Month: October 2023

Busy, Busy

Posted on by Farmers Blogger

Hello Friends!
It’s definitely not been very chill around here, but there’s not a whole ton of farm news.
We’ve been trying to rig up some hay covering, some of which you will see in an upcoming video, but it continues to be a thing, I think I am just going to have to bit the bullet and go spend a little money on the lumber I need, instead of just shimming together a bunch of pieces. I was hoping this would be a no spend project, but I’ve already had to buy a new tarp so that’s a long gone dream. Hoping in the next catch up I can tell you how we solved it. Eventually I am going to build a more permanent storage for hay but there’s a lot more planning and steps that need to go into that.
We also blew up a fuel line in the flatbed working on this, which was just such a fun little side quest. I’m pretty sure that truck really needed that new hose anyway, but the timing was comically wonderful and practically quite annoying. Again, that will be in the November video, since it happened after I had to post October’s.
We’ve had lots of house guests and visitors as of late, lots of family friends we haven’t seen in a long while, and it’s always lovely to have friends stay. It’s always a little awkward for me, because working from home means I sorta say “good morning!” and then turn into a hermit for ten hours, but everyone is pretty chill about it. I’ve said it a million times, and I’ll say it again, the pandemic was awful, no good, very bad, BUT the change in understanding toward remote work was huge and very helpful. So… silver lining.

We had (or maybe still have? technically all of this is unconfirmed) a mountain lion hanging nearby for a bit. Luckily I did not see it, I only heard about it from neighbors, but I was super on edge for a while. Then, one day, I was sitting on the porch after a morning of chores, and I heard a rifle shot. That in itself is not unusual, although not common, you usually hear the occasional shotgun or small handgun, but not rifles. Anyways, that already sounded odd so I stood up to walk over to the pasture, when suddenly I heard the sound of panicking yelling and screaming and THREE more rapid rifle shots! This is insanely unusual because, for one, a neighbor would have to be exceedingly loud for us to actually hear them, and rifles are not usually panic-fired around here, because this isn’t a hunting spot and … and you shouldn’t panic-fire any weapon. It unsettled me so I shouted for Dad and rushed the dogs in the house, and the horses took off for the barn, but in the panic the bicyclists that had been randomly going by our house had fallen/dove off their bikes at the noise and so I was concerned they were hurt (they were fine). Dad came flying out and we sorta checked everything the best we could, and I explained what I had heard, and Dad said it sounded very much like someone probably had to put down the mountain lion, which would explain the rifle, the shouting, and the weirdness of how it all went down. We don’t get a lot of more aggressive wildlife beyond coyotes and wolves (thank goodness) so it would make sense that someone was a little caught off guard. Again, it’s unconfirmed, but honestly, I like that better than what I was initially imagining (not that I love a mountain lion getting potentially murdered, but ya know, I watch a lot of true crime).
Finally, we’ve just had so much fun family stuff happening. My cousin blew up his transmission and was using our shed to fix it. That in and of itself is not fun, but the fact that I got to see a lot of my cousins after work each day for a couple weeks was fun. Another of my cousins got engaged! They’re a lovely couple so we are so unbelievably happy for them. They are such a cute little family already, I’m excited they get their ceremony soon. Another family member got a promotion and one got a new job so we got to celebrate those things, and the big one: we had a bit of a surprise wedding (and it wasn’t the cousin who got engaged)! Got a call to meet them at the courthouse, they think they might have a celebration later on when life calms down, but they wanted to be Mr and Mrs now. It was a fun little weekday celebration.
So, ya know, now it’s probably more evident why I haven’t gotten a lot done since we last chatted. Just so much family stuff! I love it, but when I tell you I am so far behind it’s unreal. I hope this blog doesn’t disappear unexpectedly because I haven’t done a back up in a hot minute, I really need to clean the tack room, and, ya know, fix the fuel line, and the hay storage. Lots to do, lots to do, and work just needs more and more attention. This adulting thing is hard!
Until we chat again my friends!

Let’s Make a List

Posted on by Farmers Blogger

Hello Friends!

Well, it’s officially starting to feel fall-ish around here. It’s chilly in the mornings, and there’s harvesting in full swing. Although I will admit, in this part of the world, the weather was so uncooperative all season that a lot of my local farmers have already started packing it in for the year, it’s just been a really hard one.
Usually I just get a little bummed this time of year and try to hold on to summer as long as I can, in full denial until the snow flies. Sometimes even after the snow flies, feel free to ask Ro and Nel how often the three of us end up huddled in blankets by the burn barrel after a work session because I can’t quite commit to staying indoors. I’m a “It’s fine, it’ll warm up” kinda person until December.

BUT!

I have decided this year to try to embrace Autumn. Don’t get me wrong, I fully intend to hold on to the hot weather for as long as I can, but I am also going to try to enjoy the feelings of fall as much as I can. So, I’ve decided to make a list of things I want to do this Autumn that normally I would ignore until it’s too late. Maybe my list will inspire you too, or you can add to mine with your great ideas!

To start, I wanna embrace the cozy. So, on the list goes “read a mystery novel with a warm bev by the window”. Admittedly this is a thing I already do sometimes, but I want to make a point to slow down and recognize it as a joy of the season. Full on, just like in the movies, curled up with a blanket and the dogs, the whole shebang. I want to bake a cobbler or pie, which is easy enough because my uncle loves my cobblers, and I do love the smell in the house. I intend to make lots of cookies too, but that’s less of a fall thing and more of an all the time thing because I really like cookies. I also want to try more soup recipes, because as the boys get older they are more willing to put up with my soup dinners (we are a meat and potatoes kinda household) and I want to take full advantage. Like, veggie soups, chicken noodle, potato, all the soups.

Outside the house, I would like to take some fall walks. I was hoping to get into walking this summer but work sorta demanded more time than it had a right to, and I sorta let it happen, so we are kinda just rolling over a goal here, but I think it would be so pretty as the leaves change. I also would like to go apple picking, I live 5 miles from a U-Pick orchard, you would think I would take better advantage. I have been peach picking once, but I LOVE apples so I would love to go picking for snacks. Thing is, I absolutely hate apple desserts, so I really only need to pick a handful.

Full Disclosure, I literally wrote this, immediately went to the farmers market and got peaches, came home and made a peach cobbler. So… list is working!

I do love apple cider though, and since coffee is no longer a thing I can have, I intend to fully indulge in warm apple cider… and hot chocolate, all Autumn long. It’s only fair since I’ve had to give up my mint coffees for Christmas. I want to find a yummy mint tea, but that’s more of a long term goal.

I want to pick a good fall tv show to curl up with too since I’ll be inside more, and pick out a puzzle or two, and I think I need to pick up my crochet projects that have been set aside this summer. I have to finish Watson’s sweater, my Mom’s gloves, the large blanket (that I started two years ago, oops) and I wanna add to the pumpkins I was making. Some cozy activities for when the winds blow too hard.

What else? I really want to decorate for fall. Cute leaves, lots of oranges, PUMPKINS, cornstalks. I don’t know how successful I will be, and I have to defer to our decor queen, my mom, for most of it, but I feel like the only true way to defeat the autumn blues is to make it an exciting season. 

What’s on your fall list? Share with me so I can unabashedly steal your ideas! Steal mine! Let’s try really hard to give Summer a good send off and Fall a warm welcome!
Until we chat again my friends!