Cures for what ailed me

Between the national news and a failing old gentleman ram, I've been feeling sad and unsettled this week. But yesterday Nightcap rallied some (I'm plying him with goodies)

and I was inundated with blessings in the form of produce. One of Rick's clients invited him over to pick green and mung beans, and they also sent home a bunch of yellow crookneck squash and a few tomatoes (to add to my piddly stash of tomatoes and bountiful harvest of zucchini).

While they were gone, a neighbor called to tell me our favorite little peach orchard was opening up to just a few locals for limited hours this week only for FREE picking! Earlier in the summer we were told there wouldn't be any peaches from them this year; the trees were hit hard with leaf curl. (We suspect he didn't spray this year because he plans to tear out the rest of the trees for wine grapes.)-:

So Rick and Brian got home, unloaded garden produce (I was already prepping for dilly beans, starting with green beans from our own garden), grabbed boxes and laundry baskets, and headed down to pick peaches. Oh glorious day!

Between 14 pints of spicy dilly beans and the big bowl of green and mung beans we grilled for our supper (along with veggie burgers with all the fixin's, garlic from our garden, and onion slices) that giant mixing bowl of beans has been reduced to a handful. Now on to freezing peaches – and a fresh peach pie or two!

That's it from blessed and busy . . .

Fall's coming; I can feel it!

Of course, I may not be able to feel it tomorrow or again for weeks to come, but last weekend's weather has been followed by a few deliciously fresher days and nights. And it's not just me; the other morning I saw a Western Gray Squirrel industriously burying hazelnuts!

I really should harvest some of those hazelnuts and English walnuts for our own use. But when we've collected them in the past, few got shelled. I like to knit or spin when I have a chance to sit down, and my guys have no inclination to busy their fingers at all while sitting.  :-/

Rick and Brian have been stacking firewood in preparation for the change of seasons, though. That is a form of "squirreling away."

No squirrels here, just some pretty pastel flowers on my hostas.

That's it for now from . . .

Breathing room

Hallelujah! After two weeks of heat and horrible air quality, we got a respite. Last night a fresh coast breeze blew in, followed by a shower in the early morning hours. Today was cooler, cloudier, fresher – a blessed relief, however brief.

Another blessing was that my guys cleaned out the sheep fold today, creating a much healthier environment for the lambs and two young ewes who have been staying in there since the foxtail headed out. Of course they had to be moved for the task, so after some shuffling they went out to the wooded lot.

Oh, to have a lush, green "lawn" for them like my Kentucky blogpals have!

That's it for now from . . .

Flock Friday

Just a couple sheep shots before I head to bed. Here's handsome flock sire Blake,

and his three 2017 daughters, Bardot, Brigitte, and Bacall.

That's it for today from . . .