Feeding Time

Just a couple of shots of the birds and chow time in the chicken pasture.

 

All the different varieties of birds, big and small, seem to get along together.  Here the Silkies are in the foreground (silly looking birds that they are) with some Black Australorps and a Speckled Sussex in the background.

 

These are more of the big birds with the shady growth of trees where all the birds spend time in the hot weather or when they see a bird of prey flying overhead and head for cover.  There's a glimpse of the pond beyond the trees.

 

A characteristic of the Silkies seems to be that when they rest, they like to gather together in a bunch, often in a corner as they are here.  (With a photo bombing by a big Australorp.)

 

Our egg production has slowed down quite a bit recently, but that's natural for the time of year.  It will probably be December before the "new girls" start laying.  

You're All Smart and I Am Not

Okay, all you clever, astute people who correctly identified the patch of asparagus ferns pictured in my previous post.  I had no luck pulling this one over on you.

 

Plus, as my daughter reminded me, I've probably posted almost identical pictures of the asparagus ferns a couple of times in the past.  And, of course, identified them as to what they were.  I guess I can't stop myself.  Aren't they lovely when covered with droplets of rain?

 

If you, Anonymous who was the first one to comment, will send me your name and mailing address, I'll get the set of potholders in the mail to you.

 

And I promise not to post any more pictures of asparagus ferns again within the next couple of years.  Maybe. 

What's Your Guess?

Do you know what the greenery in the foreground of this picture is?

 

First person to correctly identify it will receive . . . 

 

. . . this pair of quilted potholders.

 

And if you have no idea, feel free to make up something! 

Beware of Ghosts and Ghoulies (and other things) Coming in the Door

We've got a lovely Virginia Creeper vine growing up the south side of our house.  It's especially striking in the fall when it turns from green to a gorgeous red.

 

Many years, it completely covers our bathroom window which Papa Pea doesn't like since it can almost totally darken that little room.

 

This year it hasn't been nearly as luxurious, and I think it is because of lack of moisture.  To reach the spot where it grows, I have to drag the watering hose waaaay over to it, and I'll admit I was negligent in doing so very often this very dry summer.  So that's probably why it didn't grow as much.

 

However, it sent out tendrils across the deck heading for the door.  Papa Pea says it's trying to get inside for the winter and warns we have to be very careful it doesn't succeed in entering as it will then take over the house and possibly strangle us in our sleep. 

Colors Are Still Lovely, Garden Work Is Not Done

Despite warnings that our autumnal colors would be muted and drab this year because of the summer's drought, I think they're gorgeous.  And they seem to be holding at their peak longer than usual.  But that could just be my wishing it were so.  I know one of these days we'll get a wind storm that will strip most of the leaves off their branches and our scenery will be much different.  In the meantime, I'm very appreciative of nature's fall display.

 

We're still receiving loads of cut and split wood, enough to fill the last tier or so in our make-shift wood shed and then the front half of our small wood shed.

 

Yes, that will block in the back half that still contains wood from a couple of years ago, but we won't have to touch this "new" wood we'll put in front until (at least) the heating season after this coming one.

 

The majority of my time seems to still being spent getting the gardens ready for winter.  I've been cleaning out the raised beds, then Papa Pea hauls wheelbarrows of our lovely, black compost to spread on them.  Next I till it in, rake it smooth and the bed will be in good shape for planting come spring. 

 

This past week I finished weeding the strawberries for the last time (one would hope).  Now all they need is the winter blanket of mulch I'll put on after a couple of hard freezes.

 

I harvested the last cabbage, some green peppers and cucumbers.  

 

I've made all the Stuffed Green Peppers we need so I'll use a couple of these last ones for fresh eating along with chopping the rest of them to freeze and use when a green pepper is called for in a recipe this winter.  Yes, there are a few insect holes in some of them, but I guess those critters have to eat, too.  I'll miss my cukes after these are gone.  Give me a salt shaker and a cucumber and I'll gobble up the whole thing.

 

Our apples (these that are protected in their cage) are looking good, but are not fully matured.  The ones we've sampled still show a tinge of green in the middle, are a bit on the sour side and don't have much "apple" flavor.  Here's hoping we still have enough time for them to make it.

 

I made this apple coffee cake yesterday with windfalls gathered from the ground and, as you can see, it turned out good enough to be deemed edible.

 

That's all from this little homestead for the present.  Hope all of you are staying healthy and happy during this exhilarating time of year. 

My Sense of Direction is Pathetic

 Yesterday I had an errand to run and Papa Pea suggested he go along and afterward, we would go on a short leaf-looking tour as it seems as though the autumnal colors may have reached their peak in our neck o' the woods.

When we're in a vehicle together, he does about 99% of the driving because 1) I have never enjoyed driving, and 2) he says he's more comfortable driving than being a passenger.  Good deal, right?

Yesterday I was feeling generous and offered to drive so he could sit back and enjoy the scenery.  Surprisingly, he readily agreed to the arrangement.

Off we went, made our necessary stop on one of the back roads and then headed off for our color tour.  We did see some lovely scenery.

I drove over some areas of the county we'd not been in for some time.

However, there came a point when I didn't know where we were.  I hadn't passed any of the landmarks I thought we should be passing.  I couldn't figure out when and where I got on the road we were on and off the road I thought we should have been on.

Papa Pea was enjoying being chauffeured around and assumed I knew where I was going.  (Ha.)

As I was about to expose my ignorance (and once again admit my total lack of directional sense), we came out onto the main road.  Arrrgh.  

 

No biggie as we were then in familiar territory, and I was no longer lost.  (Of course, my husband knew where we were all the time.)  But for me, it was oh-so-frustrating as it again proved I truly have no sense of direction.

If I ever had to make a cross-country trip driving by myself, I have no doubt that I know exactly what would happen.  I would be lost forever.