Sunday, October 07, 2012
The weather is unsettled and turning colder. Yesterday I started digging the potatoes that DD Sally planted in the sunken garden, the old granite foundation. There is a vining weed in there, Gill-over-the-ground it is sometimes called, and it has formed a dense mat. I can only dig a little at a time. Yesterday I dug about 4 ft and the same again today. Due to neglect the crop is small. They are purple fingerlings. This is also the area where I have cabbages and Brussels sprouts. About a week ago I topped the sprouts and they are already noticeably enlarged. Of course I should have done this a month sooner. During the afternoon Martin and Tom, Amy’s uncle, came down here with Milo, Martin’s setter and went hunting for a couple of hours. They had a nice walk..
Last night I joined DS Martin and DIL Amy and her visiting dad and uncle and their ladies. Dad (Ken) made Arizona . I brought along cheesecake made by Abby. It too was a hit. The main ingredient is quark cheese, the product of draining clabber. .
Today I dug a few more potatoes and stewed a rooster, one Sally put in the freezer last winter. We had chicken soup tonight.
I expected Fern to be in heat today but she was not. There is some reason the think that now,8PM, she may be starting. Very inconvenient. .
Monday, October 08, 2012 Columbus Day.
Fern never did show any signs of heat.
We had some cold sun. It was pleasant but not tee shirt weather.
Abby and I drove to Weld partly to rescue Martin who was hunting with Milo on old pasture across the lake. He got two woodcocks but when ready to come home the truck would not start. We drove up with the cables but he had already flagged down nice local people named Conant and they already had it jumped. We proceeded on to Marcia’s camp to get the big chair that is still there but Abby had forgotten the key and there are no longer any hidden keys. She removed them all at the time of the prowler. So we came home with nothing. Then I had trouble with the lock on my door and could not make it behave until Abby drowned it in WD40. Up to that point, not a rewarding day. However I went down and dug more parsnips and carrots for our supper and that was a treat.
Tuesday, October 09, 2012
It was down to 33f last night but I did not lose anything. The flowers were covered.
The spring sink stopped running for unknown reasons but Abby got it going again by back flushing the line. I suppose leaves had clogged the outfall in the spring.
DD Sally will be here in about 3 weeks. She sent herself a package which arrived today. It was mostly amazing balls of hand spun hand dyed wool yarn for her winter textile projects.
Abby went out on errands and came home with Swiss chard. It was delicious for supper. She also bought a 14” diameter enameled metal bowl in gold tones that simply glows. She got it at a second had store for $3.
Mitra sold 100 bags of popcorn from her wagon at a fund raiser for Shireen’s soccer team. What an act of love!
I made a classic meatloaf to go with our chard for supper.
Thursday, October 11, 2012
Yesterday afternoon Abby and I drove up to Weld – thihs time we remembered the key – and had a look around Marcia’s camp. The day was rainy and cold anad all thhe auatumn leaves were wewt. The lakae was lapping quietly. Somehow it was sad.
Ev, my vet, came by for lunch and brought me some things. I had hoped for worm medicine for the cats but he had none on board. I made a nice lunch with sautéed cabbage, Arborio rice and meatloaf. Abby made a custard.
Fern was back in heat today four days late. The AI tech came about 3 o’clock. I had Fern in the beefer pen and it was no trick getting into her stanchion. Breeding was difficult. Phil worked a good ten minutes to get the straw into her crimpy cervix. I did my best to hold Fern steady but by half way through the procedure she had exhausted her patience. I kept on rubbing her back and offering words of encouragement. Success was finally announced.
Abby came home from shopping with a pair of artichokes for our supper. They were the best I have had in years.
Friday, October 12, 2012
All quiet among the animals. If Fern is bred her calf will be about July 18, 2013.
It rained again last night and was cold and blowy today with frequent sun. A hard freeze is predicted for tonight.
The small hen with 11 chicks has not lost a single one. They are feathered out and troop after her when she comes to Abby’s call. What a sight they are. The hen to whom Abby gave one leftover chick, after she had been setting for weeks on nothing, is a highly attentive but timorous mother who never leaves her little room.
I dug a few more potatoes today in case the ground is frozen tomorrow.
I work every day on my editing but my progress seems glacially slow.
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