Drippy

Yep, that describes the current weather pattern.  It is mild for January and we are in a rain cluster for the next few days.

I'm not complaining, don't get me wrong.  I just have a nagging worry about global climate change.  Still, I know that weather patterns are not climate patterns, and I hope for the best.

I'm creating a cold room in the greenhouse for growing the more cold tolerant crops which could not be put outside until early Spring.  Usually, I miss the deadlines.  So, in big wooden shipping crates, I've placed tons of soil and compost in the section of the greenhouse which is not being heated, except by passive solar means.  I've planted four containers and so far the mixed lettuce which I planted first on January 10th is up.

Over the Hump

Happy Solstice!

The sky was pale pink this morning and we are having very mild weather.  I'm making progress with the pruning and outside clean up.  I've got plans for the greenhouse when it gets wet and cold.  That's when I'll attend to inside tasks.

Inside the greenhouse this morning, I noticed Spring-like activity.  There is the start of new growth on some of the plants which died down at the end of Summer.  Jade trees and klanchoe are ready to bloom just as the Christmas cactus has just about finished.  Odd, as this is the first day of Winter here.

Something I witnessed this week that touched me deeply:  an octogenarian was getting out of the motorized shopping cart and stood up with the aid of her aluminum walker.  Her husband extended his hand and they slowly exited the supermarket hand in hand.  Everyone around was patient and gave them room.  I walked to my car, wiping away a tear.

Hey, Moon!

Rosy fingered dawn, my eye!  'More like a burglar's flashlight shining in to my window at 5 a.m.!

The moon's sitting out in the northwest in the blackness staring at me while I type at my desk.  Soon, the sun will make an appearance and take away some of the chill.

Yesterday morning, I noticed (for the first time in my life?) that all the shadows cast by outbuildings on the farm were frosty.  What a revelation.

I've continued my manure hauling each dry day, placing the non-hot goat manure around trees and in flower beds.  All the buds are already on the trees prefiguring the Spring to come.  Nature is an optimist.

December: Bright and Chilly

There was a  heavy frost this morning, but the sun was shining as the geese walked on water briefly.  They broke through the ice and by mid-afternoon the ice was gone.

Suddenly, most of the trees are leafless.

Tomorrow, we will work on winter-proofing the big barn by covering the gates with plywood to keep the drafts down.

I've been hauling buckets of half-composted goat manure up the hill to act as mulch and fertilizer for the fruit trees.  I've got to transplant some of the many butterfly bushes which planted themselves in my vegetable garden.   There is also, mysteriously, a beauty berry bush. 

It's good weather for this work.

Weather See-saw

Today I raked the barn in a T-shirt, no jacket.  It is 68 degrees F. and the weather will be mild for the next week.  It's overcast, but there hasn't been much rain since last week, when it was also much colder.  We are on the weather see-saw for now, so I'll try to take advantage of the milder temps.

The cows moved to the next pasture, fence repaired.

There are less and less leaves visible on the trees.

Golden Days

This is one of those posts made to tuck away for frigid winter days or blazing hot summertime.

These Autumn days are golden, with warm, sunny daytime temperatures and cool nights. 

The goats race out of the barn in the mornings to see what yummy leaves have fallen since yesterday.  The views are spectacular and it is possible to do as much physical work as I can in a day.  The cows seem content to graze and rest with their little calves.  They need to be moved to the next pasture soon, but some fence repairs need to get done before that.  I'm confident that this will get done this coming weekend.

Crisp and Cool

Click on photo to enlarge.

Rain last night and cooler temperatures this morning -- I pulled out my camera to capture some of the views from my window.  It was almost impossible to take a bad picture.

We've made some progress repairing a couple of old outbuildings this past week, getting the foundations re-poured in preparation for shoring up the walls and re-roofing to keep out the rain and snow.  This will provide more efficient animal housing and storage space.

Dinky, our little Hereford cow had a calf a few days ago.  We drove the mule out into the field to check on cows and came upon the newborn snoozing in the sunshine.  The first day or so, newborn calves do not run away, so we were able to pet and admire her.  I looked up to see Dinky steaming over.  If I hadn't noticed her, she surely would have knocked me over -- she was that agitated over our handling of the new baby!  She's moved the baby into the high brush and is hiding with her for now.  I expect we'll see the baby running with the other calves in a few more days.  There are three others frolicing in the crisp Autumn weather.

Autumn

The Autumn Equinox occurred on September 23rd this year.  We've turned a corner.  It's been raining a lot, thankfully, although it's more humid than cool.

Leaves are just beginning to turn color.  It's a very subtle change.

We have a bumper crop of figs ripening.  I picked a big bowl today and am looking around for recipes on the Internet.  There are quite a lot of intriguing ones.  For today, I'll peel and cut up the last of the apples and mix in some chopped figs, cinnamon, and maybe a little sweetener with vanilla, although the figs will likely add all the sweetness you'd want.  The mix will go into a casserole and in the microwave for as long as it takes to soften up the apples.  After it cools, I'll freeze it in pint sized containers.  It will be a lovely applesauce for wintertime or an ingredient for cakes and other desserts or an accompaniment for pork or chicken.

Something tells me I'll also be canning some fig chutney during the cold months, as there are many containers of dried and fresh figs in the freezer.

We said goodbye to six prime young breeding goat does today.  They will be the start of a new herd for someone in the area.  Our herd is getting thinned out a bit before winter sets in.

Cool and Gray

It barely got up into the 60s yesterday.  Today looks like it will be rainy.  It will warm up a little next week, but I'm enjoying the cooler weather.  I can get more physical work done.

Fat green walnut pods are dropping onto the ground in all the pastures.  The goats are munching some acorns and we are mowing and cutting the stupid, useless stickweed that is taking over.

I'm picking the last of the apples and lots of nice red tomatoes.

We are definitely on the last days of summer.

It's Been an Interesting Year

Yesterday afternoon, I drove through a pasture to our cabin to do some general clean-up outside and pick up a load of old wood. 

Overgrown bushes beckoned.  I was pruning a forsythia when something caught my eye.  I turned and looked at the path to the cabin and saw what I first thought was a black heifer ambling up the path.

"What the h...?" I said aloud when I realized this was not a heifer.

The big black bear looked startled to see me and turned to run into the woods.

Another first.