Well, the year has passed
through its ever constant cycle, and since Beth is writing a newsletter,
it must be close to Winter Solstice and the New Year. Blessings to all.
Last year Harold's new toy
for the farm was a chain saw. This year we added a gas powered wood splitter.
We installed a wood stove last winter, and now we heat the whole house
with wood. We just love it. It's wonderful to be "off the grid," (for heat
at least) and not have to worry about the ups and downs of energy costs
in these uncertain times. Today's modern wood stoves have catalytic converters,
and they burn with almost no pollution, so we are happily warm and "green"
too!
Another improvement we have
here at Red Roof Farm is a new network of trails in our lovely woods. We
acquired a bush hog (or "boosh hawg" as they say in Hoosier) and Harold
attached it to the tractor to work magic in the nearly impassable overgrown
sections of our woods. He cleared out tons of pricker bushes and created
wonderful hiking paths. The landscape is more open, easier to traverse,
and we get to see more wildlife. Beth had to sacrifice most of her wild
berry canes (no jam this year, sniff, sniff) but when they grow back they'll
be much more accessible. No more ripped jeans! What a novel idea!
In June we added a new member
to the family. He's our official trail superintendent. His former address
was the Bloomington Animal Shelter, and he was most delighted to accept
a job at Red Roof Farm as chief watch dog and inspector of wildlife habitat.
His name is Tao (rhymes with pow) and he is a year old, medium -sized black
and white short -haired mutt of no discernible parentage, although we suspect
there are tracking and hunting genes in there somewhere. He made his peace
with our cat Franz after three months of intense guerilla warfare. He finally
accepted his place in the pecking order, which is to say, CATS RULE, dogs
drool. Jewel has done an outstanding job teaching him his obedience, and
he is Beth's ever faithful hiking companion. He despises coyotes and does
a good job chasing them away when he and Beth go out for hikes after dark.
Harold took to the podium
in October to conduct an ensemble of Indiana University students in a concert
of music by Gerald Finzi. This event was part of a week long festival at
IU of music honoring this wonderful English composer. He has been slowly
building up the violin shop business, has been restoring instruments for
the IU early music program (gambas and viols) and has been rehabbing Baroque
violins and violas , with the goal of having an early music ensemble of
his own in the future. When he's not involved in music, he plays with his
farm equipment, cuts wood, and visits his mom.
Jewel still homeschools
with Beth. Her favorite subjects are French, Italian, and Science. She
will be testing for red belt in Taekwon-do soon, and recently achieved
a 2nd level blue belt in Modern Arnis (a Filipino stick fighting art).
She just completed an intro course in Japanese Bo. A bo is 6 foot long
rattan or oak staff used in several Asian fighting arts. Don't mess with
this young lady if you enjoy having your head in its accustomed place.
The day before I entered this into the computer, Jewel triumphed in 2 big
recitals at Indiana University. She performed on both cello and piano and
was accorded much applause and praise. This fall she had her first experience
as a pit orchestra musician for the IU ballet.
Michael landed a spot in
the IU Philharmonic, the top orchestra in the music school. He is preparing
diligently for his senior recital. The death of his brilliant and much
loved violin teacher a few weeks ago has been very unsettling, but he is
soldiering on with guidance from other teachers until he is reassigned
a new mentor. We never miss one of his performances if we can help it.
Grandma Jewel took up residence in a retirement
facility in May. Her health problems became more than Beth or Harold could
manage at home. She is doing really well. She has made some new friends,
and she participates in some of the communal activities at the home. She
even has art lessons with a private teacher we engaged for her. Some of
you dear readers may be the recipients of one of her recent efforts, Christmas
cards. She turned 84 last month. WOW!!
Beth, as ever, is absorbed
with making Red Roof Farm as inviting to wildlife as possible. Her blue
bird nesting boxes were hugely successful this year, and she finally had
time to take some training and work with a wildlife rehab group. She got
to raise some injured, orphaned baby birds to maturity and release. Like
Jewel she is intensely involved in martial arts, Taekwon-do and Modern
Arnis too. She advanced in Arnis to 1st level blue belt. Her favorite activity
at the moment is sparring with the bo. Imagine what fun it is to whack
someone upside the head with a 6 ft. stick. Too bad they make us wear helmets!
Well, that's the scoop on
our doings this year. Red Roof Farm is slowly becoming a wildlife sanctuary,
but it is really a sanctuary for us as well. Everywhere we look we see
peace, quiet and beauty. Sometimes at night we hear the coyotes calling
mournfully in the hills. To our ears that is far more beautiful than the
police sirens we often heard in the city before we came here.
We all hope the holidays find you in good health,
good spirits, and good fortune. Blessed be.
The Evans Family
P.S. Check out our web site for some fun pics
of Red Roof Farm.
http://www.his.com/~hevans/index.html