Halcyon days

We've had some this week. After seeing the forecast a week ago and then getting a more aggressive start to the rainy season than predicted last Friday, we were prepared for a dreary spell. Instead, it's been dry at least every morning (giving me a chance to school Horton) and more often all blissful day long. With the dust washed out of the air and off the landscape, everything practically glows in the fall sunlight. The perfection, short-lived as we know it must be, is almost painful!

Aching from the beauty at . . .

Fruits of our labors

Rick and Brian got the pasture cleaned up and all the tree debris burned

Wholesome homemade granola, no fat added

I used Farmgirl's low fat pesto recipe – YUM!

Each dehydrator load of apples FILLS a gallon ziplock bag.
We're not peeling the apples this year – and like them just fine!

Homemade condensed tomato soup – SO much better than Campbell's!

Thanks to Rick's tarps, the hens are enjoying dust baths instead of mud

That's it for today from . . .

'Tis the season for warm, woolly hugs

You can keep your hot summer months; give me cool and cold any day! I can always add another layer, but there's only so much I'm willing to take OFF.

One of my layers, blocking. That's my my handspun Melpomene finally getting proper treatment, even though I wore it several times prior to this.

Another layer, which will be awhile (a long while!) in the making. My blogpal and 'twin-sister-separated-at-birth' Melanie gave me this yarn some time ago, and I'm finally using it to make socks for a KAL (knit along). The pattern suggests size 2 needles, but that gave me a very airy fabric – totally unsuitable for socks. So with coaching from Laura I am using my smallest Addi Turbos – size 0! – for the very first time . . . when I have good light . . . and rested eyes . . . . Oy; I've been knitting for hours and can't even cover my toes yet.

If you see similarities between this and the art at the bottom of my blog,
it's because both were created by Sara

On to more relaxing subjects! Did you know that sheep are certified seratonin supplements? Well, maybe not certified, but they certainly are soothing to be around. Especially sweet Shetland sheep who like to be stroked, and wag their little tails to tell you so. In honor of their therapeutic benefits, October 27 is National Hug a Sheep Day, and Boulderneigh invites you to come hug a sheep that afternoon between 2:00 and 4:00, or any other time we can mutually arrange. I have an eager crew of therapists ready and willing to assist!

To see who else is participating around the country, check out the National Hug A Sheep Day blog.

That's it for today, from . . .

Bonus day

After a soaker of a Friday, we had a mostly dry (though overcast) Saturday as predicted.

Sabbath evening sky

Today was supposed to be another soaker, but we were gifted with one more mostly dry day to get stuff done – like take pictures of the last few flowers of the year!

After riding the horse I have here in training, I've been mostly working inside. The dehydrator is loaded with apples, a big batch of granola is in the oven, the third load of laundry is in the washer, and as soon as I hit "Publish," I'm going to make and can a batch of condensed tomato soup and try my hand at pesto for the first time (I was given with the last of the basil from our church's garden).

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It's been awhile since I've shared a video of Brian playing his violin. I shot the following at his lesson last Friday; it's always fun for him (and me!) when his teacher joins in and makes a duet of it.



That's it for today from . . .