Orange is the new Black(ie)

Meet Satsuma, our new puppy.

How hard is it to take a photo of a black puppy?

We have been looking for a puppy for nearly a year. We didn't want too big dog, not too small. Not too eager to chase game, but eager to go to long walks. Not too hard to train, but not too timid. She's been with us since friday, and so far so good - no fights with kittens, no pooped carpets.She was not supposed to be house trained, but seems to be. When she has to go, she goes to nearest door and sits very nicely to wait. Last night I got to sleep all the way from 11pm to six o'clock in the morning.

Winter wonderland in gray

We have been living in the winter wonderland. Thick frost has covered practically everything, and without sun there is only shades of white, blue, grey and black. One of the villagers has made country skiing tracks with his snowmobile, and our kittes use track as their jogging path.
There is a lot of footprints, cats, rabbits (hares), deers, but I didn't find any fox prints.
Two youngest might ski on that track, I haven't skiing since sixth form, hate it with a passion.
Behind the trees tehere is a little pond, now frozen, we are planning to go skating there (right after I have bought a new skates for D because she has once more overgrown her skates...).

Oh bugger

Yes, I have noticed the winter is here. First i the November the polytunnel was blown away (plastic cover). We set it back and tucked it tightly and neatly, no sagging  anywhere to prevent water or snow accumulating on it.
And then came third or fourth storm this winter, and with very sticky wet snow there was at least 20cm pile of snow, which turned to slush and there went crashing down my tunnel... It's broken. Metallic pipes of frame were bent and stretched, but the covering is intact. In the morning when I left for work, there was no snow over the tunnel at all, and by 3pm the whole thing was down ( I left work ealry just for specific purpose to take snow off the tunnel... too late).

I'm so mad and sad. Of course I know I should have to build a supporting extra frame inside the tunnel, but I haven't had time to do it. It's been three months of darkness after five o'clock pm when I get back home from work (and then I have to make dinner and make sure kids do their homework), and on free time I have been working on the dining/sitting room and toilet. There is only limited hours in my days and weeks...
So I have to buy a new polytunnel. Were it only the covering, I could have bought that separately, but of course no, it's the framing... Buying a new polytunnel is not a problem (yes, I have a plenty of other things to use my money, but right now it doesn't make me bankruptcy because I have money I was planning to spend on other things on the veg plot and polytunnel and greenhouse...). The thing is I can't begin to sow/plant anything outside now before I have a working polytunnel or big greenhouse and I can't build a new polytunnel until spring when all the snow has melted and ground has softened enought to put new foundations on ground. And by then it will be at least May.

The whole idea of having a big polytunnel was to get a headstart in spring with seedlings (I was planning to put a kind of a greenhouse inside the polytunnel), so aaaaargh. Growing season is so short here north, two weeks delay might lead to unsuccessful season.

Thank you and move on.

On the other news we got some venison to the freezer (one joint from the hunting party that is allowed to use our forest and a couple of pieces from hb:s co worker), as well as lamb from my brother. First small piece of venison made into a stew, a bit too sweet to my taste (I used beer) but no leftovers... D found some edible mushrooms at Christmas when she went to fetch some branches and moss for flower arrangements (all four of our children know their 'shrooms, they have been with me in the forest since they were babies). Wild chanterells go well with game.

Dining/sitting room is missing skirtings (they are waiting in the hallway) because Christmas got on the way, I hope hb puts them on place while I'm at work, otherwise I would have to put them myself and I.m not comfortable with glue or nailgun. And the ceiling is not finished, but I have no idea what kind of wood I need for the planned lattice I have in mind... Work on process.