mumma yaga

September 9, 2024 Fox, Rain and I went to Brome Fair on the long weekend. (Actually, Rain and her family went every day!) It is the largest fair in Quebec, with 35,000 visitors each year. It is mainly an agricultural fair with cows, cakes, vegetables, quilts, flowers and much more brought for showing and for prizes. Tall, sturdy clydesdales and percherons clopped about, looking somehow honest and ready to work. Tractors, diggers and backhoes demonstrated their talents, and there was a wild and reckless demolition derby, that left dusty, crumpled cars dotted along the fence at sundown. There was a clown creating giant bubbles which the children had to catch before they could really take off and shine. There were crafts, frivolous toys and gadgets, and some tempting and interesting housewares, clothes and jewelry for sale. For eating, poutine, heart attack in a cardboard tray, was the most common fare, while fries, onion rings, pizza, and fried cheese and sugary dough could also be enjoy

 August 28, 24 Last Saturday was the annual (except for the plague years) "Jungleweed". It is a gathering at Rain and Tal's farm to enjoy the flowering jungleweed. It also falls near Rain's birthday so that is added into the mix. K and I used to think it was a party to hack down the jungleweed, Jungleweed is, it seems, a (very?) local name. It is actually called giant knotweed or Japanese bamboo. It does have a lovely fragrance and there is an abundance of it growing behind and above the farmhouse. It is invasive and grows all along many of the back roads in the area. It grows to eight or ten feet, and with its bamboo stems and large leaves it does look very out of place in these Green Mountain hills. But the party is a delight. Dozens of interesting, eccentric folk show up with potluck offerings, while two or three barbecues supply various grilled meats and vegetables.  Musicians gather under a large maple: all are welcome - there are banjos and violins and a bass, g

 August 22, 24 Saturday saw a wonderful rainstorm that flooded the Mimico Creek. These photos are from the Eden Valley park.The creek was up over the banks and covering the paths.  Sunday saw more rain and exciting skies.  It has been a good year for the rabbits. I see them everywhere. Antennae on a tree?  ***** A year has passed since K was taken to the hospital for his broken hip. Enough. We will be well. We return to the vineyard in Quebec this week for Rain's birthday and the annual Jungle Weed party at the farm.  Moon almost full - was delighted to catch it between clouds and trees. Mumma Yaga

     August 19, 2024 The cows belong to the farmer at our corner. They are brought up to graze from time to time. They are taken down the road to Rain's farm, too. Community. The smoke map does not show the green mountains' true situation. The smoke settles into the valleys for many days it seems. We have not properly seen the distant windmills to the south in over a week. being higher up here, we may be out of the worst, but across the Missisquoi valley at about our level the haze sits unmoving.  Even the dragon, (the hill above the barn), is hazy, and all the mountains beyond him gone. ***** I have been drawn into the material world of poverty and want, of the rich living on the toils of the poor, of the power in wealth. This, even as I benefit from wealth and power, to live here, to eat, to have a car, a phone, a computer. I am weighed down with the sadness of so much of humanity living difficult lives, even more by the loved ones whose struggles I watch, knowing that money