10/27/26"The leaves fall, the wind blows, and the farm country  changes from the summer cottons into its winter wools."

     Sunshine today, a brisk NNW breeze, high 50, low 26.  Partly cloudy tomorrow, a SSW breze, high 50, low 33.  Sunshine Thursday, a SW breeze, high 66, low 49.  Partly cloudy Friday, a strong WNW breeze, high 63, low 35.  Mostly sunny on the weekend.  A strong NW breeze Saturday, a hih of 48, low 0f 27.  A WSW breeze Sunday, high 55, low 33. Partly cloudy Monday, a west breeze, high 61, low 38.  Partly cloudy Tuesday and Wednesday, a north breeze, highs 61 and 46, lows 38.  Mostly cloudy next Thursday, a brisk east breeze, high 58, low 39.  Showers next Friday, a NNE breeze, high 56, low 37. Partly cloudy the weekend of the 7th and 8th, high Saturday 54, low 34.  Highs about 50 the next three days, lows in about 31.

    The west window in the get together room is a large window with a wooden lattice to make the large pane of glass look like twenty panes of glass.  It is full of plants including a hoya that winds through the panes.  Yesterday my sister Lynne helped me move all the plants, she washed the window while Murphy's oil soap and I cleaned the fly specks off the lattice work.   Taking the hoya down and putting it back up was a major two person undertaking.  Lynne is a cleaning whirlwind, she didn't stop at the window.  She cleaned and polished the memorial corner and front hall too.

    Bekah had been wanting to clean the shelves, they needed cleaning and she wanted a place to put the herbs she had been drying in the dehydrator.  The shelves have my cookbook and tin collection on them, children's books, crayons and papers.  One bottom shelf has childrens toys, the other has large tins of seeds and food.  Cleaning the shelves is a major job.  We were having such a good time visiting and cleaning that Sally Jo joined in and cleaned and polished the table.  It just happens that a few days ago Meagin cleaned the old red metal table that has the toaster, griddle and air fryer on it.

    I had washed the south window and filled it with plants a few days ao.  The south window is twice as large as the west window.  The room is beautiful this morning with the sun shining in the window and all the green plants. and so clean!  Now I have to clean my desk to match the rest of the room.

    May your day be blessed, Sally

 10/26/26   A resilient life includes periods of recovery, reflection, and quiet enjoyment, not just constant activity.  

Clouds, calm, 37 degrees.  Cloudy today, a west breeze, high 62, low 33.  Sunshine tomorrow, a brisk NNW breeze, high 49, low 26. Sunshine Wednesday, a WSW breeze, high 52, low 33.  Mostly sunny Thursday, a SW breeze, high 68, low 48. Partly cloudy Friday, a strong WNW breeze, high 62, low 35.  Mostly sunny this weekend.  A NW breeze Saturday, high 55, low 30.  A WSW breeze Sunday, high 55, low 39.  Partly cloudy next Monday, a WSW breeze, high 60, low 42.  Mostly cloudy next Tuesday, a stiff west breeze, high 61. low 40.  Partly cloudy next Wednesday and Thursday, NW breezes, highs about 59, lows 39 and 36.  Mostly cloudy Friday the 6th, a stiff NW breeze, high 57, low 38.  Showers Saturday the 7th, a stiff NNW breeze, high 50, low 34.  A few showers Sunday the 8th, a north breeze, hih 50, low 31.

     The November forecast was posted this morning on the government weather channel.  Average temperatures, average precipitation.  Other forecasts are suggestion a roller coaster of very  warm spells and very cold spells that will be average when added together.
     Abundance isn't about squeezing every last bit of productivity out of each day. Sometimes it's the satisfaction of work well done, the promise of next year's garden, and the freedom to settle in and enjoy the quieter season ahead.  Laurie Neverman/Commonsense Home
   The kitchen countertop is a kaleidoscope of color, with a mix of fruit, flowers, and vegetables crowding the space. The  children had come with bouquets from the garden, and the harvest bounty always takes over the garage this time of year.  Constant activity seems necessary as I look around.  This week it is grapes and apples.  There are still late apples waiting to be picked.

I need to put some sunflower seeds on the platform feeders so the blue jays will leave the tube feeders for the little birds.  May your day be blessed, Sally

 10/24/26  Always be thoughtful of others, we never know what someone is going through,,,

    Clear, calm, 32 degrees.  Sunshine today, a NW breeze, high 59, low 33.  Sunshine  tomorrow, a WSW breeze, high 65, low 35.  Partly cloudy Monday. a west breeze, high 62, low 32.  Sunshine Tuesday and Wednesday, a brisk NNW breeze Tuesday, high 48, low 24.  A west breeze Wednesday, high 49, low 32. Mostly sunny Thursday, a brisk SW breeze, high 62, low 43. Partly cloudy Friday and next Saturday.  A stiff WNW breeze Friday, hgih 62, low 35. A brisk SW breeze Saturday, high  58, low 39. Mostly cloudy Sunday November 1st, WSW breeze, high 61, low 46.  Cloudy Monday the 2ed, west breeze, high 60, low 42.  Mostly cloudy Tuesday the 4th. a brisk NNW breeze, high 56, low 38.  Possible morning showers the next four days.  Wednesday's high 55, low 38.  Each of the next three days is a little cooler.

    I topped off the garden pond yesterday.  With no rain and lots of breezy days in the forecast water will evaporate.  I pulled the pump too.  The frogs are deep in the mud at the bottom, the lilies have died back.  I went to Perko to get some cow grain.  Truck loads of golden kernels of corn were lined up at the grain dryers.  The dry weather has one benefit, an uneventful harvest that dries down with less heat than some years.  I'm seeing a lot of trucks loaded with firewood going.  More than other years.  Ready for the stove seasoned firewood is 300 to 325  dollars a cord.  Expensive but cheaper than oil.

    The girls bought in a wagon loaded with concord grapes yesterday. Now the house smells like grapes.  Our juicer is a large stainless steel three part boiler with a large steel insert pan with holes in it.  There is a faucet in the second pan for draining off the juice.  Everyone is getting ready for winter.  But the plant order confirmations that have come in this week show that Bekah is getting ready for spring of 2027 too.

    May your day be blessed, Sally

 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