A Weekend Well Spent

Chilly mornings, sunny and warm afternoons, gentle breezes, changing leaves… all signs that Autumn is on its way.  And yet, it’s still summer and She throws every bit of her energy into these last weeks.  Have you noticed how beautiful the flowers are at this time of the year?  With an entire season’s growth behind them, the colors are spectacular.  How sad it is that a single frost could end all of this magnificent color.  Eventually, Autumn will close the door on Summer’s color.  And with that last click, Summer’s palette is gone and the golden tones of Autumn take over.  For now, though, the days are warm enough to make cooling off in the pig pool a necessity!I am so looking forward to sweaters, apple cider (and apple cider doughnuts!),  all things pumpkin (we have so very many pumpkins to harvest from our compost pile pumpkin patch!), and the harvesting of all these loofah gourds!Over the last week, I was able to harvest the first two of the loofahs… two of the earliest to grow.  I peeled off the outer skin, shook out the seeds, and set them in the sun to dry.  There are forty more still hanging on the vines! I missed our chat on Friday – believe me, I would have rather been chatting with you. (Instead I was “enjoying” a screening colonoscopy and the wonderful preparation that precedes it.)We enjoyed a visit from The Littles and filled our hours will all types of farm activities…garden harvesting, apple harvesting, pear harvesting,animal chores and visits.The enthusiasm that these three show with any little farm task warms my heart.  They are willing helpers…for any task!The chickens are once again free-ranging.  Bruce and the younger hens are finally getting more adventurous.It was a bread-baking weekend…. fresh field grain with rosemary.I used this bread to make grilled Havarti cheese sandwiches to go with homemade roasted tomato/basil soup.Mmmm, mmmm, good!We are on the cusp of homemade soup season… tomato soup is the perfect kick-off!These days are perfect for exploring the countryside by bicycle.  I am looking forward to enjoying the change of season as we pedal around our beautiful rural Central PA!