Day: January 21, 2011

Bedlam Farm has a whiz-bang snow crew, beginning with Chris Barrett and then joined by the former girlfriend, who, it turns out, loves to rush out in storms, climb on roofs and shovel stuff. I had no idea, but how cool is that? I surely don’t want to interfere with her joy, so I let the dogs out to supervise things and she was closely observed, watched and herded as she cleared paths, dug out the garbage cans, cleared the roof and the side of the barn. Then she rushed off to the Studio Barn to make quilts and potholders, and then brush off and shovel out her car.

I was exhausted from watching her and took some photos (for posterity) and made a few suggestions, then retired to the farmhouse to try and get my new satellite radio going. What a team.

After a few hours in La-La Land (your call is important to us, which is why you are on hold for an hour), I got it working and I love it. We immediately instituted a new farmhouse ritual – dancing after snow.

My spiritual counselor (I always smile when I say that) says when you start getting in line with yourself, good people start showing up in your life. I am seeing that this, among other things she says, is very true. It’s a bit odd when you look forward to your plow guy showing up, but Chris Barrett is a find, fun to talk to and totally reliable, even in a snowstorm. He will mind the snow on the farm, while we set off on the library tour Sunday. He says there may be some weather mid-week. We’re ready.

The Big Freeze is settling in this morning, and the next two days are expected to be true winter – lows well below zero. I don’t know how many people can make it to Granville, but we’ll be there. And Cobleskill, Salisbury, Richboro, Pa., Providence, Osterville, Scituate, and Martha’s Vineyard if we can get there. I heard about a possible Northeaster mid-week and asked Maria what she thought. “We’re going,” she said. Go, girl. I’m game.

When we looked out the bedroom window early this morning, we were both startled by the strange reality of seeing nothing but white. For a second, I thought the house has been buried in snow. Close. Another six inches this morning. An avalanche slid off the roof and built up dangerously on the porch. The farm is buried in snow, and the arctic blast is just about here – It looks like – 17 for Sunday. Whatever is on the ground – or the roof –  now will be solid as a rock by Monday. I wanted to call Ben, with his strong back and big shovel, but before I could get to the phone, I heard the window open and my former girlfriend was on the roof, where she shoved most of the stuff off over the next hour or so.

It was tough work – the snow was hard and impacted.

I can say I wasn’t at ease seeing her out on that icy roof with a plastic shovel, and I started to say, hey, get off that roof. But I knew that wouldn’t work. A lot of people talk about empowerment and equality. Some people do live it. Be quiet, I said to myself. Don’t try and get her off the roof, even though my heart did some skipping. It’s great that she wants to do it, knows how to do it, and then does it. Not for me to say she couldn’t or shouldn’t. And wow, I thought, do I admire her. She contributes so much, every day in so many ways. I did make her a hearty breakfast though – muffin, sausage, fresh juice and egg.