, Winter still in the fierce March winds which blow from time to time. And on some bright days it seems as if Spring has already arrived.

Bare trees examined closely show the leaf buds already forming on some, and soon ~ perhaps not soon enough for some ~ they will be covered in the small light green leaves finally giving way to the heavy cover of Summer.

Huge sunshine yellow sprays of Forsythia will soon embellish our rooms, with generous bouquets of apple and cherry blossoms as well. Oriental style arrangements of delicate Dogwood blossoms and Pussy Willow will precede the later blooming aromatic Lilacs which emit their heavenly scent throughout the entire house.

Always around the Easter holidays, I am lured successfully by pots of Hyacinths and bury my nose in the fragrant blooms while they are still on display in the stores. After growing and fully blooming and sharing their wonderfully intoxicating aroma, they are planted outdoors as additions to the perennial beds. This is an annual occurence as I cannot resist getting new pots of them for inside the house each year ~ and luckily we have the room to expand the outdoor beds as needed.

Each year we look forward to the Easter weekend and Easter Dinner which to us is also a celebration of the coming Spring ~ the joyful welcoming of a Season of Promise, the Renewed Year. In the meantime, we closely watch for the heralding blooms of the Snow Drops and colorful Crocuses to remind us once more that Spring has not forgotten us this year.

And anxiously wait for a proper breeze-filled March day to journey to a hilltop field and send our kites soaring towards the distant clouds.

Well into my adult years and even now, I have always wondered if the "Root Children" had little cups of hot tea after arising. A cup of hot herbal tea sounds good right now ~ to ward off the chill of yet another windy March night.

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Sunday, February 1, 2009

An Old-Fashioned Winter

It has been one of those old-fashioned winters, the closest we have had to one in several years.

The Arctic Clipper having moved back north days ago, we have been getting snow and ice from the south and the west as well as from the Great Lakes, the never-failing Lake Effect Snow, as it is known.
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The most recent front, from the west, left folks in Kentucky and other states with enough ice to take down power lines and to wreak general havoc with their everyday lives. With the mountainous terrain in some parts of the state, it will take them a long time to recover.
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Our weather here has not been as severe although the possibility yet exists that we may experience it with the weather front still moving east.

There is always the possibility of a severe ice storm in weather such as this.

It does not take long to form, it only requires the juncture of several "perfect" conditions ~ moisture and temperature reaching a critical stage, producing a sudden "flash" freeze.
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There is hardly anything more beautiful or infinitely dangerous than a severe ice storm, a sheer fantasy land to gaze upon ~ however with the weight of the ice bringing down branches, whole trees and power lines in its wake.
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With the most severe ones, one can stand outside at their own peril and see the branches and trees snapping under the weight of the ice, the sounds like rifle shots echoing throughout the day and night.

You can hear these sounds whether inside and out ~ and it can be quite un-nerving at times as you wonder whether the six-story ancient pine tree near the house will hold or come crashing through the rafters at some point.

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Putting aside the danger and chaos factor, it is a truly amazing glittering marvel masterpiece of Nature to see ~ with the ice coating anything and everything in its path.

We have had flags furled in the wind which froze up solid in mid-furl, quite a sight to behold and a rare occurence indeed.
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Those without a secondary heat source, such as fireplace or woodstove, find themselves taking refuge in fire halls and schools and other emergency shelters until the power is restored.

We have aways had the utmost empathy for folks such as these as during such an ice storm is also one of the very worst times to travel, even if only short distances.
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We have secondary heat sources, a supply of antique oil lamps with new wicks and clean workings and fuel and food which can be cooked in a fireplace as well as on a stove.
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In the last couple of days, the main ice build-up was on the roads.
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Closings of all sorts ran on local news throughout the day.

Very few road maintainance trucks seemed even to venture out until it warmed a bit as with nearly constant precipitation ~ ranging from snow to sleet to rain and back to snow again ~ any attempts to clear the roads during those times would have been self-defeating.
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The temperatures however have been in the low twenties and thirties, dropping into the 'teens at night ~ and so the weather overall has been bearable, although some planned traveling again had to be delayed.

A predicted "fluffy inch" turns instead to four inches ~ or eight.

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In another day's time, the infamous groundhogs will make their predictions, said to be based on the Farmer's Almanac in reality although it would be hard to prove.
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Nonetheless, the seed and flower catalogs have begun to arrive.
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And Winter ~ glorious and at times outright treacherous ~ will give way in only several weeks' time to the wondrous Spring.

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Wednesday, January 28, 2009

A Welcome Wagon of Two Merry Chickadees

Photo Courtesy of Sharon Werenich

Additional Information Below***

Fortunately, it did not take long for the family member who recently returned to the north from Southern Climes to find a suitable home.

In the mountains, well above the Mason-Dixon line, near a small friendly town we had strongly recommended, she had fallen in love with the area years ago when she and her late husband had been through there ~ and together they had stopped there many times before.

However it was also relatively not all that far from the place where they had lived previously before making the sojourn to the South, and so she felt comfortable with the area ~ and no matter how much we pleaded, she would move no further north.

She has not ruled out another move, so perhaps someday she will venture even further north in the mountains. But she is quite content where she is for now.

In the meantime, in making the new house her home, she had noticed immediately a quite barren man-made arbor which had been placed over the sidewalk to the front door. Perhaps the former owners had made some sort of use of it but it was of no use to her and not in a place where she liked it anyway ~ and one of the first things she decided would be done there was to have it taken down.

When the moving truck arrived, right before our own arrival there to help mark boxes off the list and such, the movers quickly found the arbor blocked easy access to the front door and so by the time we arrived several minutes later, the arbor had already been taken down.

There was little snow on the ground that day, the temperature in the mid-thirties, and she quickly decided the arbor would go in the middle of the lovely landscaped backyard ~ on which she would hang some bird feeders. So the ugly old arbor became a thing of beauty and had a new purpose in quite a different way.

With her son-in-law's help, she moved it back there and managed to get it stationary in the ground. She had been talking excitedly about feeding the birds ever since she had arrived back here and was delighted that in an over-hanging tree branch ~ outside her door at the bed and breakfast where she had temporarily taken up residence ~ was a very intact Robin's nest which had lasted through the summer and autumn, storm after storm.

During the nearly decade away, she and her husband had lived in several areas in the South ~ and the last area, she sadly had reported, was mostly devoid of the birds she had known in the north.

There had been only flocks and flocks upon flocks of noisy black birds which always fight among themselves ~ grackles ~ whether that is the correct name or not, that always is what we called them ~ which people there fed and which were known to eat either the young or eggs of birds such as Blue Jays and Cardinals.

It was rare to hear a Cardinal or Blue Jay ~ and an even rarer event to actually see one ~ and it was the one and only place she had ever lived where she had never ventured to feed the wild birds.

When she had lived in the north, her husband and she had fed the birds sumptuously, even hand-mixing their own suet cakes from their own rich recipe ~ which brought in the winter beauties in droves.

Through the summers, a guest would have to constantly duck their heads to avoid being hit by the outrageous numbers of hummingbirds buzzing to and fro ~ which they also fed.

At one point one winter, they placed corn out for a "poor hungry" Wild Turkey who had roosted in the woods in back of their home ~ and before long they had a "resident flock" of over one-hundred Wild Turkeys who were not leaving the immediate area while there was still corn.

It was a feeding pattern she and her husband did not repeat the next year, but it was quite a site to behold the year it went on.

The now-huge flock of Wild Turkeys would roost in the woods near the edge of the yard and wait patiently for the next day's ample supply of corn ~ which she and her husband had begun storing in huge galvanized garbage cans in the garage, the flock-sized quantities of corn by then being delivered in the bed of a pick-up truck.

We had no doubt there was a serious dearth of Wild Turkeys for the hunters that year, as most Wild Turkeys in the area seemed to be content to stay close-by in the woods at the edge of their backyard ~ their home and property being in the middle of a strict no-hunting area, to be certain, as there were many other homes scattered throughout that particularly expansive woodland.

During a day of the most recent Arctic Clipper when the roads seemed decently maintained and the nearly constant snowfall was delayed, she ventured out for some supplies including a birdfeeder and seed.

The next day, in the still bitter cold sub-freezing temperatures, she hung it on the arbor ~ now in the middle of the backyard ~ and filled the bird feeder with seed.

She said it probably would take the birds at least three or four days to find it even though ~ like her old home in the north ~ a large expanse of woods abuts the backyard.

But the very next day ~ only one day after hanging it there ~ two lively Chickadees found it and happy little birds that they are, seemed quite delighted with their find.

They spent nearly the entire day there ~ and have been back with others in the early mornings ever since then ~ and she was probably even more delighted than they were at finding such a generous new source of food, as she had not seen any real Chickadees for such a long, long time. .

***Try as we did to photograph the actual chickadees of this posting, they were never around when we were there and the weather prevented us from making earlier and more frequent trips to try and catch them. We finally were lucky enough to find the perfect photo above, taken by Sharon Werenich of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, and received her generous permission to use it here. Sharon's website, just recently begun and still under construction, is appropriately named "Chickadee Photo Art", easily accessed by clicking here.

Sharon's site is dedicated to the "Wonders of Nature" and she is a passionate advocate of humane no-kill animal shelters and wildlife rehabilitation (see her "About" page by clicking here). She offers any and all of her copyrighted photography for sale as high quality, lavishly proportioned five-inch by seven-inch notecards and/or posters. A generous portion of the proceeds from the sales go to one of her pet projects: the feeding and sheltering of feral cats, who fare less than well on their own during the harsh Canadian Prarie winters.

She is quite a talented photographer and her new web site/blog is worth a look and periodic follow-ups as she goes through the tedious task (we know all about that here!) of building it.

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Thursday, January 22, 2009

The Long Absent Sun

Yesterday and last night saw temperatures of fifteen and sixteen degrees above zero, yet yesterday had an occurrence which we had not seen for a seemingly long time. The sun came out and shone quite brightly most of the afternoon.

Today was a balmy thirty-two degrees, sunny most of the day, and so we ventured over the mountains for an outing with the family member who recently moved back north from Southern Climes.

We had not seen sunshine for such a long time, it was almost alien when it first began shining yesterday ~ although the bright sunlight was more than welcomed. And the family member who recently moved back from Southern Climes was delighted the sun had melted all the snow from her car.

Poor soul, her garage is still fairly packed with moving boxes the movers hauled in, which she is pain-stakingly unpacking one box at a time. Placing them in the garage has saved her the aggravation of having them under-foot in the house ~ however it also prevented her from putting her car in the garage when the weather turned sub-freezing. And the garage has been colder than normal which has made the going a little slow.

So the effects of the sudden sunshine was like a mid-winter balm in many ways. However the downside to the sunshine was that when the darkness fell yesterday, the fifteen degree weather seemed to be much colder than it had before.

One night over the just passed weekend, the thermometer went to eighteen below and the fourteen degree temperature the next day seemed by contrast almost warm. This evening when the darkness fell, it was the same story all over again ~ the absence of the sunlight suddenly making the thirty-two degree air feel much colder than before, although there had been no temperature change.

One of the Four-footed Members of the Family even briefly frolicked in the snow on one of the necessary trips outdoors yesterday. Briefly, but not for long. In warmer weather, some of them love to bury their noses and roll in the soft snow and have a great time doing so.

But it has been too cold for that type of frolicking for quite sometime. Today however we had to coax the adventurous snow-pups inside after they had nearly covered themselves in snow as they took advantage of the warmer weather for some long overdue fun.

For a change, the smaller Four-footed Members of the Family did not need picked up immediately yesterday after taking care of their business ~ although last night in weather a degree warmer with the sun down behind the horizon, they did. Today they lingered longer outdoors than they have for a couple of weeks, it seems. Perhaps the sub-freezing weather did not last quite that long, but it certainly feels as if it has.

The past two winters have been warmer overall with only perhaps several days and nights of what the forecasters will term "dangerous" below zero weather. Besides hearing the nearly constant news reports of sickness and packed emergency rooms when the winter temperatures are up-and-down and up-and-down, the warmer winters do not do the job of sufficiently freezing the ground to absolve it of some of the insect pests ~ and the insects are always worse the following spring and summer.

We are fairly sure this long period of sub-freezing weather we have just had will do the job however ~ and today we reminded the family member who just moved back north of the coming benefits. She still has not complained even once about the bitterest of cold but has let us know several times ~ several times today alone ~ that she sincerely hopes there is an Early Spring.

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Monday, January 19, 2009

Hot Cider for the Cold Weather

Antique Cider Press
from a Vintage Postcard
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We have received a number of emails inquiring about our favorite Hot Cider recipe and how it came to be one of our family traditions. Hot or Mulled Cider is indeed one of our favorite cold weather beverages and is claimed by some food historians to have a long and ancient history.
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Some accounts claim it dates back to present day England ~ back as far as before the time of Christ. In those early days, the apple tree is said to have been considered sacred and the cider made in those days usually always contained alcohol, and was akin to and consumed as regularly as wine.

Whatever its actual origins, the tradition of Hot or Mulled Cider followed the Pilgrims to New England and in the early days of the United States, nearly always was an alcoholic beverage. Even preachers who preached against the consumption of "hard spirits" consumed the alcoholic or "hard" cider regularly, apparently being such a common and accepted drink, they never gave a second thought to drinking it liberally.

In those early times ~ without the modern convenience of refrigeration ~ cider was not a sweet drink and it has only been since refrigeration became widely available that cider became the sweet non-alcoholic beverage that is known today.

In more recent years, Hot or Mulled Cider recipes recommend it be made from apple cider or apple juice ~ and the addition of spirits, such as rum, whiskey or brandy is a personal preference. We make ours either in a pot on the stove or by using one of our slow cookers so as not to overcook it.

Some recipes recommend bringing the cider or apple juice to a boil although we prefer to heat ours to right below the boiling point as we feel it retains more flavor ~ however that too is a personal preference. If making more than one or two servings, we prefer the slow cooker method as it keeps the cider at the proper consistent temperature for later consumption. The slow cooker method also has the added benefit of consistently sending that wonderful aroma throughout our home for hours upon hours.

It can be made in a variety of ways and many different recipes can be found in cookbooks, magazines and on the Internet. We usually make it with whatever spices are on hand, always being sure to have a good supply of cider or apple juice as the basic ingredient.

Hot Mulled Cider
Photo Courtesy of
Wegmans Food Markets

Some prefer to add brown sugar or honey to the mixture to make it even sweeter but this is also a personal preference. We like ours plain and unsweetened however offer the sweeteners to certain family members and guests. The main ingredient for us is the apple cider (or apple juice) and the spices, the latter which we usually place in a stainless steel tea ball so as to keep them out of the finished drink ~ yet which allows them to infuse sufficiently into the hot liquid. A piece of cheesecloth can also be used for the whole spices if you do not wish to strain them out of the hot liquid before pouring and serving.

Powdered spices can also be added to the finished drink ~ and do not need to be strained ~ and the powdered type can be as flavorable as the whole spices, depending on their freshness and the quantity added. For families with different tastes, Hot Cider or hot apple juice with a side selection of powdered spices ~ and perhaps even brown sugar and/or honey ~ is an easy solution.

Whole cloves, whole allspice, nutmeg and pieces of whole cinnamon sticks are some of our favorite spices to add, alone or in different combinations, depending upon our mood and for the sake of variety. For company, we usually add a whole cinnamon stick in the poured cup for flourish and extra flavoring and provide brown sugar and/or honey on the side for different tastes.

Although many prefer Hot Cider only over the winter holidays ~ which is when our families traditionally made it ~ we began making it years ago when the first snowflake would fall. We quickly discovered it to be a joyful drink throughout the late fall and entire winter, especially when the inevitable sub-freezing Arctic Clipper blows in ~ and we most happily and voluntarily stay house-bound most of the time.

After a long day of hunting in colder weather, we also find it a relaxing drink for both us and our over-night hunting companions and guests, some of whom prefer it with a dash of rum, whiskey or brandy added.

We are fortunate to live in a region of the country where many types of lovely apples are grown profusely and one of our very favorite fall adventures is venturing out to the various apple farms and cider presses to sample and stock up on that season's harvest. We purchase in quantity and store the cider in our old-fashioned root cellar where it stays fresh throughout the winter and early spring as long as we keep the jugs sealed. We also keep a store of apple juice in glass bottles "just in case" we run out of cider, although we never have.

We have also tried the powdered Hot Cider drink mixes when traveling and away from our in-home supplies. However even though some of the powdered mix brands have been good, they have never managed to hit the spot like the home-made kind from our own cozy kitchen. Many fond memories have been created over Hot Cider shared with family and warm friends.

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Friday, January 16, 2009

January Arctic Clipper

We've been in the path of the latest Arctic Clipper covering the Northeastern United States ~ and the sub-freezing temperatures are not forecasted to leave anytime soon, at least not until the middle of next week. After weather such as this, temperatures in the high twenties and low thirties will seem almost "balmy" when the "warm" winter weather finally returns.

An older family member moved back to the area very recently after having spent nearly a decade in the far reaches of the South ~ and while she welcomed the winter, the snow, and the hills and the mountains again, the relatively sudden sub-freezing temperatures have been a little hard to deal with. She has not complained however, but has simply "holed up" in her home until it all goes away.

Fortunately even during her long sojourn in the South, the habit of stocking up for bad weather never seemed to leave her. And so she was amply prepared when the sub-freezing Arctic Clipper came blasting in. Apparently some old habits don't die hard, they just never die. This particular old habit quickly put us at ease ~ happily discovering that she still remembered how to make it through the winter and the inevitable Arctic Clippers.

We keep an extra close eye on the Four-footed Members of the Family during weather such as this ~ especially the smaller ones ~ to make sure their paws do not freeze when they need to venture outdoors. With twelve inches of snow, it still is hardly any insulation in temperatures this cold, around zero degrees before factoring in any wind chill ~ and they are only too happy to quickly take care of their business outdoors and then stampede back into the house where they make a bee-line to the hearth to warm themselves.

Taking a cue from them (and from the family member who just moved back North), we pretty much have "holed up" at home, too ~ only venturing out for absolute necessities such as snow removal and a few odd supplies. Our pantry stays well-stocked with cider to make hot and the ingredients for hot cocoa for times like these and we have plenty here to keep us busy indoors.

A self-inflicted case of cabin fever is a blessing during weather such as this. All part and parcel of the wonderful season of winter ~ and unlike the family member who just returned to the area to live, you will never find us taking any sort of permanent or semi-permanent refuge where the seasonal changes are not as severe. The hills and mountains and change of seasons have been such an integral and nearly constant factor in our lives that we would not know how to live without them for very long of a time.

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Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Grouse Overnight Winter Roosting Burrow

While we have many photos of our own ~ still mostly waiting to be unpacked, sorted and organized for publication here ~ we are staunch admirers of great photography and great photographers, especially when the subject matter happens to be English Setters and wild gamebirds.

We happened across this well-executed photo above several days ago while exploring other Blogs on the Internet, and received permission from the Owner and Photographer to use it here to share with our growing base of regular readers.

This photo is from the Magick Canoe ~ Burning Silo ~ Blog (click here) whose owner and creator ~ Bev Wigney, a photographer, writer and naturalist residing in Eastern Ontario, Canada ~ shot the scene on one of her many sojourns with her Collie, Sabrina, around her rural Canadian farm. She writes on her Blog about this particular photo, "... To the right of the burrow is a mark in the snow. That’s where one of the wings hit the snow as the bird took flight ..."
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Thank you again, Bev, for your generosity in giving us permission to share this outstanding photo with our readers.

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