10/6/26  There is something beautiful about slowing down, enjoying what is already here, and finding joy in ordinary moments.  

   It is cloudy, windy and 43 degrees.  It will be sunny today but chilly with a high of 54 and a strong WNW wind.  The wind will die down tonight, the low will be 33 under clear skies.  Frosty!  Cloudy tomorrow, a stiff SW breeze, high 60, low 46.  Some showers Thursday, a SW breeze, high 68, low 43.  Mostly sunny Friday and Saturday, strong WNW breezes, highs about 61, lows 38.  Partly cloudy Sunday a strong SSW breeze, high 69, low 52.  Partly cloudy Monday, a NW breeze, high 71, low 40.  Cloudy next Tuesday, a NE breeze, high 56, low 45.  Some showers next Wednesday, a brisk NNW breeze, high 56, low 44.  Partly cloudy the 15th and 16th, brisk  NW breezes, highs 56, lows 38 and 41.  Possible showers Saturday the 17th, a brisk NW breeze, high 55, low 40.  Partly cloudy the next three days, brisk NW breezes, highs 56, lows in the upper thirties.

     The front room pellet stove is on a thermostat.  It has kicked on occasionally to take the chill off, I've not paid much attention to it.  This morning I not only dumped the ashes but I gave it a good cleaning.  Cooler temperatures mean it will get more attention.  Cooler temperatures mean the stoves will be running more and the house plants will need more water.

    Our fall order of straw hasn't come yet but this wind is blowing the dead pine needles off the pine tree.  Dead pine needles are good winter plant protection.  Dead pine needles don't affect the ph of the soil.

     We have large vegetable gardens so sometimes we till the soil to till in the weeds but usually we clean out the weeds  and vines by hand.  The less the soil is disturbed the better.  Tilling the soil kills some earth worms and disrupts the good bacteria..  We don't want any cucumber beetles or squash bugs overwintering in the vines so we don't till them in, they are removed..  After the weeds and vines are gone Jay gives the garden a good raking to prepare the soil for planting the cover crop. Sometimes we spread manure in the fall, we never spread fresh manure in the spring.sometimes we have a big compost pile going and spread it before we till in the spring.  We never leave the soil bare, we mostly plant winter rye for a cover crop.  This year Jay is planting clover along the edges.

     Yesterday Lynne and I planted mums in the sign box at church.  She dug out the geraniums that have been blooming so beautifully all summer.  She potted them up, two are for her daughter-in-law..  She is bringing the rest to Bible study tomorrow for anyone who wants some color this winter.  I cut my geraniums back when I pot them up,  that way they are usually budding out in January when we take the Christmas decorations down.  They are sitting here waiting for me to get the windows washed before they get lined up in the sun.

     May your day be blessed, Sally

 10/5/26  There is beauty in work done with willing hands and a grateful heart.

Fog and clouds, calm. 50 degrees.  showers this morning, partly cloudy this afternoon.  A WSW wind, high 61, low 40.  Partly cloudy tomorrow, a strong WNW wind, high 55, low 33.  Frost likely.  Partly cloudy Wednesday, a stiff SSW breeze, high 60, low 45.  Partly cloudy Thursday, a stiff WSW breeze, high 69, low 43.  Sunshine Friday, a strong west breeze, high 64, low 40.  Partly cloudy Saturday, alight WNW wind, high 56, low 32.  Partly cloudy Sunday, a stiff SW  breeze, high 61, low 27. Mostly cloudy next Monday and Tuesday, brisk NNW breezes, highs about 59, lows 36 and 40.  Partly cloudy Wednesday the 14th through Monday the 19th except for a possible shower Saturday  am the 17th.  Highs about 56, lows in the upper thirties.

    The youth group had a great time at the Davis Family Farm maze yesterday.  Mike switched the planters under the church carport for mums when we went to church.  Wind and cold had done a number on the planters.  This afternoon Lynne and I are going to switch out the geraniums in the sign box for mums.  Mums last into November if they have plenty of water.  They cannot dry out.  Wilting even once shortens their life.

     When we got back from the youth group Annabelle and Maddie picked some pumpkins to take home.  I picked some to make some fall decorations by the front door.  I thought it was time to retire the fourth of July ones! I have a mandevilla vine by the front door that I'll have to bring in eventually.  It is covered with red blossoms, I don't want to bring it in yet.  I keep wrapping it in remay nights.  I have a hibiscus in the kitchen garden covered with pink blossoms.  Maegan has cut all the blossoms three times, just as they pass their peak.  She dried them for hibiscus tea.  A few days after she cut them off it is covered in blossoms again. It  doesn't come in for the winter but I will wrap it in remay Saturday night in hopes of getting more time to enjoy it.  Last night the girls made a fancy surf and turf dinner to celebrate Jay's birthday.

      May your day be blessed, Sally

 9/3/26  If you see someone without a smile give them one of yours.

     Sunshine, calm, 46 degrees.  Sunshine today, a NNW breeze, high 64, low 36.  Partly cloudy tomorrow, a SE breeze, high 64, low 50.

Monday morning showers, a WSW wind, high 56, low 41.  Partly cloudy Tuesday, a strong WNW wind, high 56, low 36.  Sunshine Wednesday, a SW breeze, high 60, low 45.  Partly cloudy Thursday and Friday, stiff SSW breezes, highs 69 and 66, lows about 44.  Partly cloudy next Saturday, a WNW wind, high 60, low 41.  Partly cloudy next Sunday and Monday, brisk west breezes, highs 63, lows 43 and 48. Showers Tuesday the 13th, a strong NNW breeze, high 56, low 39. Partly cloudy the 14th and 15th, brisk NW breezes, high 56, lows 39.  Perhaps some showers the 16 and Saturday the 17th, brisk NW breezes, highs 56, lows 38.

    Yesterday was an eventful day.  Maybe a tenth of an inch of rain late in the afternoon.  First thing I did was bring the rest of the onions in the house.  There were just enough left for our winter.  No onions left on the stand.  Plenty of garlic left.  Then I cleaned the nest boxes and filled them with soft hay.  The hens immediately started pulling the hay out of the bottom nexts to see if there was anything good to eat.  So I spread some on the floor.

    RJHeating was swamped with work and not sure when they could deliver pellets.  So Bekah and Jay got a ton of pellets.  RJ's is just down the road, they made two trips to make it easy on the truck.

    Kaden is building a garage.  Bekah and Jay had just unloaded the last load of pellets when Sally Jo called and said the cement trucks were on their way.  Lil Andrew was helping and Ashley's husband Jake came over from Ripley.  Kaden had scheduled the pour for Friday afternoon because that was when Jake could come.  Jake has lots of experience in concrete work and Kaden didn't.  Jake was back at 7:30 last night to heop Kaden with the finishing.

     Everyone was here having pizza when the call came that a neighbor kid had rolled his dump truck.  He graduated with Sally Jo and Kaden.  I was headed to the doctor's in Dover, I had to go the back way.  the kids thought of me, they let me know Owen was ok.  He took out a power pole, the road was closed for hours.  That pole is always a new one so many people hit it.  When I got home I got a call that there was a prescription for me at the drugstore.  The detour was a dirt road.  Doug came in just as I was leaving and told me to watch out, people were driving on the detour like it was Route !!.   They sure were!.

    When I got home Bekah had the cream churning.  The cows are on hay now so churning takes longer and the churn was full, eight pounds of butter.  It is still yellow but not the bright yellow it is when the cos are on grass.

    Today is a beautiful day.    They are picking the rest of the squash today.  There are two geraniums in the nursery that I've had my eyeon, today they come in the house.  For some reason they got a slow start and are just now starting to bloom.  They'll look lovely on the wintersill this winter.  I'm sure Kaden is admiring his floor this morning!

   May your day be blessed, Sally

 10/2/26  “Clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another.” (Colossians 3:12)

Cloudy, a light east breeze, 62 degrees.  Rain today, a west breeze, high of 69.  Clearing after midnight, a low of 47.  Sunshine tomorrow, a NNW breeze, high 65, low 36. Partly cloudy Sunday, a brisk SE breeze, high 64, low 46.  Rain Monday, a strong WSW breeze, high 56, low 41.  Partly cloudy Tuesday, a strong WNW breeze, high 57, low 38.  Mostly sunny  Wednesday, a WSW breeze, high 64, low 44.  Partly cloudy Thursday, a stiff SSW breeze, high 70, low 45.  Partly cloudy next Friday, a stiff west breeze, high 67, low 46.  Partly cloudy next Saturday, a  NW wind, high 60, low 40.  Partly cloudy next Sunday, a stiff WSW breeze, high 68, low 46. Cloudy Monday the 12th, a stiff west breeze, high 58, low 40.  Partly cloudy the next four days, brisk NW breezes, highs in the upper fifties, lows 37 to 40.

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         When the leaves start to fall it is the best time to feed your trees 
(this is when they pull in nutrients for the winter and spring months).  Farmer's Almanac  A ring of compost or organic fertilizer around the trees, especially the fruit trees.

      Some loads of hay went out of the haymow for delivery the last few days.  I'm going out to bag up the fines spilled for the hens before the rain starts.  May your day be blessed, Sally

 10/1/26  We should teach our children how to pray, make something, fix something, grow something, and be content with what they have.

    Dense fog, 5 degrees. Sun this afternoon, high 76, a SSW breeze.  Tonight's low 61.  Rain tomorrow afternoon becomes partly cloudy overnight. A west breeze, high 72, low 47.  Sunshine Saturday, a NW breeze, high 66, low 38.  Mostly sunny Sunday, a SE breeze, high 65, low 49.  Rain Monday, a stiff SW breeze, high 59, low 40.  Partly cloudy Tuesday, strong WNW wind, high 56, low 35.  The frost warning is now a frost advisory.  Sunshine Wednesday, a brisk WSW breeze, high 63, low 42. Partly cloudy next Thursday, a brisk SSW breeze, high 69, low 45.  Partly cloudy next Friday through Wednesday the 14th with stiff NW breezes, highs in the lower sixties to upper fifties. lows about 40 except for 46 Sunday the 11th.

     Enjoy the warmth this afternoon.  Up here on the hill we may not get a frost next week unless the low temperatures drop back to yesterday's forecast.  Beyond five days the forecasts haven't been very reliable!

     Most of us have hostas, they are beautiful, hardy to 40 below and versatile plants. Hummingbirds love to feed on their blossoms.   Their roots need to be well hydrated to winter well.  But slugs like to fill the leaves with holes.  I don't have much problem with slugs because after a hard frost I cut off the dead foliage and clean it and the ground around the plant making sure there is nothing slugs or their eggs can overwinter in.  .Then I mulch around the plant with straw or pine needles.  Not on the plant.  Even though I only leave a couple inches of stem, mice might make a winter home in them if they are covered.    Come spring I like to plant impatiens in the mulch around the hosta.  If hostas need to be divided it is better to divide them in the spring.

    May your day be blessed, Sally

 9/30/26 As we bid farewell to the first of the "ber" months, may October bring you beauty, inspiration, and simple joys.

Cloudy, calm, 53 degrees.  Some sun today, a gentle WNW breeze, high 70. low 52. Partly cloudy tomorrow, a SSW breeze, high 76, low 60.   Rain Friday, a WSW breeze, high 74, low 49.  Sunshine Saturday, a stiff NW breeze, high 66, low 37.  Partly cloudy Sunday, a SSE breeze, high 64, low 46.  Partly cloudy Monday, a  strong west breeze, high 61, low 36,  possible frost advisory.  Sunshine Tuesday, a NW wind, high 52, low 30.  FROST WARNING  Partly cloudy next Wednesday through Tuesday, October 14th.  Stiff WSW breezes next Wednesday, high 60, low 45. A strong SW breeze next Thursday, high 66, low 44.  Stiff NW breezes Friday the 9th through the 14th. Friday's high 62, then the highs will be in the upper fifties with lows around 40.

   The ground soaked up that three inches, there are just a few small puddles in the driveway.  The sump pump only ran once, when Bekah tripped it to make sure it was working.

   The forecast says to pick everything and put it in the greenhouse to ripen.  We usually wait until the last weekend in October to plant the garlic.  This year the forecast is cool enough to plant it when there is time.  Forecasters are predicting a stormy winter.  Rain? Ice? snow?

This is the month to think ahead and be prepared for a hard winter.  It is better to be prepared and not need than to need and not be prepared.

    May your day be blessed, Sally

 9/29/26  Next time you admire the wonderful things God has made remember you are one of them.

    We've gotten three inches of rain from this storm, more rain is forecast for this morning.  Cloudy this afternoon, high 60, low 42. A stiff NNE breeze today.  Partly cloudy tomorrow, a gentle NW breeze, high 69, low 51.  Partly cloudy Thursday, a SSW breeze, high 77, low 60.  Showers Friday, a west breeze, high 70, low 49.  Sunshine Saturday, a brisk NW breeze, high 67, low 39.  Perhaps some PM showers Sunday, a brisk SE breeze, high 64, low 47.  Perhaps some morning showers Monday, a strong west breeze, high 63, low 36. Possible frost advisory Monday night.  Partly cloudy next Tuesday, a NW wind, high 54, low 31.  Frost warning Tuesday night. Mostly sunny next Wednesday, a west breeze, high 59, low 36.  Partly cloudy next Thursday, a stiff SSW breeze, high 66, low 46. Possible showers Friday the 9th and Saturday the 10th.  A stiff east breeze Friday, high 64, low 44.  A strong NW breeze Saturday, high 60, low 41.  Partly cloudy Sunday the11th, a stiff WNW breeze, high 61, low 41.  Possible showers Monday the 12th, a stiff NW breeze, high 59, low 38.  Partly cloudy Tuesday the 13th, a stiff NW breeze, high 59, low 40.

   Forecasters had a hard time with this storm.  At one point it dropped from the original three inch to a half inch.  We are thankful the orginal forecast amount was right.   We are also thankful that the winds weren't as strong here.  There were a few power outages, our lights only flickered.Our sump pump hasn't run but we are watching the cellar closely because water is starting to seep in. Usually three inches of rain would have the pump running steady.

   Our main accomplishment yesterday was cleaning the dryer.  First was moving things around so it could get pulled out.  We vent our dryer inside to trap the moisture and heat.  Between the lint filter and bucket we collected so much lint that the girls were surprised by the handfuls of lint, hay and straw we pulled out. I've always cleaned the dryer before.   Most people don't deal with hay and straw but there was enough lint to be a fire hazard.  Dryers are listed near the top as causes of house fires.  Most people only need to clean their dryer yearly.  Large families, long hose vents or people with pets need to clean their dryer more often.

   A school assembly this morning, Aydan is getting a surprise recognition for something.  The school called and said his family would want to be there.  Then I will finish my house plants.  I still have some to repot and windows to wash.

    May your day be blessed. Sally