Once again 'we interrupt this program' with breaking news. Blaise was dead when I went down to do chores this morning. I don't know what happened; it didn't look like she struggled so hopefully she passed away peacefully in her sleep. She and Bitsy have been laying down more than usual the last few days, but both always got up when I went into their stall to refresh hay and water. She wasn't that old, not yet ten, but she's been frail since she nearly died after getting beat up early in the 2022 lambing season. Now Bitsy, who has lived almost exclusively with her dam since her birth exactly seven months ago today, is now with the rest of the ewes and ewe lambs. You may recall that the one time I put her and Blaise in the pasture with the flock, Bitsy ended up three-legged lame. So far she is sad and confused, but otherwise okay; if that changes, I might just put all four ewe lambs in the stall to make sure all of them are weaned.
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| Baby Blaise, 2014; my first "flashy" lamb |
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| Always my sweetheart, 2018 |
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Now for the season at hand. Autumn kind of snuck up on me; one day I realized that the days were shorter and the grass was greener, but I hadn't noticed the fall foliage I usually enjoy so much. Once I started looking for it I caught glimpses here and there, at home, in town, and in between, but the timing seems off. Still, I've been collecting photos to share; I hope you enjoy.
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| Fall showers mean the return of fog. |
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| this dogwood in town is a fall feature |
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| Shaggy mane mushrooms in the arena; another fall feature! |
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| First harvest. |
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| Autumn means raindrops on spiderwebs. |
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| More shaggy manes. |
And color in our garden this morning, seen while I was mulching rhubarb plants, picking tomatoes and zucchini, and snacking on a few ripe strawberries:
There is more to pick: beets, volunteer kale, sweet peppers, basil, parsley, some small eggplants, and possibly more tomatoes.
This evening the house was 63°, so Rick built our first fire. Humans and dogs are all enjoying it. 😁
That's it for the third post(!) in a week from . . .
10 comments:
So sorry for the loss. I love your fall foilage photos. I really haven't been out to see much other than a recent drive, and things were just starting to change colors.
Thanks, PWaH; it was unexpected but at least it was quick and apparently peaceful. The fall colors have been strange. My in-ground Japanese maples haven't started turning yet, but other trees in town have simply dropped their leaves – with others everywhere in between.
I'm so sorry you lost your girl. We are and have been so terribly dry here that I don't know what kind of color we'll wind up with. We have some color, we've lost some leaves but who knows how the rest will unfold.
Sounds like here, Sue, although we haven't had an unusually dry year. Weird all around, I guess!
Hope this isn’t a repeat - my first message “disappeared” while typing it. I am so sorry for the loss of that beautiful furry face. I know how you have bonded with them - especially Blaise. She was so striking.
Oh no. I'm so sorry. I think as a shepherd you know that things like this can happen, but I'm sure it does not make it any easier when it does. As for fall color - our summer/fall was so hot and dry, plus we had periodical (17-year) cicadas this year that we don't have much color at all, even as many trees are already losing their leaves.
Nope, not a repeat, Elaine; I'm glad you persevered with commenting! Blaise was always a favorite and I'll miss her; I wish her last year and a half x so hard.
Some things you expect, A, and some things take you by surprise. Two bad surprises a week apart is especially hard.
So sorry about Blaise.
So sorry that you lost one of your flock.
I'm very sorry about the loss of your sweet Blaise. She was beautiful. I hope Bitsy will adapt to her loss.
Your colorful pictures are breathtaking! Our maple tree in the back yard turned red rather suddenly, and then nearly all the leaves dropped in a day.
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