Archive for April, 2007

April 2, 2006 – Willows in the Ground

Posted by | Filed under Crops - Trees, Farm - All | Apr 2, 2007 | No Comments

My day was outlined for me when the mailman brought a package of willow cuttings.


Tomorrow, I’ll go into more details about the varieties, but today it was important to get them in the ground.  (Note to self – they are planted in the order of the photo.)We have a wide swath of lowland that is temporarily wet in the spring and after a big rainstorm.  We hope to start a small nursery here where we can propogate the varieties that do well for us as ornamentals, goat browse, or willow baskets/furniture (or all three).


I was lucky today was not windy, so I could get the landscape fabric out without turning it into a sail.  If you look closely, you’ll see little sticks poking out of the fabric.  To plant, when it is this wet, just stick them into the ground and they root. 


The completed (except for fencing and more mulch after the willows grow) willow nursery.


A little time, mulch, and some wet and muddy knees, and the willows are tucked.

one year ago…

April 1, 2007 – Seder Dinner

Posted by | Filed under Family - Emma, Family - Martin | Apr 1, 2007 | No Comments

Tonight we attended a Seder dinner. Its an enjoyable, thought-provoking meal/ceremony.


Here Emma displays the Seder Plate. It contains

  • Charoset, a mixture of apples, nuts, wine and spices, symbolizes the mortar the Jewish slaves made in their building for the Egyptians.
  • Celery as a substitute for Zeroa, a roasted shankbone symbolic of the Paschal lamb offered as the Passover sacrifice in Temple days.
  • Baytzah, a hard-boiled egg, symbolizes the festival sacrifice brought in the days of the Temple. Some interpret this as a symbol of mourning for the Temples as the sacrifices were no longer offered after the Temples were destroyed.
  • Karpas, generally parsley or a potato, is dipped in salt water to represent tears. The custom of serving karpas dates back to the 1st and 2nd centuries when formal meal began by passing around vegetables.
  • Maror is bitter herbs. Horseradish root or prepared horseradish is generally used. Maror represents the bitter life of the Israelites during the time of their enslavement in Egypt.
  • Chazeret is a bitter vegetable. Celery or lettuce can be used. Those who do not put chazeret on their Seder Plate sometimes put a dish of salt water in its place.


    • Martin was good with the Charoset and Matzoh ball soup, and not as keen on the bitter herbs and horseradish.

    one year ago…

    Newer Entries »