My Year 2021 in Review

It is the time of year that brings on contemplation for the year we are saying goodbye to and hopes for the new year that we are about to meet.  When the year 2021 began some things I had hoped for were to downsize more and write poems. 

Zed and I spent all of Lent going through boxes and recording our processes for YouTube.  This made me accountable for more than just myself.  I did get rid of a bunch of stuff; I still have so much to do.  I learned a bit about video editing and burn out.  The box a day thing was doable for those 46 days of Lent.  Towards the end I just needed it to be over.  I was going to take just a little bit of time off and start again, I didn’t restart.  I have gone through more boxes here and there, but that momentum is gone.  I was unemployed then and I am not now, but that is an excuse.  I know my life would be better with fewer things and I need to work toward that.

As for the poetry, well, I tried a little at the beginning of the year but that just really didn’t happen.  Maybe I will start that again… no one should be holding their breath for that.  

The above doesn’t cover 2021 though.  The year began with Bel and Folke living with Zed, Keziah, Gideon and myself here in New Hampshire.  They are now spending time with Bel’s dad in Texas, working at making their bus a mobile house so that it can become a home.  There are other people who are staying with us now as we try to help family and friends get through rough patches in their lives.

We are all another year older. 

I’ve been able to check off visiting some of NH fire towers off my bucket list.  

With the Covid pandemic still looming over us, SCA activities have been limited.  We did get to a few events and are planning for some going forward.  I miss this part of my life, but I don’t know what to do when I am participating now.  This skill of being with people is hard.  It always has been for me but it is getting worse with the pandemic.  

Gardening happened but the groundhogs won.  If I garden this coming year, I am hoping for better.  The fence is still not complete; finishing/fixing the fence and raised beds will be the first orders of business.  I’m still working on getting plants going in the cellar.  

Since August 13th of 2019 I have managed to reach my 10,000 steps a day goal.  I believe I maintained my daily happy blog for 2021 every day as well.

At the beginning of 2021 my friend, TF, and I started trying to hold each other accountable for our goals and weekly maintenance.  We have been forgiving and gentle with each other and it has been good.  

People are still being born and dying.  I haven’t met any new babies this year.  Some deaths, however, have been close to my heart.  Crying/grieving is important.

At the end of 2019 we adopted two cats.  In the middle of 2020 we also adopted a dog.  It has been a pet filled year and we are still learning how to manage all the animals.  We love them and although it was iffy for a bit, I think we are keeping them all.

As I attempt to lean into the year 2022 I want to make new goals and plans.  I start and then tumble as I think that the reality will not turn out as hoped.  I want to say that I will write poems and travel more and get all the downsizing done.  Perhaps if I just try to use my time more wisely, these things will happen anyway.  

My wish is good health to all.  May you prosper in the ways you need and love deeply.

For 2022, my daily blog can be found here. As I write this, it is still under construction.

Snake.

 Since I know that not everyone wants to see a snake when they go to the blog for happy things, here is the garter snake I encountered today while getting the wheelbarrow.

This little guy seemed to like the compost pile.

A little while later just the end of the tail was noticable.

☮

Stomach or Carcass?

 So I found something in the snow this morning.  At first I thought it was an embryo or fetus from a mouse or other rodent.  When I examined the photo I thought maybe a mole because of the yellow looking part at what I thought could be a nose.  

  The closer I examined the photo the more I leaned toward this being a stomach.  Going back outside and seeing if it is still there and getting a much closer look would undoubtedly confirm this.  The timid teenager in me who didn't care for disections in school says nope.  The aged, curious, adult in me says yes.  The practical part, however, that part that looks at the forteen degrees, feels like zero, doesn't want to get dressed up again to head outside, even though it is nine degrees warmer than when this was found. 

So, what do you think?  Other than that I am a wuss!

I believe the tracks in the snow to be cat.

The stomach/or what?

Deer Carcass Update

 We made an attempt at boiling the deer carcass to remove what was left of the meat and such.  It is winter and we lacked enough dry wood-and enough human energy-to keep such a large amount of water boiling outside in the cold.  More research was done and the bones are now "buried" under an opaque bin in hopes that nature will, over time, clean off the bones.  The plan is to leave them there, undisturbed, until spring- maybe summer.  It may not work, I'm okay with that.  I can dig deeper and really bury them if need be.

The Deer Jaw.

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Deer Carcass

 Walking around our New Hampshire property today (January 1, 2021) with the family we came across a deer carcass.  Well, at least what was left of the deer.  I have seen plenty of deer footprints and occasional scat, as well as other animals on the property.  I’ve been noticing what I assumed were prints from a local dog.  I’m not good at identifying footprints, especially canine or feline varieties as the similarities are more than the differences for these untrained eyes.  Now I have reason to believe that the prints were from a coyote. The last time I walked through this part of the property was four days ago (December 28, 2020).

Here is what we found:

Deer head, spine and some ribs, a nice rack.

Same as above, different vantage.

Rear leg and more spine.

Close up of the same leg as above.

Some fur amid the ribs from that first set of bones.

Pile of fur, ten feet or so? from the initial bones.
The hand is over the lower jaw.

The is probably a hip or shoulder bone?

More fur, another ten feet or so from the other pile of fur.

Scat, possiby from a coyote. 
I had a vinyl glove in my pouch and so I felt it for warmth.
The narrow part was hard, but there was still warmth/squishiness in the larger part.  
Obviously lots of fur too.

Just another tuft of fur.

Comments welcome.

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