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[sjc <indexer AT fairpoint.net>]

Ok, decided today to keep track of my light patterns here for a while, 
just for the anyhow of it.  I did this sort of thing pretty regularly 
for the whole year before I built anything over here or planned garden 
beds but of course that's all been 20 years ago...gone up in smoke a 
long time ago.

I live at about 500' elevation on the west side of a hill (Norton) 
that's at about 720', with mature forestation, both hard and softwoods.  
> From there my ground goes down to about 300', which is the low point of 
the valley, and although there is a sizable creek running through it (as 
well as a mile+ long section of floating railroad track) there is a deep 
bog about a quarter mile wide through most of the valley's length.  
Beyond the bog, heading west, is another hill, unnamed so far as I know, 
about the same height as Norton. 

Having steep, highly forested hills on both sides gives me great 
protection from the worst of weather, and of course makes a big 
difference in my light/light patterns, particularly through the early 
morning and latter parts of the day.

4:30, 37º,  plenty of light in the sky for the "initial tour", as Wade 
used to call it.  Turned the boards back and watered the seedbeds, then 
covered them again.  Supposed to rain the next couple days, hoping this 
gives the seeds a little head start, so they can be uncovered through 
the rain without incident.  Yanked a chunk of rhubarb for my oats, 
almost 3' long.  Need to get the bloomstalks whacked off.  Black flies 
voracious but mosquitoes worse.  Odd.

5:12, can see the sunlight shining through the tops of the pines and on 
George's barn roof (1/2 mile to the south, beyond the end of Norton Hill)

5:30, fully light here, but of course still in the shadow of Norton

6:15 pasture just south of house is in full sunlight; I'm still in the 
shadow and will be for a while.  I see the late potatoes are poking 
their heads thru.

7:45, sun it hitting the tops of the trees below the house

8:10, 52º, sun shining through the maple just at the south fence, 150' 
from house

8:20, top of roof beginning to creak, so sun will be hitting up there 
now.  Raven babies are fledging today, what a riot of racket.  Such 
bossy parents!

And so the sun did shine.....but then turned cloudy and stayed that way 
until it got dark, still a bit of light in the west at 9:00 (now) but 
not much.

By solstice it will be light from about 3:30 to about 9:30, but it won't 
last long.

So for a month now we'll have more light than we know what to do with.  
This of course is the 'high end', as the old timers call it.  The 'low 
end' comes in Nov and Dec, when as Lisa mentioned the other day, it gets 
light about 7, and by 4:30 is pretty well dark, even on a clear, sunny 
day.  So in the summer garden our long days help a lot to make up for 
what some might consider "cold" weather.  There is the occasional summer 
that we don't get winter squash matured, but not too many....we use a 
lot of seed that's originated and proved over the years to do well here; 
other than that we don't have to make too many adjustments.  Yields here 
outdo those I could get in southern Virginia by 3-4 times, depending on 
the year.  Far fewer bugs, less fungus, and fewer virals.  Not too much 
that a row cover won't take care of, although most years don't need 
one.  Once  in a while I get a bad infestation of flea beetles, but 
generally most things winterkill to the point that they have trouble 
sustaining enough population to decimate a garden.  Piulled and canned 
18 pounds of rhubarb today (that from 5 plants) and still had to call 
the neighbors to come get whatever they want, most of it is over 3' now 
and it won't be long before it gets tough. 

Other things:  took my cookies for the Bangor Troop Greeters project up 
to Winterport today, where someone picked them up.  The new documentary 
on the TG is done, and they are so proud of it, guess it's been winning 
prizes at some sort of film festivals or competitions.  I really don't 
keep track of movies much, so not too sure, but anyway in their minds 
it's a hit.  Public TV will be showing it nationwide in I think 
November, on a program called POV, don't know what it stands for.  Film 
itself is more about how the project has 'used' (oldtime local term) 3 
of the participants in it.  It's for sure that the project has touched 
many lives, including mine.  I couldn't do what these people can do, so 
I bake a gross of cookies every couple of weeks, and they do the 
greeting (not like I'm the only one who bakes, there are a lot of us).  
They haven't missed a plane, either ingoing or outgoing, nor an 
emergency stop either, since the Iraq war began, no matter snow, temp, 
night, or what.  I go up once in a while and set up or help clean up, 
and take cellphones (so the guys/gals call home as soon as they get 
here, or have one last goodbye if they are outgoing, try and have as 
many cellphones as we can, usually a whole boxful for them to use) or 
return them to their owners.  I have nothing but respect and gratitude 
for the folks who can actually stand to do the 'gig'---tough old folks.  
http://www.mpbn.net/Events/TheWayWeGetBy/tabid/1029/Default.aspx   I 
think every airport that 'handles' these planes should have a similar 
program.  Of course, that's me, the one who really thinks if we could 
have as many involved in peace endeavors as we do war endeavors, we'd be 
a lot better off....

And thinking of "kids" in the military:  my oldest son turned 40 today.  
He is the one who's autistic, was dx at birth with profound retardation, 
same one that had the bad dog bite, halo, repirators, surgery after 
surgery.   So, after all those years being a dingbat, nonverbal, 
absolutely total misfit, and all the other things that made him who he 
is now,  he made his goal to be a Marine, then left the Marine Corps 
after 7 years, because air traffic control, what he was doing, was 
"boring"......soon missed the extreme structure and joined the Virginia 
Air National Guard, and is now full time Air Force, in charge of the 
182's maintenance shop for the F-15 Stealth bomber.  I couldn't begin to 
count the number of times I wondered if he'd live to be 6, then 10, then 
20......who would'a thunk it?  Never give up on the beasties!    He 
asked for a McKay kilt "for the next 5 birthdays, Mom".  He doesn't know 
it yet but I  have already made a sporran for him for Christmas, from an 
old otter coat, finished it while I was waiting on the new knee to 
'take'.  Happy Birthday, kiddo.

Susan Jane