high water, bittersweet

words i love: 

ecotone, watershed

right now watershed is in abundance. 

there is a lovely abundance to high water. 

a bit scary as nearby potsdam is now in a state of emergency, as are many adirondack communities.

at 6:45 this morning the little river was misty and flooded.

tonight it's cool, and there may be more rain

 in between we had a work day at bittersweet farm

ann looks at a wedding invitation on paper made at wake robin

 ann and catherine and brian

in the background a greenhouse skeleton.

we had terrible winds this week. they stripped and wrecked the greenhouse you can just see.

we salvaged and repaired,the greenhouse is now a little shorter, 

but much of the metal was salvaged. and though the new plastic will cost over $300,

at least it can now be used.

another greenhouse survived but was blown 30 feet away.

and will have to be moved, but we didn't have enough back power.

way more than ten

on monday we moved piglets. at bittersweet farm. brian handed j. the first two, and we were on our way. and so were the larger piggies from several litters. it's easiest to hold these guys by the hind leg(s). 

they seemed to like their new digs.

this student gets pigs. she's calm and easy with them. she has a real ease around a big mama like this girl (i've forgotten her name, maybe tiptoe?)

bittersweet farm is aptly named. a small, diversified organic farm run by ann and brian bennett is located on some heavy north country soil. i know, i've dug in clay to plant trees, and felt with my hands the soils improved by the bennetts. the students hear each time we visit what kind of day it is, monday was a leaf day, according to the biodynamic methods they adhere to.

after a morning of work we gather at the cabin for bag lunches.

the friends of bittersweet farm have been a big part of several initiatives here. st. lawrence university and clarkson university send teams of students for different projects, one was building the cabin in some woods on the farm. it's a favorite place to gather after working to eat and talk.

we don't have to enter the bus this way...i think we're loading/unloading something. 

brian and ann sent us home with a dozen eggs we collected, and two bags of spinach and one of arugula. we will eat some of this tomorrow.

one of the three greenhouses

                                           a day at bittersweet is always a good day.

yesterday. a day of working hard, of learning how to do a job well, and then home for yoga and then a walk with wendy. and someone left me a gift on the roadside. a day of praise.