This is Apple, taking a break from turning over a compost pile, happy to have an excuse to sit down and rest my back. Emily's out working on another compost pile... another thing to cross off the garden list, as we get ready for winter. Laird and Stan are both off the farm on trips as I write- Laird has been at FIC meetings and NASCO, returning soon, and Stan has been doing some inspections and is now off to visit with a couple of close friends. Gigi's been hanging out with Renay, and getting her life and many of our spaces here straightened up for winter. I'm not sure what she's working on right this second, but I did see the dogs following her as she pulled a cart down to Dharma garden. Owen is down at the pond, replacing the decking on our hangout spot (it had gone beyond just "uncomfortable", into the "dangerous" spectrum of decks).
Seems like since we went off (or is it "on") daylight savings, our workdays have gotten a little shorter. But there's still plenty to fill them with. We pulled in the field corn last week, maybe the last of our summer crops. It wasn't quite dry, and we have it on racks in the greenhouse and sheds. Once it dries, we'll be able to take it off the cobs, and then ground it up for cornmeal, as needed during the year. Looks like we'll have plenty. Hurray for grits!
There's lots of sprucing-up to do in the gardens, and the orchard mummy removal and mulching have been on my list for a few weeks.
Our dogs are driving us (and our friends and neighbors) a little crazy lately. Some of them (we have three) have been doing more barking than necessary, sometimes in the middle of the night, and have taken to chasing cars. We've been brainstorming together about possible solutions. Maybe some of our plans might work. It's a good thing there's few neighbors and little traffic.
Hunting season starts in a few days, and I'll be putting in some time hunting this year. Jacob from Red Earth Farms is coming over in the morning to help me spruce up our deer stands, and to sight-in his rifle. I've been seeing deer and their tracks all over the place lately.
We sometimes miss all our friends that have left; the social scene is very quiet these days. But all of us have been enjoying the quiet some, too. And in some ways, we are more in touch with each other now that there are less of us.
And Michael, are you reading this? I've been catching so many mice, you wouldn't believe it! I really do make the rounds every morning, and it is a rare day that I don't give some cat a treat. In the FIC office, in the White House, in the Karma ducts. I guess this is the season when they're looking for new, indoor homes. I hope it slows down- I don't think all this death in my life is good for me.
That's a weird note to end on, but I guess fall is a lot about death, so maybe it's appropriate. Thanks for reading. Back to the compost.