Is this year off to a good start? Not really...

What have I accomplished so far in this new year? Not much. It's been too freakin' cold to do more than take the dog outside a few times a day and feed the woodstove. I've worked on a manuscript and I've made a few videos. I'm not sure that's enough, but then again, I did say that I would REST during the month of January. 

It's harder than I thought. 

Today, finally, we were gifted with honest-to-goodness sunshine! Around two o'clock, Deuce and I walked down to the lower stone fence to get a good look at a widow maker. That's slang for when the top of a tree snaps off and then hangs up there instead of falling. There is no way we can safely get that to the ground. All we can do is stay alert when in the vicinity and wait for it to fall. Once it's on the ground, we can harvest the tree trunk. 

Thanks to the cold weather, my computer is living in my living room. I'm not too fond of this arrangement. I miss my sunroom office, but it's just too cold out there this year. It did help me decide to order a new laptop, though. It's supposed to arrive tomorrow unless I screwed up the acceptance thingee on the stupid app I did not want to sign up for. As soon as it arrives, I'm dumping that crap and everything associated with it. 

I know we're only three weeks into the new year, but I'm not impressed. I don't know what I'd hoped for, but I know it's not this dull, boring stretch of days. I have just one question: Is it spring yet?

The Lady of Holly Tree Manor/The Hideaway

Holly Tree Manor, The Hideaway, winter weather, new year, laptops, widow maker, videos, rural living, country lifestyle, a writer's life

New Year's Day 2026

Another New Year's Day. I hate to sound old and grouchy, but it used to mean a lot more to me, and not just because it was a paid holiday. It was a day to be at home, with Ron, and chill. Well, I'm home and I'm chilling, but it's me and dog. Deuce is good company. 

My 2026 is starting off on a sour note. My HVAC system is throwing what I hope is a minor fit. Oh, it runs fine. It just doesn't accept the command from the thermostat to shut off when the temperature is reached. Yeah. I go to the panel box and flip the breaker to shut it down. Not a big deal, but very annoying. It means I can't let the system on overnight. Again, not a big deal since I have a woodstove. The outside temp dropped to 22F last night and the house dropped to 68F at six o'clock this morning, so I'm not suffering at all. I repeat - it's annoying. My brother-in-law knows about such things and he's coming to take a look at it. 

We had a violent snow squall come through here last night. I stayed up to watch the ball drop in Times Square. My streak continues! Then around four, the sudden wind woke me. I looked out the window and it was a white-out. It came and went within fifteen minutes, but it's cold enough today that some snow remains on the ground. 

It may be a new year, but laundry respects nothing and no one. I did a load this morning to kick-off the new year in an old way. 

I think what really has me gnashing my teeth this new year's morning is that Microsoft is discontinuing Publisher in 2026. They make it sound like even those of us who BOUGHT A PROGRAM DISC will lose access to it. Damn them! I keep a backup document of every blog entry here, at Between the Keys, and Deuce's Day just in case. And of course, I used Publisher to do that for the ease of inserting photos and moving them around. Now I'm reduced to using Word. Yee haw. I can do it, but I don't want to!!! This blog entry will begin the new year and a new way of recording Holly Tree Manor/The Hideaway.

Greeting a new year is always a mixed bag. I can look back and say I made it through 2025 despite the challenges along the way. My plan for 2026 is to maintain the status quo as much as possible. I don't want to work as hard in 2026 as I did in 2025. It's time for me to simply enjoy my little manor home, and that's my only plan. I hope you'll come with me. 

The Lady of Holly Tree Manor/The Hideaway

Holly Tree Manor, The Hideaway, New Year's 2026, rural living, country lifestyle, laundry, sundry things, planning, surviving, loss of spouse, end of MSPublisher

A few thoughts on Christmas 2025

I've been pondering what, if anything, needs to be recorded about Christmas 2025. Many things have been laid on my heart this season, and I hardly know where to begin. There is a wisdom that says look to the big things first, and the small things will fill in around them. I think that is true.

This was my second Christmas without Ron. I could argue it was really my third because in 2023, he was sicker than I knew, and he wasn't talking. He was here, but he slept most of the time. I worried, but without his cooperation, there wasn't a lot I could do. 

So, Christmas alone. Yes. Ron's sister had me up to her house twice, but Christmas Day was spent alone. On Christmas Eve, my cousin and I walked the dogs in the morning, and that was the only person I talked to all day. Christmas morning brought a flurry of texts, but I spoke to no one. There is a peace, and a reckoning, to silence and solitude. I sat with my thoughts and they were good company. 

I thought about making a Christmas Day video, but shelved the idea. I'll get around to making one shortly, after dinner at the cousin's house. Today is when all the grandkids can come. Their respective father's get them on Christmas Day, and we don't make a fuss about it and make the kids feel guilty. Their grandparents are smarter than that. In a few short years, the grandkids will be able to decide for themselves where they want to be for Christmas. We shall see. 

I stopped decorating for Christmas a decade ago, when adding a tree to our smaller space would have gotten in the way of Ron's wheelchair. This year, I almost missed having one. I debated getting one until I saw the price tags. Nooooooooo. The little ceramic tree that came from my grandmother will suffice. I did, however, do a small craft project to hang some of my fancier balls in the front window. It was enough to satisfy the urge to decorate. The bow window has four glass panels, and I didn't realize my project would look like a cross once hung. I think I'll modify it next year. 

Ron was a great gift-giver. Over the years, he gave me three sets of pearls. The first set was a choker with stud earrings. I loved it - a lot. But this year, I gave the set to his daughter. She cried. I felt a few pangs parting with the pearls, but she needed something of value from her father, and that was the best I had to give her. It's not like she needs a set of Snap-On wrenches, so it was the pearls. 

The only close female cousin I grew up with called me yesterday to tell me she's going to be a grandmother again. Totally unexpected, unplanned, but everyone is happy about it. I'm given to understand her son is going for the snip-snip early in 2026. At least they know how it happened! 

It may have been Christmas Day, but gardening fever is beginning. I measured the outside dimensions of my garden space and trolled the Internet for the type of fencing I want for my corner. I checked out websites for seeds, and I suspect the good stuff won't come online until after the Christmas sales. I looked at elevated beds and decided I don't need something off the A-list. How many more years will I be gardening? I don't know, so a product that will last eight to ten years is sufficient. This year coming, 2026, needs to be the year I go ahead and purchase everything I want so I will have a few years to enjoy having my garden space "perfect for me."

Deuce officially turns ten in January 2026. I've resisted visiting Labrador websites. Do I really want to get a puppy in 2026? Do I want to get another dog at all? I always thought Deuce would be my last dog and Ron and I would have more freedom to be away from home for longer periods of time. That certainly did not work out as planned. As I get older, I worry who will care for Deuce if something happens to me. It'll be worse with the next dog. It's sobering to consider. 

This Christmas has driven home just how many ways my life has changed. It's not better, it's not much worse, but it is different. Change comes to us all, and it is often an uncomfortable bedfellow. Not even hope, peace, love, and joy can alter the progression of time. 

The Lady of Holly Tree Manor/The Hideaway

Holly Tree Manor, The Hideaway, Christmas 2025, black Labrador Retriever, family, aging, life changes, holiday recollections, rural living, country lifestyle, 

Christmas Eve 2025

 

This is my all-time favorite Christmas-time verse. Growing up, I could hear the church bells ringing as we walked home from my Aunt Jane's house on Christmas Eve. Those are memories I treasure.

Holly Tree Manor turns six

Holly Tree Manor turns six years old today. Never did I think I'd travel some of the roads I've traversed. There have been a lot of changes in my life since that fateful day in 2019 when I started the Holly Tree Manor blog. 

I retired on wonderful terms from my employer in May 2022. Ron passed in March of 2024. My stepfather passed. My mother is in a home with Alzheimer's Disease. Family I was unsure of have embraced me after years of very little contact. I'm reminded of the words of a song, "what a long, strange trip it's been." 

I look back at all the changes in my life, and I'm sure of only one thing. There is no where else on earth I would rather be than right here on my little manor. No where.

The trip continues. Come along with me. 

The Lady of Holly Tree Manor/The Hideaway

Holly Tree Manor, The Hideaway, anniversary, country lifestyle, rural living, a writer's life, heaven on earth, seasons, life changes, family, friends

Fire Cider

If this witch's brew doesn't kill me, maybe it will live up to the hype. 

Fire Cider. I saw videos about it on YouTube and decided since I had most of the ingredients on hand, I'd give it a try. 

The brew, excuse me, concoction tonic, is supposed to have anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, anti-bacterial, and immune system boosting properties. It ought to have something...

Disclaimer: I'm not a health expert, This is all anecdotal, so make this at your own risk. 

To make this brew you need onion, garlic, ginger, turmeric, citrus (I used one orange and one lemon), jalapeno pepper, black peppercorns, horseradish, rosemary, and apple cider vinegar with the mother. I also added a handful of fresh cranberries since I had some on hand to make cranberry sauce for the holidays. I've seen where some people have added elderberries, but we don't seem to have any bushes around any longer. 

Layer the ingredients in a large glass container that has a lid. Pour in the ACV to cover and put the lid on the jar. Keep it in a cool spot away from direct sunlight and be sure to shake the jar every day. Once it's "finished," strain off the liquid and put it in an amber colored bottle. I'm going to store mine in the fridge. 

My brew will be ready around the first week of December. I've sniffed it and it actually smells like I'll be able to drink the suggested one tablespoon, or one ounce, a day. I have a shot glass and that's what I plan to use. 

Will it's supposedly magical properties change my life? I guess I'll find out.

The Lady of Holly Tree Manor/The Hideaway

Holly Tree Manor, The Hideaway, Fire Cider, witch's brew, health, rural living, country lifestyle, gardening, herbal remedy, science experiment, shot glasses

And then this happened...

Just when you're cruising along...

So I was on the way home from an evening out with one of my friends, minding my own business, when a doe bolted out of the woods and ran into the Charger. 

Yes, she hit me. I did not hit her. 

I am not pleased. 

I almost managed to swerve away from her, but I hit those damn rumble strips along the side of the road and that scared me more than the deer did. It all happened in a flash.

The only damage to my Charger is the crack in the nosepiece which I will have repaired after the first of the year. Until then, there's Duct tape to stabilize it. Why wait so long? It's a scheduling thing. 

I took the Charger to my mechanic and he put it up on the lift and went over it. No mechanical damage. The car runs fine - no vibration, no strange noises. I was very lucky. 

The amusing thing happened the next morning when Deuce discovered that little tuft of deer fur stuck to the car. That's as close to sniffing a deer as my boy will ever get. 

The Lady of Holly Tree Manor/The Hideaway

Holly Tree Manor, The Hideaway, white-tailed deer, Dodge Charger, Duck tape, rural living, country lifestyle, gratitude, Labrador Retriever, auto accident, 

 

Firewood, firewood, and more firewood!

This time of year is all about firewood. Heck, this entire year has been about firewood! It seems like all I've really accomplished this year is trimming trees, setting the logs aside for firewood, and burning the resulting brush. 

It started in May with a maple tree uprooting along the south stone fence. I got that cleaned up just in time for me and the cousin to rent a lift and top a few maples that were close to the house. Yeah, that happened in July and it was hot, hot, hot work. But we got it done. 

After all that, it was time to call in the professionals to take down a huge oak that was ninety-percent dead. I made a video on that. Actually, I made a lot of videos this past summer. You can check them out on YouTube on the Holly Tree Manor channel. 

I haven't had a lot of time left over to blog about anything, even the writing. I'd like to say I see the light at the end of the tunnel, but not yet. There is still a large pile of maple logs to cut into round, and even more oak logs. The cousin and I will have firewood for the next several years with just what is already on the ground. The thing is, it's doubtful Mother Nature will let the winter pass without gifting us more. 

I get tired just thinking about it.

The Lady of Holly Tree Manor/The Hideaway

Holly Tree Manor, The Hideaway, firewood, log splitter, John Deere 1023, rural living, country lifestyle, KC Kendricks, romance fiction, Between the Keys, Deuce's Day

Suffice it to say, we've been busy

It seems like "forever" since I had time to sit down and pen a blog entry. I've been busy with a project practically every day. Just this rainy, dreary morning, I finished burning the brush from when the tree trimmers were here to cut down the top of a dead oak tree. And I confess I've been busy with my new hobby - making videos of what's going on here on the manor. You can go to Youtube.com and search up Holly Tree Manor with KC Kendricks. 

I suppose I'm a bit old-fashioned in that I keep a desk calendar. It's a Day Designer, and I use it as a diary to keep track of what I did when. Looking back, it's no wonder I'm TIRED!!!!

• Today, October 13, 2025 - burned the last of the brush, ran a backup, paid my mother's bills
• October 12 - Sunday, domestic chores
• October 11 - worked in the wood yard; videoed it
• October 10 - laundry, worked in the wood yard
• October 9 - grocery run; canned carrots, baked muffins, brought in tender plants
• October 8 - burned 40% of remaining brush, set up new budget sheet, HVAC guy installed new fan motor
• October 7 - worked in the wood yard, the Internet was out, went to Trivia night
• October 6 - cousin fixed toilet, updated laptop, ordered HVAC parts, gave Deuce a bath
• October 5 - mowed grass, HVAC system fan crapped out, called HVAC tech, cousin brought topsoil
• October 4 - weed whacked, spread stone on parking area and lane
• October 3 - spread stone with the John Deere 1023, dismantled bench at shed and burned
• October 2 - weed whacked, load of stone delivered, got diesel fuel
• October 1 - made grocery run; removed shade cloth at sunroom, steam clean LR area rugs

I have no idea why I'd be tired. And that's not all of it, just the major items. But maybe it does explain why I've not been blogging, or writing, these past few weeks. 

I'm grateful I'm able and active enough to handle all the day to day here at Holly Tree Manor. With winter closing in fast, there is still much to do. It's now wood splitting season, and the cousin has mentioned it a few times. We're both set with firewood for this year, but we need to split for next year so the firewood can season for a year. That's the way it works. 

So forgive me for not blogging much. I really have been busy!

The Lady of Holly Tree Manor/The Hideaway

Holly Tree Manor, The Hideaway, canning, gardening, John Deere 1023, rural living, country lifestyle, firewood, splitting firewood, shade cloth, black Labs

Little bit of this, little bit of that

Some days, most days, life is full of little moments. You do a bit of this and then a bit of that, and before you know it, the morning has slid into the afternoon. My life is really like that. 

A few days ago the morning was full of little things. I made a cup of coffee and sat down to go through the canning books to select a few soup recipes to make for this winter. I had a batch of yogurt in the Instant Pot that needed to be finished, and a pack of bacon to fry. In the garden, I wanted to make a last harvest of the basil and get it on the dehydrator. And I needed to vacuum the rug because Deuce - well, Deuce was being Deuce. 

I took video clips of the morning, which is more time consuming than you'd think. I spent the afternoon putting the clips together and getting the video posted.

When I was finished, evening had arrived and another day was gone. And isn't that just life? A little bit of this and a little bit of that which forms to make a whole day. 

The Lady of Holly Tree Manor/The Hideaway

Holly Tree Manor, The Hideaway, canning, Instant Pot, bacon, basil herbs, gardening, rural living, YouTube, video, daily life, black Labrador Retriever