Sunday Walkabout 10-27

It’s been a pretty slow week here on the hill…well, by comparison anyway.

No eagle sightings or encounters with black widows and thankfully, no trip to the hospital in an ambulance. Just your average week here on the hill…just about as close to normal as we ever get.

That’s not to say that we didn’t work or anything. We got a fair amount of work done. And, we even took time for our annual road trip to get apples and go out to lunch. (part of the Boss’ birthday celebration) That trip also included a visit to my cardiologist and a prescription that is supposed to control my heart issues.  I must admit, I never thought I’d be under the care of a cardiologist…but…so far, so good.

1st pass through red potatoes
...looking pretty good

We got the last of the potato crop for 2013 harvested and stored in the reefer for Winter Sales.  The amounts of red potatoes and the Yukon Gold made up for the paltry amount of Kennebecs.   We only have a couple more outside jobs to complete before we’re ready for Winter.  …and that’s a good thing.  A cold front blew through on Wednesday and made for the first real COLD weather of the year. 

 I even saw a few snowflakes as I harvested on Thursday afternoon!

As part of the annual garden clean-up, the Boss turned the hens out in the lower garden.  They will scratch and peck and hopefully eat lots of weed seeds and insect eggs and grubs…making for a “weedless” garden next year. Okay, weed-LESS is a real stretch (as in, impossible)…and really, we would be happy with less weeds.

the first hens in the garden
You won't believe how well they will clean up the weedy mess!

Since Gus seems to be the latest star of the farm…here’s a little update.

 He has expanded his repertoire a little...  After eating an apple, a zucchini, a bunch of cauliflower leaves and half of a jalapeño pepper in the course of a day and then trimming some of the trees and bushes with his teeth (he was trying to reach the cat) …he has moved on to interior…no make that exterior…design. 

No use denying it, Gus
I've got photographic evidence!

For reasons known only to Gus, he removed the chrysanthemum from the pot next to the porch, chewed up the pot and put the ruined plant in the the "dog cave".  Whether that was to hide the evidence or to spruce up the place, we have not yet decided.  But, I am so glad that this stage of puppyhood doesn’t last forever!

But, it does seem that he is learning to do what our dogs are supposed to do.  He and Ellie met me at the gate when I came back from the mailbox…and he barked at the neighbor a little. (he also ran away and hid from said neighbor…but…he is a puppy)

When I mentioned the cold front, I realize I didn’t say just how cold it was.

 It was 27* when the Market opened…and only 40* by the time we got back to the hill at 1pm.  Yeah, it was cold downtown!  The Wharf sits a little lower than the rest of the City and the Market is surrounded by buildings.  It takes a long time for the sun to begin to warm the parking lot…and then there is the wind that swirls around between the buildings.  Late October and November weather at our open air market can be most uncomfortable.

However, we bundled up…the customers came… the sun began to shine in all its fall glory and it was a good day.  But, it was so cold I never took a picture!  And, I’ll be real honest…it felt SO good to get home out of the wind and cold…we just wanted to sit for the rest of the weekend.  But, not so fast…open the hoophouses, water the greenhouse, check on the animals and just like that it was time for afternoon chores again.  Yep, just like every Saturday.

So, here’s to being back to “normal”!

Thanks for stopping by…

 Happy Sunday!

Y’all come on back now, ya hear?