Taking advantage of this dry September

Brown pastures and constant watering aside, our extended dry season has been a blessing. If it holds (notwithstanding the occasional day of showers, like today), we just might get the shop dried in and firewood stored before the rainy season sets in. Last Sunday we got the retaining wall backfilled and the remaining dirt spread out; hopefully that will keep if from turning our driveway to a mud slide. I slipped off to OFFF for the afternoon while Rick continued working on it; when I got back we set the three support posts for the east side. This is going to be a more imposing structure than I might have wished for across the driveway from the front of our house, but a barn quilt in the peak of the gable end might add visual interest. Maybe if I paint one, Rick will mount it. Maybe.

At OFFF I had an extensive list of spindles to buy for others (as usual) and managed to pick up some beauties for myself (also usual), as well as a few needed items. My new needle protectors will save me grief while knitting Ariya; I didn't have any that would stay on the 3mm needles I'm using.

I can get kind of obsessed about "one more row" on Ariya, but must tear myself away to take care of other pressing needs. On top of the lovely tomatoes our own garden is producing, one of our neighbors has given us more so I've had enough to preserve. I've canned 21 quarts and 13 pints (one broke), and am making a batch of condensed tomato soup (so much better than Campbell's) today. I was also given a bunch of bell peppers, so I'm going to try this. 'Tis the season to try new recipes to use all the fresh produce!

'Tis also the season for Shetland hormones to start circulating. The other morning this greeted me in the ram lot:

No one is hurt, just lots of pushing and butting. They will stay frustrated; with my overabundance of sheep and underabundance of hay, there will be no breeding this year. I wanted to put Bridget with Bijou before he leaves for his new home since she didn't settle last year, but can't figure out where I'd put them.  The lambs need to be weaned and on top of that, Bud needs to be separated from females, but I hesitate to put him with three adult rams in rut. I guess the easiest solution would be to put him with Bridget, but he wouldn't be my first choice as a sire. Sigh; if I could just get one of my guys to fix the gates of the Ram-ada Inn so they can be secured, my current logistical problems would be solved....

Sky shows continue both morning and evening; the days are definitely getting shorter:

sunset from horseback along our lane, with tethered raptor kite over vineyard

same sunset from back at home, looking west

sunrise

sunset, looking north

same sunset, looking west through our obstructed view

this morning's sunrise, before it clouded over and started to rain

That's it for now from . . .

Of blocks and bales

Last night Rick finished laying the retaining wall for the new woodshed/shop. He worked as a mason through high school, college, and part of vet school; I'm proud of him for dusting off his skills to save money on the construction (using half-priced blocks he bought from a private party). He's also discovered for himself (because he doesn't listen to me 😉) that you get physically stronger and lose some of those "old age aches and pains" when you 'work out' regularly!

Every day I eye our shrinking hay supply while dishing out the 'full meal deal' for two horses and 17 sheep. We had considerable left over from last year and bought all of the first and second cutting orchard grass our favorite producer had this year, which seemed like enough . . . for a little while. I am crossing fingers and toes that once the rains start and the pasture starts to grow again, the ewes and lambs can mostly be sustained by grass  until next hay season. It would also help tremendously to sell some sheep, but so far none of my efforts in that direction have born results.

Ram lamb Bud, front, is about the same size as yearling Bauble!

Sweet Bauble

"Bauble butt;" that tiny white tail tip inspired her name

I sat in the pasture watching sheep eat hay and waiting....

Ah, a 'victim'!

After loving on Bethany awhile, I haltered her, tried to get a lot of the VM out of her gorgeous fleece, and put a coat on her to keep additional trash out. The drama below is not from the coat; she is reacting to the restraint of the halter. It's just that before the coat goes on, I'm desperately trying to keep her from throwing herself down and adding more VM to the fleece I'm trying to clean up!

Blossom, her twin Bud, and Bethany's twin Bernice still await coats

In other 'farm' news, the chickens are doing great and laying well. I got the pictured eight eggs out of nine hens one day recently; good thing, as I had requests for six dozen today! The photo doesn't accurately capture colors, but it gives you an idea – medium/dark brown, beige, pale blue, light green, and a darker green one. Variety  = spice of life. 😁

I also love the variety of 'sky shows' this time of year. Sunrises, sunsets, clouds, rainbows; so much beauty to enjoy!

Mt. St. Helens (L)  and Mt. Adams (R)

Mt. Jefferson

Mt. Hood

Everything's better on horseback!

Rick came home with some peaches and asked for another peach pie. The last time he asked I used the last frozen crust made by my mother, so this time I had to make my own. Lo and behold, I found a simple recipe using oil that worked up beautifully. Tasted good, too. Since the recipe was for a double crust, I put one in the freezer; time will tell if this recipe freezes well but I am hopeful.

I've dehydrated two gallon bags full of prunes but haven't started utilizing our apples yet. I canned another seven pints of tomatoes using some lids my mom brought me. One jar broke and three others didn't seal; I think the lids were so old that the rubber had deteriorated. And I was so excited to get free lids....

I finished my handspun small shawl last week (in under three weeks!), and wore it to church last Sabbath.

I plan to wear it again next Sunday to the Oregon Flock and Fiber Festival. Now I'm back to working on my handspun Ariya sweater.

That's it for now from . . .

State Fair and Sweatember

Other than two hot days at the end, this year's Oregon State Fair was blessed with moderate weather, which is a whole lot easier on the livestock that Rick is tasked with overseeing. I went with him on both Saturday nights, and we spent most of Labor Day there as well. That's when I finally got to walk through the Creative Living exhibition hall; I never did make it to the photography show. I had my share of favorite fair foods – raspberry milkshakes from the Oregon Dairy Women's stand, garlic and herb pretzels, and falafel with sides from the best of the three gyro stands. And for old college days' sake we stood outside the amphitheater (it was packed and the fire marshal wouldn't let more in) and listened to the tail end of Foreigner's farewell tour concert.

I'm aware that I've shared lots of photos from our State Fair over the years, so feel free to scan through quickly or not at all.

I am always fascinated by the pigs. There is so much intelligence in their eyes, and they are adorable when they sleep.

Caesar the "No Drama Llama" does this every day of the fair, no spitting. I talked to his owner, who said he has been easy-going from the git-go.

A few of the entries in the miniature cattle category:

I do love goats. My first was a Saanen, like these:

Another sleeping pig, and the ever-popular sow and piglets:

A stunning sunset to close out August:

A fancy drill team on their way to the warm-up arena:

Apparently these sea lions put on regular shows, but I only saw them doing photo opps. The handlers put the people in place, the sea lions promptly put their chins on heads or shoulders, the people were moved off to receive their photos, and the sea lions hammed it up for their fish treats. It was hilarious, and I could  have watched them for hours!

Catching a bit of the Foreigner concert (with a lot of others) outside of the amphitheater.

On our way back to Rick's vet truck, we caught a bit more music by the marching band The Beat Goes On:

And on the way out of the fairgrounds, I thought I saw fireworks in the sky, but as the lights changed, I realized it was a complex and amazing drone show. The legs of this horse moved in a galloping motion!

The following shots were from Monday,  the last day of the fair.

This is an entry in Decorated Cakes!

The only equine competition that I watched was the Draft Pulling Contest Monday afternoon. These horses were brought in just for this; they didn't compete in any of the other draft horse classes.

Unofficially, the end of the State Fair and the beginning of a new school year mark the transition from summer to fall, but no one told the weather. We just endured several more days of 90+ degree weather, and today was extremely smoky on top of the heat. I sure hope that's the last oven blast of the season; we could use some rain to grow grass and reduce our current 100% reliance on hay. But I am loathe to end this productive season in the garden; the tomatoes are really putting out now. I got enough this week to can seven pints (and green beans enough for four pints of dilly beans).

The big yellow tomatoes are called "Taxi;" that variety's a keeper!

That's it for now from . . .