Cool, Wet Weather

With the onset of autumn. we've had cool, wet weather.  The grass is growing like crazy, but there are other signs of the cool wet weather . . .

. . . mushrooms and . . .

. . . and dew-laden morning fog . . .

Enjoy!

First Day of Fall

Yesterday as I was driving home from work, I noticed the sumac were turning red.  Not just an isolated branch, but whole trees. This is my sign that fall is here (let's call it meteorological fall).

Today is the autumnal equinox - astronomical fall!

It's funny how we assign names and significance to such transient concepts as the first day of autumn, the new year, a birthday.  It must be one of those things that make us human.  We think about our future.  We stop to assess where we are and how we are doing.  We are thinking beings, but maybe its is better said that we are planners...

Time to start raking the leaves and put them in the compost bin for next fall's garden.  Time to finish canning, time to turn the garden beds over.  Time to collect seeds for next year.  Time to get the house and barn ready for winter.

The cycle continues...

Sunday Afternoon

A fine day it was.  It was a cool morning.  We had to run the pellet stove to take the chill out of the house.  As the sun rose in the sky, the fog burned off Spook Hill.  A fine day for a few errands (cleaning gutters, fixing some loose metal roofing panels, some shopping).  We spent quite a few hours in the kitchen this weekend canning beans, hot sauce, and salsa.

I took a short bicycle ride.  Autumn is just around the corner.  The last of the wildflowers are at their peak.  I expect they will wither in just a few weeks as the cool nights turn into cold ones.

The maples are starting to change.  They are not at peak, but the change is starting.  The sumac are also starting the change, but they won't be fully cloaked in scarlet for a few days.

The days are getting short.  As I completed my ride, the shadows grew long on the road.

We lit a fire by the creek and watched the sunset.  The sun sets so early now, and the days cool off quickly.

Changing Seasons

The leaves are starting to drop from the maples.  The mornings are much cooler, and the morning dew that much colder on bare feet.

A cold front pushed rapidly through at dusk.  You could see the clouds massing to the northwest.

The front pushed through quickly.  It brought a line of strong winds and rain.  We looked forward to the sound of the rain.

The winds came up and made the trees sway.  I'll look to see if we had any fallen branches for the woodpile.

In just a few minutes, the temperature fell a few degrees.  The setting sun and thickening clouds brought on the darkness very suddenly.

The sound of the wind and rain was relaxing.  I had a long week of travel for work.  It was soothing to be back home, safe, around familiar surroundings.

Looking forward to the change of seasons . . .

Yellow and White

With the end of summer, the flowers are starting to fade.  The gardens are starting to die back.  Most of the flowers are white or yellow.

The rains have started to return.  The creek is up (one year ago the creek had overrun its banks!).

I like the jewelweed.

The knotweed is at the peak of its flowering!

Last week, the black-eyed susans were at peak.  They are starting to die back.  I'll be collecting the seeds soon.

The sedum are at peak.  This one is from a cutting that is nearly 100 years old.

The silver-lace clematis is at peak.  We like the looks of it on the arbor.

I was surprised to see some stella dora lilies flowering.  It was a very hot summer - these must have been lazier flowers!

Though they are not everyone's favorite, I like the goldenrod!

Soon the yellow and white will be replaced by the reds, yellows and golds of autumn!

End of Summer?

It's been a while since  posted anything. It's not that I haven't had anything to post, just the contrary!

The garden has been going great.  We must have put up over 30 pints of green beans, loads of tomatoes, potatoes, turnip, carrots, and kale.  I put the radicchio in a few weeks ago.  We harvested the basil and made about 60 ounces of pesto.  I am starting to pick hot peppers and make hot sauce.

The weather is slowly starting to cool.  We'll be able to get some late season spinach in.  I give the tomatoes only 4 weeks before they are spent.  The green beans are still flowering!  Looks like we'll be picking them well into October.

As I was mowing the grass this weekend I noticed the leaves starting to fall from the maple trees.  Autumn will start in three weeks.

The wife and I had a big family reunion this Labor Day weekend.  The weather was perfect!  Friends and family were able to come from near and far.  Quite a few of the people had not been to our property, and there were tours of the barn, gardens and the creek.  There were even tractor rides for the kids!

I still have some roofing repairs and trim painting to get done.  I also want to put a sump pump in the basement (it was just 1 year ago that this area suffered through epic flooding).

There is always a chore to do around here . . .

Paint, Paint, Paint

With an old farmhouse (with porches), a garage, old chicken coop, and the barn (with the attached dairy shed and gym), there is always something that needs to be painted.  I always have a gallon of paint that I am dipping a brush into most weekends in the summer.

Lately I've been touching up the trim on the front of the barn.

I finished scraping and painting the deck.

I need to work on the trim on the garage, as well as finish the windows on the barn.

We're almost in August.  The summer draws short and soon my painting time will be over.

What never-ending chores do you have?

Summer Ride

It is a fine day for a long bike ride.

Down country roads, over hills and by fields . . .

. . . town, . . .

. . . by town, . . .

. . . by town.

Across county lines.

Past fields, . . .

. . . and streams, . . .

. . . corn fields . . .

. . . and quiet farms.

A great way to see what's about!

Verdant

The warm (okay, I mean hot) weather has been great for the garden.  Everything is growing like crazy.

The turnip are going great!

Our basil are getting huge.  I've always had good luck with basil - they especially love the hot weather.

The green beans are climbing like crazy.  I can't wait for them to start flowering.  It will be soon!

The kale is really lush.  I harvested some last week (sausage, white beans and kale - yum!).

The tomatoes are really setting a lot of fruit.  Time to keep them well watered.  Most of our plants are Roma tomatoes.  I expect dozens of fruit per plant!

I did a little tilling / hoeing of the beds.  I dug up a small potato by accident (it was very tasty!).

We have been harvesting spinach for quite a while.  Everything is doing well.  If the carrots do well, then  I predict the year will be a huge success!

Ethanol, Smethanol!

Just picked up the old Stihl FS45 string trimmer from the shop.  It was bogging down at high throttle settings and needed a tuneup.  What caused the problem?

The culprit - ethanol gasoline!

I learned from the good folks at my tractor sales / repair shop that ethanol has a tendency to thicken as it absorbs any moisture!  If you don't use your gas up quickly, it can clog fuel lines and carburetors in 2-cycle engines over time.

I don't burn that much gas in my trimmer.  I use my scythe for the knotweed.  I only use the string trimmer for occasional trimming.  I mix a gallon of gas with oil, and use it over 2 years!

I know better now.  I'll mix up only 1 quart at a time!

I still don't understand why we take perfectly good corn, convert it to ethanol, and then suffer with the drawbacks of it as a fuel!

Amazing Gifts

I have been trying to get some good photos of hummingbirds the last few weeks.   I stand around for 15 minutes - the birds zoom in - the camera is not focused - I try to focus - snap a photo - the photo is blurry.

I set up the camera in video mode.  I knew I would sacrifice resolution, but had a chance of getting better focused shots.  I was happy with the results.

I'll definitely do some more experimenting!

Enjoy . . .

Happy Father's Day

Some of my favorite song lyrics about fathers . . .

Love Without End, Amen  - Aaron Barker

I got sent home from school one day with a shiner on my eye. 

Fightin' was against the rules and it didn't matter why. 

When dad got home I told that story just like I'd rehearsed. 

And then stood there on those tremblin' knees and waited for the worst. 

And he said, "Let me tell you a secret about a father's love, 

A secret that my daddy said was just between us." 

He said, "Daddies don't just love their children every now and then. 

It's a love without end, amen, it's a love without end, amen." 

When I became a father in the spring of '81 

There was no doubt that stubborn boy was just like my father's son. 

And when I thought my patience had been tested to the end, 

I took my daddy's secret and I passed it on to him. 

And he said, "Let me tell you a secret about a father's love, 

A secret that my daddy said was just between us." 

He said, "Daddies don't just love their children every now and then. 

It's a love without end, amen, it's a love without end, amen." 

Last night I dreamed I died and stood outside those pearly gates. 

When suddenly I realized there must be some mistake. 

If they know half the things I've done, they'll never let me in. 

And then somewhere from the other side I heard these words again. 

And he said, "Let me tell you a secret about a father's love, 

A secret that my daddy said was just between us." 

He said, "Daddies don't just love their children every now and then. 

It's a love without end, amen, it's a love without end, amen."

Dad with his children . . .

Daddy's Hands  - Holly Dunn 

I remember daddy's hands folded silently in prayer

And reachin' out to hold me, when I had a nightmare

You could read quite a story in the callous' and lines

Years of work and worry had left their mark behind

I remember daddy's hands how they held my mama tight

And patted my back for something done right

There are things that I'd forgotten that I loved about the man

But I'll always remember the love in daddy's hands

Daddy's hands were soft and kind when I was cryin'

Daddy's hands were hard as steel when I'd done wrong

Daddy's hands weren't always gentle but I've come to understand

There was always love in daddy's hands

I remember daddy's hands workin' 'til they bled

Sacrificed unselfishly just to keep us all fed

If I could do things over, I'd live my life again

And never take for granted the love in daddy's hands

Daddy's hands were soft and kind when I was cryin'

Daddy's hands were hard as steel when I'd done wrong

Daddy's hands weren't always gentle but I've come to understand

There was always love in daddy's hands

Daddy's hands were soft and kind when I was cryin'

Daddy's hands were hard as steel when I'd done wrong

Daddy's hands weren't always gentle but I've come to understand

There was always love in daddy's hands

Dad with some of his grandchildren . . .

The cycle continues - me and my granddaughter . . .

Violated

As I walk to the garage in the morning, I always check the garden.

All was looking good after the steady rain we had yesterday.  Then I was shocked!

Something had eaten the tops off of 5 of our tomato plants.  I suspect deer - but we have never had problems with them in the past.  What surprised me was that nothing else touched, not even the spinach, kale, or green beans!

We'll have to figure out some way to add more protection.  We might need to replace a few of the plants now!

A New Enemy?

They say a weed is a plant where you don't want it.

Well . . . I guess I have a new weed that I don't want around.  It may even supersede knotweed as my arch-enemy.

What is it?

Galium Aparine (aka stickyweed, gooseweed, cleavers, bedstraw, stickywilly, stickyjack, etc.)

It seems to be everywhere this year!  It is in the white garden.  It is back in the corner of the property covering the neighbor's fence.  It is over by the barn near the daffodils.  It is over by the compost bins.

I've seen it around many years.  It has never been a problem.  This year it is rampant.  I don't know if it was the mild winter, the warm spring, or us traveling a lot last year and me not weeding enough (you can never weed enough).

The weed is sticky, and it has tiny, velcro-like prickers which can scratch you when you touch it.  It is a creeping weed and can get 1 to 2 meters long.  I can fill wheelbarrows full of it.  I hope I can really knock the rest of it back this weekend.

Maybe it could choke out the knotweed!  It doesn't get a big as knotweed.  Then again, maybe I'll keep the knotweed (better the devil you know than the one you don't)!

Do you have it where you are?