I would have taken a shot of the chopping block but it was chopped and in the fire before I knew it, last night. So, all this years firewood is gone. From now on we will have chilly starts. And early to bed evenings. I don’t mind I spend most of the day outside anyway.
So yesterdays sun was much appreciated. When I redesigned the big room I had them take out the ceiling and create a loft. Sky lights were placed in the roof above in an order that allows the sun to warm the brick chimney that runs through the middle of the house.
So as long as the sun is shining we are kept from freezing. But by night all the collected warm in the house is gone. And today it is already raining, but thats OK, rain is good too. 
I don’t mind if the house is cool because there is so much to do outside at this time of year. Roll on spring!
I looked back to some old posts at this time of year and we had the beginnings of grass growth already. 
But spring was a little early last year and then we had the bad frosts that killed all hope of the fruit. So I don’t mind a slow thaw. You see how it works out – one way or the other. 
The girls are preening in the bright sun. 
Daisy says Good Morning.
I noticed, while drinking a beer in the sun on the verandah yesterday evening with the Kiwi Builder – both dressed in full cold-weather gear – that the buds on the Magnolia are just starting to swell. These were all hit by the frosts last year too. Maybe this year we will get a show.
Good morning. I think that 6 weeks from today we can let the animals out onto the grass, it is always a very staggered affair, getting them used to green forage and allowing the grass to get good and long. But 6 weeks is a lot of hay. Those little lambs are fully into eating their share now. So sooner would be better.
Have a lovely day.
celi
The Kitchen's Garden 
84 responses to “The Chopping Block got the Chop”
Ooh you’re rbave…no heating! One of the things I am enjoying about being in the U for the coldest part of the year is the cold and sun outside and the warm houses!
I certainly do more housework when the house is warm.. so .. um.. yeah, not a lot being done right at the moment. If it gets really terrible, I can turn on the gas for an hour, but it is like sitting on a thorn, paying for heat! c
You’ll have to sleep in the barn, above the animals, for warmth 😉
I am sure the warmest will be above daisy!! morning mad.. c
brrrrrrrrrrr, hoping you have lovely duvets to cuddle under.
I am such a baby i can only sleep under cotton.. so I have a pile of cotton blankets, i call them my rags, but i am never cold! c
Ooooh looks chilly and fresh. We woke up to a beautiful day here on Long Island too. My favorite shot today is the chicken picking her way through the snow and puddles! I feel a bit chicken-y too, today!!!! Have a beautiful one.
Excellent as that is your fav i shall pop it onto pinterest as the shot of the day, i like it too! c
Brrrr. Our geothermic pipes under the garden give us all the warmth we need via a heat exchanger, but even so, a fire in the stove is heartening each evening. I don’t know anyone with such a positive attitude to life and misfortune as my good friend Celie Gunther.
We were hoping for an early spring!! So silly!! morning ViV.. c
So, does John make a new chopping block each year? I suppose I thought they were nearly eternal…
Fingers crossed that you’re done with the really cold stuff this year!
We have only had to chop the chopping block once before, last year we even had left overs.. !! c
I am paying for living in a warm house: I am now in arctic NE England in a sub-liminally slightly warmer than outside house and waiting for courage to get up and put all my clothes on. My hands are wishing they hadn’t sent you those hand warmers! I’m also starting a cold.
OH NO! wear lots of layers, you are not allowed a cold.. and the hand warmers are still in use, who would have thought this winter would have lasted this long! c
I’m carefully eking out the last of the wood. Luckily we’ve hit a mild patch, but I think we have some frost to come next week. Where we live they still have the mediaeval belief in the Saints de Glace on the 11,12, 13 May.http://www.bravopapi.com/articles/saints-de-glace.html We so often have frosts on those days of the Red Moon (La Lune Rousse) that one has to admit that their beliefs can’t be that wrong. I never listen to the weather forecast, I just ask my neighbour what’s going to happen with the weather. Love the white chicken against the snow.
WE have been ekeing too, only lighting the fire at night. .. But ah well.. c
les Saintes de Glace are 11, 12 and 13th May in Basse-Normandie. Last year we lost all our fruit blossom.
Good morning, c., and to all the farmy.
We’ve not had heating or hot water for two days now. The new boiler is causing the gas and electricity men a spot of bother. It’s suprising how warm you can be when you wear everything in your closet at the same time. Well, not double-layers of shoes, but double-triple-everything else.
Love the photo of Daisy. What a beauty she is.
At this time of year when there is no risk of pipes freezing and bursting it is just a matter of wearing a few more layers, not really a problem.. as long as you so not need to look like a fashion plate all day long!! c
I’ve been wearing and breathing plaster dust for weeks; fashion isn’t high on my list of “oooooh what shall I do today!” 😉 At least we now have heat, and hot water is soon to be featured as well.
Hot running water!! How Posh!! c
I might even have a bubble bath!!
OUTrageous!! c
Keep warm! 🙂
i wear my beanie all day.. no problems with bad hair days!! c
No wood -that sucks! After running out before, I now have 3 years worth every fall and it’s darn good and dry when I burn it.
I’m loving these warm-sun days too….finally! But still 2 feet of snow on the ground to melt. This week last year we had unusual temperstures in the 70sF! So I’m glad for a slow melt a.k.a. less flooding, this year.
That sounds like a dream, but we are opportunist wood gatherers and as you can see there are not a lot of trees left around here! howver each year we just manage to scrape through. This year we will focus on the hedgerows and start pulling out old wood from there. Oh how I would LOVE to get three years ahead! c
1. Daisy looks very sexy. 2. You can sense all the wetness soaking into the good earth. 3. Spring is definitely coming. 4. Magnolias are a gift, aren’t they? Love them! 5. Beer on the veranda is always a good move.
Magnolias are a gift, especially as this one flowers so early! I planted it close to the verandah so it is right in front of me when the big yellow blooms appear! c
Maybe you can show us when blooms… Is it ever weird to you that we all inhabit your life invidibly like elves?
But you are such helpful and kind little elves! c
Good morning to you too. I noted this morning that the snowdrops on the south side of the house are up, we shall have to see what else is coming.
Morning Lisa.. Your snowdrops are up? I had better go and check mine, though there is still a lot of snow on that side.. I long to get gardening, don’t you? just thaw already i keep saying to the ground! c
Celi, are they tulip magnolia trees? We have one that looks very much like yours, and it was the very first tree to bloom last year. But I don’t think it’s considered a real magnolia tree. Is it? xo
This one is a yellow sunburst magnolia. It does bloom early though. I am not sure about the tulip tree i should do some research.. I have a red and white one in the south side that i bought as a magnolia, but it looks a lot like the tulip tree you describe but later flowering.. hmm.. ah well, they are beautiful anyway! c
You are right, they are gorgeous! Ours is purple when it blooms, and is getting ready to burst forth now! Also we have daffodils popping up in the fields! How cool is that? xo
You make it sound so easy, but I got a chill just looking at all those piles of snow. Come on, Spring!
I know.. how is your spring?.. I must come over and see.. c
Your photos speak spring in a way that mine cannot here in Minnesota where skies remain gray and snow defines the landscape. However, rain is falling today and the snow is diminishing and I can think perhaps of blue skies like those you’ve shown me.
Especially love the light in the Daisy image this morning. Beautiful.
I loved your post this morning with all these bright bowls and cups and glasses, it was very cheery! c