Sunday Walkabout 9-27

The change of season always seems to bring a change of weather, particularly in the fall. And, this year is no exception. The hot, dry weather has given way to cool, dark, dreary, dampness that has some of us thinking of firing up the woodstove. Okay, so I am the only one cold enough to think about the woodstove, but we are both wondering what Gus has in mind for the woodpile this year. Did you read THIS?

The gardens are definitely slowing down, or at the very least changing course.  The warm weather crops are just about spent...

looks like the okra is finished for the season

that's definitely it for tomatoes
the last ones don't look or taste very good

and those cool weather crops are just starting to produce well. (except the Brussels sprouts…and that’s another story). 

the kale I seeded earlier in the month is taking off!

It will soon be time to pull out the old stuff and plant garlic for next year. The fall potato crop is just about ready for harvest, too.

The slow-down in garden work means that we can take a little break. 

the jelly turned out real pretty!

After completing my jelly project last Sunday, we took our first Sunday walk in a long while. 

our walk takes us toward the mountains

Our walk turned into a drive “around the block” just to see if anything had changed in the neighborhood (I use the term loosely) recently. 

It hadn’t. 

But, our little drive did show us just how dry it has gotten around here. Although, I must say...even when it's dry...this is a beautiful place to live. 

black angus cows always look grumpy to me

Not unlike the rest of the “neighborhood”, any grass growth here on the hill is non-existent so the Boss is freed from the perpetual mowing duties of the early season and can get caught up on the odd repair job around the place.

at least he has some help as he repairs the gate!

Since, the weather wasn’t all bad, job #1 was a gate into the lamb’s feed paddock.

For years (and years) I’ve climbed over the gate to the lambs. 

To feed them, to move them, to check on them…that’s a lot of gate climbing. It was just the way you got in the lamb paddock and I honestly don’t know what made him decide to do this project. (maybe I complained, or maybe he just took mercy on my bad knees, I can’t be certain)  The rock hard ground made the job a little harder. 

 But, it’s done and my knees thank the Boss every time I open the gate and I am considering that my anniversary present.

1984
I can assure you, we do NOT look like this
anymore

We noted 31 years of married togetherness this week and I posted one of our wedding pictures on Facebook and truly appreciated all the nice things people said. I had really hoped to have a new picture of us. But, rather like cobbler’s families who often don’t have shoes, photographers don’t generally take lots of pictures of themselves. I guess I’ll have to keep working on that one.

The gate project wasn’t the only thing going around here this week. There are still lots of seedlings to transplant into the greenhouses. Although many of those didn’t look as healthy as I would like and I had to restart a fair number.  Added to the fact that chickweed is overtaking hoophouse #2 (that I just finished planting) and the re-growth on the lettuce just didn’t happen this week (meaning there was no lettuce for Market) I must admit, the hoophouses totally bummed me out this week. But, I seeded a bunch of new stuff, the Boss promised to help me battle the weeds, so maybe (just maybe) the upcoming week will be better. On an up-note, I do think I got the slugs under control!

working on transplanting
while the Boss works on the gate

In between projects, we had a couple of visitors. The grandbabies (and their mothers) came by to visit. And, since there are those of you keeping up with their progress, here they are. I did manage to get him to take pictures of the babies!

this one is not so sure about Grandpa and his camera

I think this one finds me just a little boring!

Then the UPS man brought what I am going to deem the Boss’ anniversary present on Friday afternoon. While the weather won’t be conducive to its prompt use, I know he’s going to appreciate it as much as I do my new gate. Are we romantics, or what?

I will leave you guessing as to what THIS one is...

The gloomy, somewhat soggy weather extended into harvest day…

It's SO hard to get motivated on a day like this!

and Market day…

this time of year we give thanks for street lights! (until 7am)
and committed customers
It was a great day!

…and I’m pretty sure it’s raining as I type…so outdoor activities will be at a minimum again this week. That’s really a good thing. I don’t really want to admit how long it’s been since I did any filing, data entry work, or balanced the checkbook. Those tasks are highly necessary and really need to be completed. Perhaps a tidy desk will encourage more work. (ha) And, with the rains, maybe we will get some re-growth in the sheep paddocks before the real cold of winter. So, no complaints about the rain and gloom. Although I may need some extra caffeine…

Hope you’re having a Happy Sunday! 

 

Gus and Sissie look ready for a weekend of Netflix and popcorn
(oh, now that sounds like a good idea!)

Thanks for stopping by. Come “visit” us again real soon!

Visit Saturday’s Market virtually with the Boss’ photos…https://www.facebook.com/safarmersmarket/photos/pcb.10153469760151141/10153469759591141/?type=3&theater