Saturday, August 18, 2012
DD Abby drove her sister Marcia and my sister Barby to Portland today to catch the bus for their flight from Boston . It was hard to see them go. Abby will now be staying at the lake alone and I am alone now at the farm.
I picked a gallon of elderberries this morning. I made cordial with one quart and the rest into juice for jelly. Ordinarily I would have crabapples to provide pectin but this year there are no apples of any kind so I may end up with syrup.
Yesterday Nancy H brought a group of people from the Bible Camp where she assists. Their leader is a Master Gardener and they volunteered here to pull of some of my weeds. They worked around the tomatoes and peppers in the lower garden, then weeded the corn in the Paddock garden. There is some question if the corn will mature but now it has a better chance.
When DD Marcia stopped in yesterday we looked at the lower garden and she noticed beans on one of my poles. I did not think I was going to get any what with late planting and the Japanese beetle attack. I picked one large handful and tonight cooked them for my supper. These are a lumpy unattractive bean. I will have to look up the name, it was something like Aunt Annie. From the looks of them I expected them to require long cooking and to be stringy, but no. They were tender and had excellent flavor. I will try to save some seed as I have never seen this variety before.
Sunday, August 19, 2012
Late last evening there was the sound right outside of the house of a chicken being murdered. Willie about went nuts but I did not let him out. In the morning there were feathers strewn around. Puzzling why a predator would carry the chicken from the barn before killing it.
The weather today was particularly fine.
The travelers are safely home.
I made blackberry jelly and a big bowl of cottage cheese.
Around 8PM when I called in the sheep my ewe Linda did not come. I found here out in the lean-to lying down unwilling to move. I petted her and tried to get her up but no luck. When a sheep gets like this it is hard to save them. It’s the Four S’s my vet said he learned in school: Sick Sheep Seldom Survive. I could not see a thing wrong with her.
Monday, August 20, 2012
Linda moved during the night but was stretched out dead this morning. Still no idea why she died. In thinking back I realize she was less perky yesterday. I always let the sheep out early, then bring them back in when I go out later to milk and she came right in at that time.
Her poor lamb mourned dreadfully. He stayed by her body all morning and returned regularly during the afternoon, bleating. He is four months old so it won’t hurt him to wean.
DS Martin came up this evening and will bury Linda in the morning. In the meantime he fixed my printer and trimmed the barn door so that it swings properly. I gave him a nice lamb and rice casserole for dinner that I had in the freezer.
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Martin and his friend Brett S buried poor Linda this morning. Such a disappointment to lose her. Her ram lamb is doing well.
Martin also did many other helpful things such as replacing the spray hea on the kitchen sink. Most especially appreciated, he cut some of the wheat and oats that DD Sally planted. They are laid out to dry upstairs in the carriage house.
It’s DIL Mitra’s birthday. Abby went over and took our gifts and saw a magnificent bouquet sent by Max.
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
Very fine weather.
Poor old Bagel Dog seemed very ill this morning. He was not even interested in his breakfast of boiled ground beef. He ate some liver a little later and perked up noticeably. He also drank some milk. We are defrosting some pork liver for his breakfast tomorrow.
DD Sally’s little house across the river where DD Abby has been planning to live got a big boost today from an insulation crew. They are doing the attic and under the floor. This will be the boost to livability it has needed. The men also moved away the old Round Oak stove and moved theKalamazoo . It will now be possible to actually cook with this darling stove that is complete in all its parts but has until now been purely ornamental. I bought it five years ago from the old Grange Hall when the contents were dispersed.
Thursday, August 23, 2012
DD Abby has received what sounds like a nice job offer as a caregiver in Oregon . She will be leaving right away. She is cantering around as fast as she can finishing up with closing camp and helping me. There is so much to do.
Friday, August 24, 2012
The fine weather continues.
I am getting several large tomatoes every day now. Most are huge yellow and rose colored ones that have to be eaten quickly, delicious.
I made another savarin, this time a belated birthday cake for Abby. It turned out well.
As Martin and Amy were on their way today to camp they passed somebody selling lobsters. They stopped and bought some and we had an impromptu lobster dinner. Abby did not join us as she is so very busy and besides she doesn’t eat lobster. We ate down on the dock. It was a perfect evening except that Henry, 4, fell in the lake just when nobody was looking. He was doing a cartwheel on the deck of the Hobie. The water was not over his head but he swallowed some and was frightened.
Fern’s production is dropping lately. Today she only gave 2 gallons and a pint. I am losing vacuum somewhere on the claw or pulsator. This may be a factor.
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