9/24/20

“The Lord is my shepherd…”  perhaps that’s all we really need as we face the challenges of a new day. 

Some clouds, a light west breeze, and 57 degrees.  Partly cloudy today with a brisk west breeze, a high of 74 degrees, dropping to 41 tonight.  Partly cloudy tomorrow with a light SSW breeze, a high of 71 and a low of 47.  Partly cloudy Saturday with a south breeze, a high of 76 and a low of 54.  Partly cloudy Sunday with a stiff SSW breeze, a high of 79 and a low of 60.  40% chance of showers Monday afternoon, 50% chance overnight.  A stiff south breeze during the day with a high of 74, dropping to 61 Monday night.  50% chance of the showers Monday night lasting into Tuesday morning.  A brisk south breeze Tuesday with a high of 70.  40% chance of showers Tuesday Night with a low of 54.  Slight chance of a shower Wednesday morning.  A stiff SSW breeze Wednesday with a high of 70 and a low of 50.  Partly cloudy the first week of October with highs near sixty, NW breezes and lows in the upper thirties.

    Darel had a quiet comfortable day yesterday.  In the evening we met Lil Andrew, Annabelle and Ayden at church.  Andrew dug the polluted dirt out of the box and put in new.  Then the begonias got switched out for mums.  Annabelle helped Andrew, Ayden and I tried to get all the chickweed roots out, and  Darel supervised.

    As we pulled up to the garage a skunk ran behind the pellet pile.  We quietly got out of the truck and in the house.  When I shut the garage door I left four inches at the bottom so it could get out.  Birdseek, apples, pears, tomatoes?  When I'm sure it isn't in there I'll have to shut the door and keep it shut.

    I had a quiet day also, busy with fall tasks.  I picked a tractor bucket of blue hubbard.  There is still some left in the patch.  I found some more tender small summer squash as I was splitting the large ones and giving them to the chickens.  They went in our refrigerator, both Darel and I like summer squash, just biled, Darel butters his.

     I picked some of the vines in the hoop house that had small tomatoes clean. I pulled the vines so I could use salvaged dirt for the church box.  We've been sold out of packaged soil for some time.  Darel has an appointment with the surgeon this morning in Pittsfield.  When we get back I'll can them.

     Picked up more pears the wind blew off.  Tonight is Sunday School papers night but tomorrow I'll start canning pears.

     I need to get moving, Pittsfield is an hour and fifteen minutes away. Darel is up already.  Have a good day, Sally

 9/23/20

Speak to people in a way so that if they died the next day you’d be happy with with the last thing you said to them.

 Some clouds, a SW breeze, anf 55 degrees.  More clouds this afternoon with strong NW breezes and a high of 72.  Lighter breezes tonight with clear skies and a low of 51.  Partly cloudy tomorrow with a WNW breeze, a high of 72 and a low of 45.  Partly cloudy Friday with a light SSE breeze, a high of 71 and a low of 49.  Partly cloudy Saturday with a brisk south breeze, a high of 78 and a low of 57.  Mostly cloudy Sunday with a stiff SSW breeze, a high of 77 and a low of 59.  50% chance of showers Monday with a brisk SSW breeze, a high of 70 and a low of 48.  Mostly cloudy Tuesday with s brisk SSW breeze, a high of 70 and a low of 55. 50% chance of morning showers next Wednesday with a stiff SSW breeze, a high of 67 and a low of 47.  Partly cloudy next Thursday with a west breeze, a high of 62 and a low of 41.  Partly cloudy Friday the 2ed, through the weekend and Monday, the 5th.  WNW breezes with highs near sixty and lows in the upper thirties. Possible showers the 6th and 7th.

     Darel had a quiet, mostly comfortable day yesterday.  I planted perennials and moved some others.  Watering everything.  James watered the peach tree and blueberry bushes he had planted for me.  James, Sally Jo and I picked apples and pears.  I pulled the rest of the onions and put them in the greenhouse to cure.

     I ran the soaker hose on the brussel sprouts for a long time.  The soil is so dry that if I just watered the sprouts the dry soil either side of the row would have wicked it away.

     James and Sally Jo moved some fertilizer that was in the garage out to the green shed to make room for a load of pellets.  I moved  and tossed other stuff.  It is amazing how that pellet area could collect so much stuff over the summer.  James moved the solar salt down cellar by the water softener.  Sally Jo told him she had never been down there cause Grandpa always told her that was where the trolls lived.

     Today will be another day of getting ready for winter.  Lots of winter squash needs to be picked.  I won't have Sally Jo and James today.  To maintain social distancing at school different towns go different days.  Bradford doesn't go on Tuesdays.  

     Have a good day, Sally

 9/22/20 Someone is sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree long ago.

 Cloudy, calm and 38 degrees.  Cloudy today with strong north winds and a high of 61.  30% chance of a shower tonight with even stronger north winds and a low of 51.  Cloudy tomorrow with a high of 71, north winds and a low of 50.  Sunny Thursday with a WNW breeze, a high of 73 and a low of 47.  Partly cloudy Friday with a light west breeze, a high of 71 and a low of 48.  Sunny Saturday with a SSW breeze, a high of 76 and a low of 55.  Partly cloudy Sunday with a stiff south breeze, a high of 73 and a low of 59.  Scattered thunderstorms Monday with a brisk south breeze, a high of 70 and a low of 57.  50% chance of showers next Tuesday with a stiff south breeze, a high of 68 and a low of 54.  40% of morning showers next Wednesday with a brisk south breeze, a high of 67 and a low of 47.  Partly cloudy on the 1st with a SWS breeze, a high of 64 and a low of 43.  Pleasant through the weekend with west breezes highs about sixties and lows about 39.  Possible showers the 5th and 6th.

     The doctor's office called yesterday morning just as we were going out to the truck saying Darel's doctor's appointment was canceled because the office was temporarily closed. He still got out of the house because we went to Corinth.  I uncovered the begonias, visited with the pastor about Sunday School, and got a few groceries.  He had a mostly comfortable day.

      I didn't get much done yesterday because I thought I'd see if I could get by without taking advil.  My back hasn't recovered from the days of sitting in the hospital and the first few days of having to help Darel.  By trying not to take any I wound up taking more.  Tamarra was going to go home at noon but stayed and watered.  She is taking today off instead.

     My morning glories withstood the cold nights giving me at least a few more weeks to enjoy them.  When Tamarra was watering she found a hibiscus that had blown down behind the display bench.  This morning James is going to help me plant it and some astors by the corner of the house.  We have some beautiful wild astors out by the pond.  He is going to dig the holes for me to move the black eyed susan type cone flowers next to them.  They are beautiful plants but they are so large they can't stay in the echinacea/coneflower bed.  They are smothering too many others.  We've ordered more seeds so we can have them for sales next year.

     We are going to pick apples before the wind blows them to the ground.  We may lose power but there is plenty of gas in the generators.

     Planning on a good day, hope you are too.  Sally

 9/21/20

If you want to you can hate your life and be angry,  Or you can find reasons to love life and be happy.  Choose wisely.

 Clear, calm and 35 degrees.  Sunny today with a gentle NNE breeze, a high of 63 and a low of 35.  Cloudy with strong NNE winds tomorrow with a high of 61 and a low of 50.  Mostly cloudy Thursday with a WNW breeze, a high of 72 and a low of 45.  Sunny Friday with a WNW breeze, a high of 69 and a low of 47.  Partly cloudy Saturday with a SSW breeze, a high of 74 and a low of 52.  Mostly sunny Sunday with a stiff south breeze, a high of 73 and a low of 56.  Showers next Monday with a brisk south breeze, a high of 70 and a low of 10.  Showers next Tuesday with a stif south breeze, a high of 68 and a low of 53.  40% chance of morning showers Wednesday, the 30th with a SW breeze, a high of 66 and a low of 47.  Partly cloudy the first week in October with westerly breezes, highs in the low sixties and lows in the low forties.

      Darel had a good day yesterday.  Church tired him out enough so he was content to obey doctor's orders and sit with his foot up.  We did take a ride to Corinth in the evening to cover the begonias at church to protect them from last night's freeze warning..When we got home I covered some of my morning glories.  With no more frosted nights in the forecast for a couple of weeks after tonight I'm not ready to lose them.  They are so pretty in the morning with the finches flying around them.

     Cindy and I visited while picking tomatoes yesterday.  There are still some green ones that may ripen.  She picked the cherry tomatoes, putting some on the stand and keeping a bunch to take home.  We moved the few mums left over by the vegetable stand.  Tomatoes, pears, apples, potatoes and winter squash are what's for sale in the stand now.

     I cut the tops off the brussel sprouts.  Today I'll water them.  It is a good thing they have lots of growing time left, they're pretty small.

     There is some frost on the back lawn but it doesn't look like the morning glories I didn't cover got frosted.  Tonight isn't supposed to be as cold but I'll leave the morning glories I covered covered.

     Darel has a nine am doctor's appointment.  When we get home I'll pick the tomatoes in the hoop house to can.  I'm expecting a good day, I hope you are too.  Sally

 9/20/20   Are you letting go and letting God move in your life?  Rhonda Vincent

Clear, calm and 35 degrees.  Sunny today with a north breeze and a high of 59.  Mostly calm tonight with clear skies and a low of 52.  Sunny tomorrow with a gentle NNE breeze, a high of 64 and a low of 36.  Dry and cloudy Tuesday with strong NNE winds, possible power outages, and a high of 62.  Less windy Tuesday night with a low of 51.  Partly cloudy Wednesday with a strong NW breeze, a high of 72 and a low of 49.  Mostly sunny Thursday with a north breeze, a high of 73 and a low of 52.  Partly cloudy Friday with a NNW breeze, a high of 63 and a low of 45.  Mostly sunny Saturday with a SW breeze, a high of 68 and a low of 44.  Partly cloudy next Sunday with a brisk SW breeze, a high of 70 and a low of 49.  Possible showers the 29th, 30th, 1st, and 2ed with brisk SSW breezes, highs in the upper sixties and lows dropping from 55 on the 29th to 46 on the 2ed. Partly cloudy the next three days with brisk SW breezes, highs of 63 and lows of 44.

      Darel had a pretty good day yesterday.  he went for a short  scooter ride in the morning.  I had to get James to help him get to his walker when he got back to the house.  Yesterday he said we were going to church this morning.  Last night was a long night.  He may say that is too much this morning.

     Darel has been back and forth from bed to recliner during the night.  He just went from the bed to the recliner and said we are going to church.  He is going back to sleep for a while.

     Yesterday was a pleasant day.  Pastor Cindy came up from New Hampshire.  Many of the grandchildren were here with grandbabies so lots of visiting

with little ones.  Some people came for perennials and mums.  The Forestry Service said we had until October 12th to plant.  I think it is better to get perennials and shrubs planted this week.  The Forestry Service said trees with a long tap root should be planted in the spring.

      Blue jays and chickadees came back to the feeders yesterday.

     I'm going to cover some of my flowers and the begonias at church this afternoon.  I'm not ready to give up the flowers when there is no more frost forecast for at least two weeks.  We haven't had a frost here.

    Have a good day, Sally

     

 9/19/20 It’s a good day for a good day.

 Calm, clear and 35 degrees. Sunshine today with a cool NNW breeze, a high of 59, dropping to 33 tonight.  Sunny tomorrow, a cold N breeze, a high of 60, dropping to 33 tomorrow night.  If you don't get a frost this weekend or you've protected your tender plants the two week forecast shows night time lows of 41 Monday night, high 40s the rest of the period.  Monday will be sunny with a gentle NNE breeze.  Our chance of getting showers from the hurricane headed toward the maritimes has dropped from 50% to 40% on Tuesday.  We will have strong north winds with a high of 60 and a low of 51.  Partly cloudy Tuesday and Wednesday with highs of 72.  Strong NW breezes Wednesday, a WSW breeze Thursday.    A WNW breeze Friday with  partly cloudy skies, a high of 63 and a low of 46.  Breezy days the rest of the month with partly cloudy skies, highs in the upper sixties and lows in the upper forties.

     Darel had a pretty good day yesterday.  Still tired enough with enough discomfort so he isn't chafing much about staying in his chair with his foot up.

     It was a quiet day at the nursery.  I just did odds and ends that had been neglected.  I watered and weeded the flowers along the house.  The sunflowers were past their prime, they went to the goads.  When Heather and Mike came with vegetables, mostly tomatoes, Mike helped me pick winter squash.  Not butternut, it isn't quite ripe.  Nor is the blue hubbard.  We didn't get a frost last night, will we tonight?

     My empty beehive now has bees in it.  Likely the other hive swarmed and the swarm just moved in next door. I will probably have to feed them this winter.

Even with the warm weather in the forecast the pollen is so dry they can't make much honey.  My beekeeper is planning to go through the hives tomorrow.  He will put some honey from the original hive on the second one.  Hopefully there will be some left for me.  He'll treat the hives for mites and put mouse guards on them.

      I froze the rest of the peaches.  I had planned to freeze them the night Darel went to the hospital.  I was pleased at how well they held up.  Pears and apples are next.

      Have a good day, Sally

 9/18/20   Life is too short to focus on the negative.  Be grateful for every moment you are given.

Cloudy, calm and 43 degrees.  Sunny this afternoon with a NNE breeze, a high of 62, dropping to 38 tonight under clear skies.  Sunny tomorrow with a NNW breeze, a high of 59 and  a low of 35.  Sunny Sunday with a north breeze, a high of 59 and a low of 35.  Sunny Monday with a NNE breeze, a high of 62 and a low of 41.  50% chance of showers Tuesday afternoon and night with a north wind, a high of 60 and a low of 51.  Partly cloudy Wednesday with a stiff NW breeze, a high of 69 and a low of 50.  Sunny Thursday with a WNW breeze, a high of 70 and a low of 49.  Partly cloudy next Friday through Friday, October 2ed, except for 50% chance of morning showers Wednesday, the 30th.  Highs will be in the sixties, lows in the forties.

     Darel had a good day yesterday.  His blood pressure was back up to where it should be.  He was bored and wanted to go to Countryside for take out last night.  Woke up once during the night and asked for more tylenol but really very little pain.

    I spent the day helping Carol.  I spent a long time trying to get a copy of her social security card on line.  Her pastor's granddaughter had already spent hours trying to get it.  Our local office is closed. Finally the local office told me to fill out the form and mail it to them with her driver's licence and birth certificate.  The letter will sit in quartinine for two day.  Then they will send back her licence and birth certificate with a social security card.  To get into senior housing she must show the actual card, her number is not enough.  Two years ago Carol was the substitute of choice at the high school.  Now she needs my help making phone calls!  And filling out forms.

     I finished my Griffin order last night when we got home from Countryside.  As much as I disliked the virtual expo my sympathies go to the vendors and Griffin employees.  I should work on my perennial bare root orders today but I don't think I can stand another day inside! As cloudy and chilly as it is this morning I think it is time to put tights on!  The weather channel forecasts a warmer than average fall for Maine.  Where is it?

      Have a good day, Sally