But Can She Cook?

So Hurricane Irene has come and gone and we are just about done picking up the pieces.  Though we were not in her path, we got plenty of rain and wind on Sunday.  We lost a couple of trees, which we cleaned up Tuesday, and the power was out from Saturday night/early Sunday morning to Monday night, so really it was not too bad overall, and could have been a lot worse.  I think the worst things were the fact that we had no running water (yeay, wells!) and that because of lack of refrigeration, we lost 5 and 1/2 dozen eggs--chicken and duck.  That hurt.  Oh, and the County Fair was cancelled.  Argh!  No livestock for me.  That really stunk.  I am thankful, however, that my parents, who live down the mountain a little way, have a generator and we were able to shower there.  That was a beautiful luxury. 

The best things about it?  For one, I learned how to use a chainsaw, which is scary.  I can use circular saws and saber saws and chop saws and jig saws but chainsaws, never.  I just assumed to watch.  However, we were cutting up the fallen trees and I figured that it was good a time as ever to learn.  I still am a little nervous about it, but I feel I can handle it.  I took down a number of smaller trees and chopped up one.  Was I ever tired on Wednesday!  That thing is heavy.  I did it, though, and I'm proud.

The second thing was that Sunday night, which was spent without electricity, I got the best night of sleep I have EVER gotten.  It was a deep, restful, peaceful sleep, and I awoke Monday with lots of energy.  There is something about sitting in the lamplight, getting tired before bed and then going to bed in the dark that seems to be more natural.  Think I can convince the chillins and husband to have a lamplit evening once a week?  I think I'm going to have to try. 

The third thing was that we got re-landscaped!  Good old Mother Nature herself came and did us the favor.  We are the keepers of 3 natural streams on this piece of land.  They are beautiful and a wonderful gift.  They were SO helpful when the well wasn't running.  I could keep the animals watered and get water for washing, etc. 

Sunday, which was the day of the rain and wind here, the stream nearest the house (behind it) was running FAST--scary fast.  The stream runs in the rains and during the winter thaw and in the spring and fall, but during the summer it generally dries up completely or to a slow drip.  It is a fairly thin stream, rocky, but not too, in a fairly straight line towards the back of the property.  That day, it rose to within 6 inches of it's banks and widened.  This is what it looked like that day. 

....Oh, and I should warn you that my husband shot the footage.  He babbled the ENTIRE time, too, so I apologize in advance. 

...........Sorry ladies, he's taken. 

After that was over,  the stream was different.  A few rocks became more rocks.  PILES of rocks.  It was twistier and turnier and there were waterfalls.  Lots of little ones.  It's even prettier than before.

So the Lady certainly can landscape.  But can she cook?