Fall Finds

Overnight we lost our sunshine and some much needed rain set in.  But best of all, fall is most certainly upon us.  Autumn is my favorite season by far and I have been anxiously awaiting fall on the farm.  I have so many beautiful trees and the changing colors are stunning.  In preparation for colder weather, when it will be harder to get done some of the outdoor projects, my parents came over yesterday and helped with a few chores that required more than just me to do.  We finished putting up some wire inside the chicken coop to cover a gap at the top of the shed.  Although Frannie has shown no predilection for running away from home thus far, it made me nervous that she roosted way up there next to the gap between coop and freedom.

I bought some lovely kale and perennials for my deck planters in preparation for fall weather and the need for hardier plants. 

Husky colors!  Notice the newly stained deck.

 

The first sign of pumpkins was found at my local grocery store.  Hannah and I will go to a local farm so we can do the corn maze and pick our own big pumpkins but in the meantime, I needed a couple to tide me over.  Thus the temporary front porch pumpkins:

 I hear the chickens love the innards so these two fellows are in grave danger of being sliced and diced for chicken food.

Speaking of the girls, I made a trip to Lowe's today and purchased some lumber in order to make the long awaited ramp for them.  Since it's been wet and rainy, their old ramp has been slippery and useless so I decided it was time to furnish the coop.  So I made a ramp.  Voila:

If you saw me with a saw and hammer, you would be suitably impressed with this.

While my dad was out stapling up wire in the chicken coop with me yesterday, we watched as Frannie became very broody and began rearranging a nest box, appearing to be getting ready for laying.  She uttered the same coos and clucks that Libby does when she is laying and seemed completely unperturbed that 2 people plus a 6 foot ladder were in there at the same time.  My dad insists this is because he is the chicken whisperer.  (Bear in mind this is the same person that wants to get each of my girls a rhinestone collar and leash!)  However, despite Frannie's going through the motions, nothing appeared.  I had thought she had laid two eggs since I have had her as she is my only white egg layer but I am questioning my ability to tell the difference between white and very light brown.  I am not positive the eggs were hers any longer so I am hoping for a definitive sign.  Today when I delivered some scratch to them along with their new ramp, I found Frannie again in her nest box, busily rearranging the straw and getting settled.

Maybe I will and maybe I won't!

Today my mom and I went to a local feed store that had some neat antique type farm items.  Since we didn't find anything worth purchasing we decided to drive through old Monroe and see if we could find any other antique shops or places with rustic type farm decor.  We discovered a very small street crafts fair to our delight.  Although there were only a small number of booths, we found lots of great items.  The first thing I bought was this:

Fill me with eggs.

 

Then I found this for $20.  I immediately decided I had to have it as it goes perfectly next to my shed/barn and the log I recently weeded around and cleaned up.

Yes, I looked funny walking through downtown Monroe with a wheelbarrow.

Another trip to Lowe's and this is what emerged:

But the real find was a birdhouse that was at the first booth we stopped at.  They told me it had been sold to an antique store around the corner and that the owner of the antique store may or may not be willing to sell it.  I fell in love with it and duly traipsed over to the antique store.  The owner was also in love with it but was also willing to make a buck so she sold it to me at what was undoubtedly quite a mark up but well worth it to me.

Dexter checks out the newest addition for the birds.

I love the peeling paint and rustic look of the roof.  I will put a preservative on it but I have no wish to refinish it and have it look shiny and new.  Part of its charm is that it's old and a little worn.  So it was a very unexpectedly productive jaunt into town today!

Meanwhile, back on the ranch, I came home to Stabby and Hook lying on my clean laundry showering each other with love.  They have become inseparable and are almost always together these days.

Fold this laundry mom.  It's kind of lumpy.

 

The hot tub has suddenly developed an inexplicable allure for all the animals.  Lola uses it as a platform bed:

What?  It's warm!

 

 

Even Dexter likes to hop up there and challenge me to make him come inside.  He has been sneaking out the doggie door quite frequently now and he knows I frown on him being outside.

 Just try to herd a cat.

 

 

Meanwhile I was inside brushing PB who has been shedding like crazy.  This is the result of 15 minutes of brushing:

 Sweater anyone?

So we have been keeping busy getting all the yard projects done before the weather really turns on us.  Lola will soon be registered for her first class for obedience school and the start of her therapy work.  My other winter project will be learning how to knit.  I am on a mission to find a local yarn store that offers some classes.  In the meantime I will taking advantage of all the great fall activities, farmers' markets and pumpkin pickings that are coming up.  Next week I have a class on winterizing one's hen house so the girls will spend this winter in warmth and comfort.  

I'll leave you with a photo of the horses that live across the street from me.  They are such a pleasure to watch and are obviously the best of friends.  I often see them chasing each other around the pasture or just dozing with their noses on each other's withers.

The joys of living in the country.

 

 

Happy Fall!