10/23/26  Whatever this year has taken out of you, ask God to renew your strength. You are part of His creation.

Clear, calm, 33 degrees,  Sunshine today, a north breeze, high 52, low 28. Sunshine tomorrow, a NW breeze, high 58, low 30.  Sunshine Sunday, a WSW breeze, high 65, low 35.  Partly cloudy Monday, a west breeze, high 63, low 32.  Sunshine Tuesday, a NNW breeze, high 48, low 23.  Partly cloudy Wednesday through the 1st.  A west breeze Wednesday, high 49, low 31.  A WSW breeze Thursday, high 59, low 44. A brisk WNW breeze next Friday, high 63, low 34. A brisk NNW breeze next Saturday, high 54, low 32.  Sunday, November 1st we set our clocks back an hour.  A WSW breeze Sunday, high 57, low 39.  possible showers Monday the 2ed, abrisk WNW breeze, high 59, low 39.  Partly cloudy the next four days with brik NW breezes, highs around 50, lows about 34 until Friday, Friday's low 29.

    I just restrung the suet feeder.  We have so much wind the hanger is the first thing to go on our bird feeders, especially the ones hung with rope.  I'm wondering what that low of 23 will do to the mums.  There are enough higher lows so the ground won't freeze.  But hoses will.  It's time to take them up.  We can leave the cows' water hose  on a little that night.  

   Jay and Bekah put new plastic on the chicken's windows.  I want to button them up some more. I have to think about ventilation.  I ordered an organic miticide.  It will be here Thursday.  As soon as it comes it will go in the beehive and the hive will be wrapped for winter.  There is a place in each barn where we have to put lightbulbs to prevent frozen pipes.  This year both spots need new boxes to protect the pipes from the cold. We don't have to look for things to do, the list is long.  We are not only racing cold weather but the list needs to be done by the first.  Hunting season and wreath making season starts then.

    May your day be blessed, Sally

 10/22/26  Improvement being with "I".

 Calm, cloudy, 36 degrees.  some sun this afternoon, a strong north breeze, high 58, low 34. Sunshine tomorrow and the weekend.A strong north breeze tomorrow a high of 52, low 0f 27.  A NW breeze Saturday, high 58, low 9.  A WSW breeze Sunday, high 67, loww 34.  Partly cloudy Monday, a west breeze, high 67, low 34. Sunshine Tuesday, a NNW breeze, high 49, low 25.  Partly cloudy next Wednesday through Sunday the 1st. A west breeze Wednesday , high 49, low 31.  A SSW breeze next Thursday, high 57, low 42.  A brisk west breeze next Friday, high 59, low 24.  A NW breeze Saturday the 31st, high 54, low 36.  A brisk SSW breeze Sunday the 1st, high 59, low 42.  Perhaps some showers Monday the 2ed. A stiff WSW breeze, high 61, low 40. Partly cloudy the next three days, brisk NW breezes, highs about 50, lows in the low thirties.

      The straw is put away, the north side of the house is banked. The ice pack around the north pole is very large this year compared to other years and getting larger.  The polar vortex is doing things that will allow the cold air that snow/ice pack produce to come to us. That may mean that the moisture El Nino is forecast to give us this winter will be snow. 

       There are enough pieces of straw on the ground for me to rake up and use to mulch my three rose bushes on the south side of the house.  I've never mulched the Wm Buffin rose in the kitchen garden on the north side of the house.  I just prune it so it doesn't take over.

     The chickens are happy, they are getting grass every day again.  They missed it for a week or so because I wasn't doing well.  The rain and neglect allowed lots of tender new grass to grow in my flower beds.

     May your day be blessed, Sally

 10/21/26  Maybe you don't feel like enough.  Neither did 5 loaves and two fish.  Look at what God did with that!

Clear, calm, 35 degrees.  Sunshine today, a NNE breeze, high 58. Low 36.  Cloudy tomorrow, a light north wind, high 59, low 34.

Sunshine Friday and the weekend.  A north wind Friday, high 52, low 27. A NW breeze Saturday, hih 58, low 30.  A WSW breeze Sunday, high 67, low 37.  Partly cloudy Monday and Tuesday. a WNW breeze Monday, high 67, low 35. A north breeze Tuesday, high 49, low 27. Mostly sunny Wednesday, a NW breeze, high 49, low 27. Partly cloudy next Thursday, Friday and Saturday with SW breezes. Thursday's high 56, low 37.  Friday's high 61, low 36.  Saturday's high 57, low 38. Possible AM showers Sunday, November 1st.  Possible PM showers Monday the 2ed, a west breeze, high 56, low 39. Possible AM showers Tuesday the 3rd and Wednesday the 4th with brisk NNW breezes, highs about 50, lows 36.

    The heating element came for the dryer yesterday.  Last night Jay and Bekah put it in.  Two loads of clothes were washed last night, The washer and dryer are running now  with more loads waiting.  We don't have an outside line right now.  There is a bolt that sticks up from the roof of the tractor that catches the clothesline if whoever is mowing the lawn isn't careful.   Over the years everyone who has mowed the lawn has taken out the clothes line starting with Darel.  Bekah joined the list last time she mowed the lawn!  We washed some clothes and dried them on the rack by the stove.

    The straw came, 181 bales.  They aren't all in the barn yet.    Several are sold.  about 130 will go in the barn. We are thankful to have a reliable source of clean straw.

    We celebrated Maegan's birthday last night with cake and candles.  Next is Kaleb's on 10/26.  Then Grace on the 31st.

     May your day be blessed, Sally

 10/20/26  “Let us be grateful to people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.. 

Clear, calm, 42 degrees.  Some clouds today, a stiff north breeze, High 61, low 33. Mostly sunny tomorrow, A NNE breeze, high 56, low 34.  Partly cloudy Thursday, a north wind, high 58, low 35. Mostly sunny Friday, a north wind, high 52, low 27.  Sunshine Saturday, a NW breeze, high 59, low 30. Sunshine Sunday, a WSW breeze, high 67, low 37.  Partly cloudy Monday through November 2ed.  Monday's high is 65, enjoy it as highs are in the fifties after Monday, Lows in the thirties except for lows of 26 and 29 next Tuesday and Wednesday.  

    The hibiscus didn't make it.  It's time to button up for winter.  Our fall straw order will arrive this morning.   We will bank the north wall with plastic and straw. Jay puts plastic over the straw so it stays somewhat dry.  We will use it for mulch in the garden next summer.  It will be damp enough to stay in place.  A bale of damp straw is much easier to move than a bale of heavy wet straw.

    It is time to fill the pond and take the pump out.  Taking the pump out will slow water evaporation but the breezy forecast with no rain may mean we have to fill it again. It needs to be full to protect the water lilies and frogs. It won't be pleasant but I'm hoping the forecasts for a rainy November are correct.

    We washed the cream and milk jars before running them through the old dishwasher.  Yesterday we emptied them and they went straight into the new dishwasher.  They came out not just sanitized but  sparkling clean.

    May your day be blessed, Sally

10/19/26  The love in your heart wasn't put there to stay-Love isn't love until it's given away.

     Calm, clear, 34 degrees.  Mostly sunny, a SSW breeze, high 62, low 37.  Partly cloudy tomorrow, a stiff north breeze, high 60, low 34,  Sunshine Wednesday, a NNE breeze, high 56,low 31.  Partly cloudy Thursday, a strong NNW breeze, hih 60, low 35.  Partly cloudy Friday, a strong north breeze, high 53, low 27.  Sunshine Saturday, a WNW breeze, high 57, low 30.  Sunshine Sunday, a WSW breeze, high 63, low 37.  Partly cloudy next Monday, a west breeze, high 66, low 35.  Partly cloudy next Tuesday through Sunday November 1st with NW breezes, highs in the low to mid fifties, lows 28 next Tuesday and Wednesday, then lows in the mid thirties. Showers Monday the 2ed.
     Last Thursday's drought map showed us moderately dry.  Friday's two plus inches of rain was good,will there be a change in this week's map?  Saturday's birthday cook out was grill in the garage door way and eat in thanks to the cold wind.  Bright sun encouraged the kids to play outside and the adults enjoyed a break from getting ready for winter.  October is pastor appreciation month.  Yesterday afternoon we had a get together honoring our pastor and his wife.
    Saturday night finished off our flowers except for the mums.This week we'll be cutting back the flowers that we cut back and pulling weeds.  It is time to plant garlic.  I wrapped the hibiscus.  Last night's low was forecast to be 31 so I never unwrapped it yesterday.  I'll do that this morning.
   Today is butter day.  Saturday should have been butter day so the churn will be full.  Maegin made lots of ice cream last week or we'd have had to churn Friday.
   May your day be blessed, Sally

 10/17/26  "How precious a thing is the human family."  Cherish it!

An east breeze this morning, a NW wind today,  Mostly sunny with a high of 47, low of 28.  Sunshine tomorrow , west breeze, high of 55, low of 34.  Sunshine Monday and Tuesday. A SSW breeze Monday, a high of 62, low of 35.  A NNW breeze Tuesday, high of 65, low of 35.

Mostly sunny days through the 28th with highs in the upper fifties, lows in the thirties.  Clouds and fog the 29th and 30th.

   Today's family cookout/ birthday celebration will probably be mostly inside.  It is breezy and chilly now, it will be windy and cold this afternoon. A high of 47 would seem chilly, with a NW wind even the grill will shiver.  Evan a double layer of remay may not protect my hibiscus tonight.

   May your day be blessed, Sally

10/16/26  She  looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness." - Proverbs 31:27   Homemaking is an important job!   

  Cloudy, 37 degrees,  Rain today, starting about 8AM, stopping late evening.  A strong SSE breeze, high 55, low 40.  Partly cloudy tomorrow, a NW wind, high 46, low 27.  Sunshine Sunday, a west breeze, high 52,low 41. Mostly sunny Monday, a SSW breeze, high 63, low 32.  Partly cloudy Tuesday, a NNW breeze, high 66, low 37.  Sunshine Wednesday, a NNE breeze, high 59, low 31. Most sunny Thursday through the weekend A SE breeze Thursday, high 56, low 38. a NNW breeze Friday, high 58, low 35. A north breeze Saturday, high of 60, low 33. A NNW breeze Sunday,, high 60, low 37. Partly cloudy Monday the 26th, a NNW breeze, high 56, low 41. Mostly cloudy the next four days, NW breezes, highs in the mid fifties, lows in the upper thirties.

     Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, and upstate New York all fall into the region’s least predictable precipitation zone this winter according to the long range forecasters.
      Dahlia tubers must be dug up each fall as soon as the tops frost and stored inside until the next growing season. You may want to mark them before frost so you will know the color of each tuber.  If they aren't frosted yet they'll frost tonight or tomorrow night. Cut back the frosted foliage so that only a few inches of stalk remain —  this will become your handhold. Use a pitchfork to loosen the soil about a foot away from the stalk in all directions, then gently lift the entire plant to free the tuber clump from the ground. Take your time during this part to reduce breakage.  Some people rinse all their tuber clumps and then let them dry before storing them. I don’t do that —  I’m too afraid that the moisture will lead to mold or rot. Instead, I let the tuber clumps dry and then brush off any excess dirt before storing them,  as though they were potatoes.. Ideal storage conditions for tubers are between 40 and 50 degrees Fahrenheit, at close to 90% humidity.  I’ve stored mine in cardboard boxes in the cellar, our cellar is very damp. The biggest issue I’ve noticed with this method is that they can get too dry and tend to shrivel up a bit. But some years are better than others.  I've also stored them in cedar shavings. 

     A busy day today as we get ready for tomorrow's birthday celebrations.  Another window got done yesterday.  I washed one section, Sally Jo took over and washed the other two.  The plants were happy to move out of that chilly garage into a warm, sunny window.

    May your day be blessed, Sally