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  • From: sjc <indexer AT fairpoint.net>
  • To: homestead AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: [Homestead] Light patterns in the north, BTG documentary, David
  • Date: Tue, 26 May 2009 21:40:28 -0400

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












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