Brain Block and a Walk

Greetings Earthlings:

I was contemplating on what to write about today since I haven't done an entry in a while.  

Some days topics come quite easily.  Other days, not so much. Today was one of the Other Days.  

My cure for the Brain Block is to grab my camera and take a stroll around the property.  

Sunflowers always make me Happy!

Since I have spent much of the past couple of months focusing on the garden harvest and preservation, I really haven't had much time to think about much else.  

The hour I spent walking around the property today reminded me why we live the life we do.  And how blessed we are to be living it.

Lavender Bouquet in a Porcelain Cream Pitcher

My first stop was out to the Chicken Coop to collect the first flush of eggs.

Listening to the chickens go about their day and all their Chicken trials and tribulations, always gives me something to laugh about.  They are such funny creatures and quite a source of amusement.  It's always fun to watch them.  

There is definitely a hierarchy among them and this can result in some hilarious antics!  You can't help but laugh at them as they rush about to see what's going on.  It could be Big News and you sure don't want to be the last one to find out what's going on!  They are Nosy Nelly's for sure!

The Girls have been loving all the garden scraps as of late.  In fact, when they see me go out the back door, someone sounds the alarm.  I swear they keep a Sentinel on Duty for just this purpose!  

The 17 older layers come running to the fence to see what treats I am bringing out to them.  The new Little Girls have taken notice of this activity.  They can't see me open the back door, but they can see all the commotion and hear the alarm being sounded.  This prompts them to also congregate in their foyer to see what the lady is bringing out.  It's wonderful to have such a captive and attentive audience!

If I don't have any scraps, I always throw them some grain to scratch up.  This gets them out of the coop and into the yard, so I can collect the eggs without an audience.  

When a few of the Older Girls see me "stealing" their eggs, they can make quite the fuss, which brings the rooster in, to see what the issue is.  

I prefer the sneak attack method of egg collection, thus the diversion.  Thankfully their stomachs overrule their heads and they fall for it every time.  Makes collection very easy when they are all locked outside and I can explore the nests, without being harassed.  

The New Little Girls aren't bothered by my being in their coop, so collecting their eggs is a much easier task. They do get their grain when I am done though. 

Russel Crow and His Ladies are in the first pen.
The New layers have the second entrance to their own 
section of the coop.

As I walked around the yard, I took in all the beautiful Fall colors and late blooming flowers.  The Amur Maples have all turned red and the Green Ash trees are suddenly yellow.  In the orchard, a lot of the fruit trees and bushes are also changing color.  It's amazing how quickly it happens.  

Amur Maples in Full Red Dress

Green Ash have all turned bright yellow

Upon writing this (Sept 24, 2020) we haven't had a frost yet, which is highly unusual for us.  Every warm day is a bonus right now.  Considering how long it took our flower pots and baskets to fill this year, I feel it is certainly our due for our patience.  

Most years, our potted flowers are full and lush by mid July.  To be honest, I had given up on them by that point this year as they were wind whipped, water logged and dismal looking.  

Papa, however, picked up the torch and continued to nurture them.  His perseverance was rewarded by a flush of blooms in Mid August.  Had we had our normal frost in early September, we would have literally had 2 weeks of blossoms, but instead, we have enjoyed them for over 6 weeks now.  

Pink Geranium started from our own collected seed.
I honestly didn't think we'd see a bloom this year.

I went out to try to harvest some of the seeds from these plants last week, and they really aren't setting any seed yet.  What a year!

One side of our front door step. 
Normally the Snap Dragons would be sharing seed with me,
But this year, nothing yet.

Even the Hydrangea, which normally blooms in early August is only just blooming now.  I honestly didn't think it would bloom at all this year.  Such a pleasant and wonderful surprise.

Very unexpected blooms on the Hydrangea!

Since all the song birds have suddenly vanished, I decided to take down the Hummingbird feeders for the year.  As I cleaned them though, I realized that we really haven't seen many flocks of geese yet - a few small ones, but nothing significant.  So instead of putting all the feeders away, I refilled one to hang back outside - just in case the little ones are late in moving on as well.  

 

Feeder refilled one last time for the season

We had such an amazing Hummingbird season this summer, even though they got off to a late start.  Normally, I clean and refill our three feeders every couple of weeks, mostly to keep the nectar fresh.  This year, I was refilling them all, every week as they were always all but empty!  

I know we had more than two hummers regularly visiting, as it wasn't uncommon to see one come in as another was leaving.  That was a complete first for us.  We obviously had more than what were seeing, with having to refill the feeders as often as I did!

One of our regular visitors this summer

Another thing I noticed in the yard today was how many flowers were blooming out of season!  This, and how many are coming up as volunteers.  Lupines should not be blooming right now.  Their time is late June, early July.  

You can see the large seed pods on the left side from the first flowering
of this Lupine plant. 
The second flowering in the purple stalk to the right.  Highly unusual.

We also have several little petunias coming up in the oddest of places, where they have no business being, and yet they are.  And thriving.  If this isn't a testament to bloom where you are planted, I don't know what is!

This little Petunia self seeded in the row of carrots.

And this little Petunia self seeded in the gravel, beside the shed.

The garden was also unusual, in a good way, this summer.  The High Tunnel/Hoop House we built earlier this spring, exceeded our expectations!  We got more squash, cantaloupe, honeydews and watermelon than we could have dreamed about.  Still no pumpkins, but you can't have everything.  Papa has pretty much cleaned it out for the season, but we learned a lot for next year.

The High Tunnel/Hoop House is pretty much cleaned out.
All that is left are Hubbard Squash and sweet melons.
A very productive year for sure!

It's hard to believe that Strawberries are still coming as well!  I don't think we have ever had as many as we have had this year!  They started in June and are still thriving.  This photo was taken today - one ripe and one on deck.  I have made Jam, Syrup and frozen as much as possible.  We have been enjoying them fresh every chance we get.  It has been a real treat!

Strawberries are still coming!

The greenhouse is still producing peppers, tomatoes and cucumbers.  

Usually by this time of the year, we have had to have to have some auxiliary heat, but not yet.  

Once we get a few cold nights, we are going to clean it out for the season.  It has been so wonderful to have it producing as long as it has. 

Purple peppers - taste like green, but so pretty!

Papa checked on the grapes again last night.  They are in a protected area in the yard, so they can take a frost or two.  Usually by now, we are hoping they are going to ripen before the frost.  This year's crop looks amazing.  All the extra moisture was greatly appreciated by the plants.  The grapes look lush and plump.

Valiant Grapes still on the vine.  We'll see what we have enough for soon.  
These are not a table grape, but they make excellent Jelly.  
One day maybe, we'll have enough to do a batch of wine.

Canning season is also coming to an end.  

Normally by now, I am sick of seeing produce come into the house.  

This year, because things have been staggered so nicely, there hasn't been an overwhelming amount of anything coming in at any one time.  

Yes, there have been some 12 hour days where I am tired and ready for bed, but, for the most part, these days haven't been one on top of the next.  

When you get a break between sessions, it is quite manageable.  I am almost sad to see it coming to an end.  Almost.

A miniature Sunflower by the pond

Like every other summer, the only time I get out to the studio is when it's raining, extremely hot or windy.  I have had a good balance of that this summer.  Enough studio days to feel like I have had a break from the canning/gardening routine.  I even managed to get a couple of quilts done, so that always makes me feel extra good.  

This Little Baby Quilt went to our Bee Keeper's new little arrival.  We didn't know a gender, so I decided that it had to be Bee themed in gender neutral colors.  I found the little Bees and Hive with a Google Coloring Page search.  

This is my own design and was a fun applique project.  Had Little Arthur been a girl, I would have added Yellow RicRak in the binding to make it more feminine.  As is it is, it is the perfect little boy quilt.  The little family is doing wonderfully and the newest addition is absolutely adorable.  

Baby Arthur's Baby Quilt

Speaking of the Bees, it has been reported that the hives are doing very well this year.  This is great news since they had a complete hive collapse last winter.  

Alex has taken a different approach this year and is happy with the results thus far.  Hopefully the bees winter well and there will be honey available for purchase next summer.  

We had a small sample when he did hive maintenance recently and I have to report that I have never tasted honey as good as this.  Finger's crossed for continued success!

Alex tending to his Bee Hives

 Yesterday, I put up the last of the beets into pickles and had a bit of brine left over, so I did another pint of Dilled Garlic Pickled Carrots for my grand daughter.  

The last of the beets have been canned up.

The only thing left in the garden is some Swiss Chard, Carrots and herbs.  

We will be planting next year's garlic soon. 

The Garden is all but empty for the 2020 growing season.

Not much else is going on right now.  

Once the last of the garden is in, Papa and I can officially enter Winter Coasting Mode!  As if!  

Enjoy your day and thank for stopping by.

Until Next Time,

Gremlynn