Is is really November?

After the wettest, coldest summer and only 2 nice weeks in September, I can't believe our November weather! We've had above normal temperatures for days and hardly any rain to speak of! Last year at this time, we had snow and it never left until April!

We have been going to a local gravel pit to secure blast rock for our fireplace construction. The specifications are very specific - the rocks need to be about 4" thick and reasonably flat on two sides. We live on the Canadian Shield so rock is plentiful to say the least. Some of the rock we've collected has great veins of quartz, while others are red with iron. When the fireplace is all constructed, it's going to be a true reflection of the rock on which we live. :) The actual construction has stopped for this week while my DH takes a much needed holiday to visit family.

The mild weather has also affected my ducks brains, I think. Two of the ten Muscovy ducks have decided to boycott their duck house - opting to stay outside overnight instead. Now this wouldn't bother me so much if they weren't so white! They are "sitting ducks" for the great horned owl that I saw earlier this year. However, there is no way to catch the darn things since they run under the duckhouse or fly to the roof. Hopefully when the weather returns to normal temperatures they will decide to join the rest of the flock. In the meantime, I'll keep my fingers crossed that they avoid becoming duck dinner!

So...I've been busy!!

It has been a most hectic few months...(sheesh..it was September..now it's November!) Work, which I won't bore anyone with, has been hectic. New software systems, new reporting methods...new just about everything. What was that quotation on change???? Well, work is ever changing....NUFF said!!
At home, work is finally progressing on the new additions. WE HAVE 3 WALLS - only 5 more to go :) . We are doing the bulk of construction ourselves so it is taking an inordinate amount of time to see progress. It doesn't help that we have the building inspector from H*** and the weather has been plain awful ... sigh....
However, we do have progress, and when I close my eyes, I can see just how nice this will be when it's done.
First and foremost, I get a GREAT mudroom/entrance way. Right now we walk directly into the livingroom....not so great when you live in the 'great white north'....It gets mightly cold, mighty fast with the door open at - 35C!! The other addition will house our new masonry fireplace which will replace our current heating system which is all electric. I'm looking forward to the wonderful heat from the masonry heater and I won't complain about the lower energy costs. We are fortunate to have a good amount of wood on our property which can be harvested for fuel.
Winter will soon be upon us but right now we are enjoying a mild November. Temperatures in the +8C are very welcome. We are also getting a reprieve from the endless rains....
This time of year is also a good time to transplant trees. Our house is located in the middle of 35 acres of hayfields so I've been busy finding suitable trees to plant. The township where I live has a practice of mowing down all trees directly on the side of the roads so I've been busily relocating small trees from the roadside to my place. If they all take root, I'm going to have some nice shade in a few years :)