!0/12/26  There will come a day when no one needs you to tuck them in anymore. Tonight, linger just a little longer.

Cloudy today, calm now,a strong NNW breeze later.  It is 45 degrees, today's high 69. tonight's low 37. Rain tomorrow afternoon and tomorrow night, may be heavy at times.  An east breeze, high 43, low 40. Showers Wednesday, a north breeze, high 54, low 43.  Sunshine Thursday, a strong NW breeze, high 55, low 34.  Rain Friday, a brisk SE breeze, high 48, low 38. Partly cloudy with a strong NW wind. High 43, low 27.  Mostly sunny Sunday, a strong NW breeze, high 44, low 22. Partly cloudy next Monday, a SSW breeze, high 55, low 35. Partly cloudy next Tuesday, a NW breeze, high 59, low 36.  Mostly sunny next Wednesday, a NNW breeze, high 57, low 35.  Partly cloudy Thursday the 22ed, a NNW breeze, high 57, low 39.  Cloudy Friday the 23rd, a brisk WNW breeze, high 56, low 39.  Partly cloudy the weekend of the 24th and 25th, brisk NW breezes, highs about 56, lows about 37,  

    A dense fog has rolled in.  The sun is trying to burn it off.  Pleasant Sunday afternoon at Doug and Nicole's pressing apples for cider.  Each variety was pressed separately so people could taste the different flavors.  Then different flavors were mixed to see which kinds completed each other.  The cold breeze made for lots of shivering.

   Next weekend will be even colder.  Evan wrapped my beautiful hibiscus may get frosted!  I'll put a blanket over the decorative pumpkins by the door, all other pumpkins and squash will come in.  Anything we aren't planning to eat will go in the barn for the hens.

   Our dishwasher has been giving us lots of problems. Bekah and I bought a dishwasher Saturday.  Home Depot had it on sale so I checked Dunnetts, an independent business we've bought appliances from before.  They  had it on sale too, a little more than Home Depot but they match prices.  And they had it in white which we preferred.  Stainless steel inside.  With all the information about micro plastics that seemed a good choice.  It is much larger than the one we have, which is good too.  And they take the old dishwasher for free.  Sometime today I'll pick it up at the warehouse.

    May your day be blessed. Sally

 10/10/26"Plants give us oxygen for the lungs and for the soul." — Linda Solegato

Clear, calm, 39 degrees. Sunshine today, a strong NW breeze, high 57, low 31.  Partly cloudy tomorrow, a stiff SW breeze, high 64, low 49.  Cloudy Monday, a brisk NW breeze, high 68, low 39. Showers after midnight.  Rain Tuesday, an east breeze, high 47, low 45. Showers Wednesday, strong NNW breeze, high 69, low 42.  Partly cloudy Thursday, a light WNW wind, high 55, low 32. Showers Friday, a stiff SSW breeze, high 52, low 45. Showers next Saturday, a light WNW wind, high 50, low 32.  Partly cloudy next Sunday through Saturday the 24th. A NW wind next Sunday,  high 48, low 31.  A brisk west breeze next Monday, high 54, low 47.  NW breezes the rest of the week, high in the upper to mid fifties, lows about 38.

     House plants put moisture as well as oxygen in the air and some plants clean the air of pollutants. Mostly we just like the way they make the house a home and seem to keep winter outside. Most herbs are Mediterranean sun worshipers, so a windowsill alone rarely cuts it. We give indoor herbs the extra light  they need to stay flavorful and healthy all winter all winter.  Looking at the temperatures it is time to put the plants that we overwinter in the cellar down there.

    The kids have been painting the white"painting" pumpkins for fall decorations. Their seed description says they are good pie pumpkins too.  I am going to make some into pies to see how they taste.  No big jack o lantern or pie pumpkins from Uncle Gilbert anymore. No load of pumpkins for the Children's Museum either.  Maybe next year we'll have the heart to plant them.

    May your day be blessed, Sally

 10/9/26  People aren't beautiful because of how they look or speak but because of how they love, how they care,  and how they treat others.

Mostly clear, calm, 44 degrees.   Partly cloudy today, a light west wind, high 58, low 37.  Sunshine tomorrow, a strong NW breeze, high 56, low 32.    Cloudy Sunday, a stiff SSW breeze, high 63, low 48.  Partly cloudy Monday, a WNW breeze, high 68, low 42. Raiin Tuesday, a brisk ENE breeze, high 48, low 45.  Showers Wednesday, a stiff north breeze, high 55, low 42.  Sunshine Thursday, a brisk NNW breeze, high 57, low 40.  Showers next Friday, a brisk SSW breeze, high 56, low 45. Cloudy next Saturday, a brisk NNW breeze, high 55, low 40.  Partly cloudy next Sunday through Friday the 23rd with brisk WNW breezes, highs in the low to upper fifties, lows in the mid to upper thirties.

    I have a bucket of messy eggs by the sink.  Some were eaten, some smashed, some just dirty.  There was a dead possum in the road so I thought it was safe to leave the eggs in the cool garage overnight.  It wasn't, apparently there were  two possums.  I don't sell washed eggs so there will be deviled eggs, pumpkin pie and whatever else I can cook that uses lots of eggs.  The kids have four days off from school so the timing is good.

     This is the time of the year that the birds don't come to the feeders very much.  I suspect their absence may not be as long this fall, there were a lot of acorns but they didn't have much meat in them.  Last year the drought was worse, many acorns had no meat in them.  Most of the flock of blue jays that came to eat them this year were only here a day.  A few are coming to the feeders.  There are several large flocks of turkeys around.  I wonder how they will fare this winter.  The farmers won't be sad if a lot of turkeys don't make it through the winter, they do a lot of damage to farmer's crops.  Even the hayfields.

     Still lots on the to do list, a beautiful day to work on it. Jay is going to his parents to help them with their to do list.  Bekah is delivering hay.  Maegin will be here. May your day be blessed, Sally

 10/8/26  Go on with your work as usual, for work is a blessed solace. —Louisa May Alcott

Rain, 48 degrees, calm.  Becoming partly cloudy today after morning rain.  Clear tonight.  a brisk SW breeze today with a high of 65.  Tonight's low 42.  Mostly sunny tomorrow a light west wind, high 60, low 48.  Sunshine Saturday, a strong NW breeze, high 56, low 33,  Partly cloudy Sunday, a strong SSW breeze, high 65, low 50.  Partly cloudy Monday, a west breeze, high 68, low 45.  Shower Tuesday, a brisk ESE breeze, high 56, low 49.  Partly cloudy Wednesday and next Thursday, strong NNW breezes, highs 53 and 57, lows 40 and 37.  Possible showers next Friday and Saturday. A stiff SW breeze Friday, high 57, low 45.  A strong NW breeze Saturday, high 55, low 35.   Partly cloudy Sunday the 18th and Monday the 19th, Brisk NW breezes, highs about 55, lows 37 and 40. Possible showers Tuesday the 20th, a NW breeze, high 58, low 39.  Partly cloudy the 21st and 22ed, brisk NNW breezes, highs 56, lows 38.

   Rain this morning is ok, I'm still working on my houseplants.  When I went out of the house to go to Bible study the ducks had gotten in the garage and were dead heading the fuchsia that I'm hanging in my bedroom. It's the only one I started new last spring.  The others have been put down cellar the last three winters, they were ok this summer but not good enough to hold over. 

  I didn't get any windows washed yesterday. so they are at the top of today's list.  It is "make butter" day so I may not finish the plants.  My 

hoya plants that I use for curtains in the front room need some TLC before I put the other plants back in.  Bekah has some plants in the store that we need to find room for.  Bekah and I both have too many plants!  We call them winter climate control for the house!

  May your day be blessed, Sally

 10/7/26  Small moments  bring  joy and a grateful heart makes life even brighter.

   Last night's low up here on the hill was 34.  It's 37 now.  Slight chance of a shower this morning., cloudy this afternoon, showers tonight.  A stiff SSW breeze today, high 61, tonight's low 49. Perhaps some showers tomorning, a SW breeze, high 68, low 42.  Partly cloudy Friday, a light west wind, high 60,low 37.  Sunshine Saturday, a strong WNW breeze, high 58, low 37.  Cloudy Sunday, a strong SSW breeze, high 66, low 51.  Some showers Monday, a WSW breeze, high 67, low 49.  Showers Tuesday, a brisk WSW breeze, high 65, low 44.  Showers next Wednesday,  a light NW wind, high 53, low 37.  Partly cloudy next Thursday, a light NW wind, high 55, low 38.  Partly cloudy Friday the 16th, a stiff NW breeze, high 54, low 42.  Cloudy the morning of Saturday the 17th, damp and foggy in the afternoon and overnight.  a stiff NW breeze, high 54, low 37.  Partly cloudy Sunday the 18th, a slight chance of a shower, a brisk NW breeze, high 53, low 37.  Partly cloudy the next three days, brisk NW breezes, highs in the mid fifties, lows about 37.

    I went to Dover yesterday morning and had breakfast with my sister.  When I got home there was a message from my doctor.  Last Thursday when I had blood drawn for a lab report the techigan hadn't drawn enough blood to complete the report.  Could I go give them some more blood.  So back to Dover.  Running on gas that costs $4.34 a gallon.  I did get to pot up two geraniums I'd forgotten about and two that were in the planters under the church carport.

      Most of the plants coming in the house are in the garage because I haven't washed the windows they go in.  Bible study this morning then I'm washing windows.  I sprayed the plants that are most likely to bring in hitch hikers with neem oil.  I check my zonal geraniums but I've never sprayed them.  My scented geraniums go in the entryway away from all my other plants so I take a chance and don't spray them either.

     Three of my grandsons bring their children here to catch the school bus because the bus doesn't go down their roads..  Mike and Jordn live at the bottom of the hill.  Their vehicles are covered with frost!  Lil Andrew lives on the lake, no frost.

     May your day be blessed, Sally

 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