OCTOBER'S GOLD

Yesterday at this time the air was heavy with moisture... a palpable sense of urgency was blowing in the wind...an impending snowstorm would soon be on our doorstep...lawn mowers and snow blowers could be heard in unison. Winter decides to arrive a bit early this year...October's gold will soon be nothing more than a faint memory...leaves will be covered in white...

Regardless of the weather preparations for Halloween are being finalized...a wreath finds it's place on the back door...A welcome mat is ready to greet witches..ghosts and goblins..a candle burning to light the way...bags of treats are filled...In the darkness of the night snow came...not a lot, but enough to cause disruptions...young trees snapped under the weight of heavy wet snow...homes found themselves without electricity...cancellations are many...I decide it is a good day to remain indoors... a perfect opportunity to begin a new book... resume work on a stitchery project.. bake a loaf of bread...regardless it will be a good day snow and all...

IN THE DARK OF THE NIGHT~

He said, COME SEE but she said I DON'T WANT TO... oh just come and have a LOOK SEE, there it was... softy falling in the DARKNESS of the night... SNOW...

A GLIMMER IN THE NIGHT

My candle was nearly burnt out, when,

by the glimmer of the half-extinguished light, I saw the dull yellow eye of the creature open.

~Mary Shelley~

THIS DAY~

My head remained a bit to long on the pillow this morning...not only did this throw my day off...Emma Lou let it be known she would like her breakfast sooner rather than later...Winslow Homer was patiently waiting to go out to do his business and the chickens, simply fed up with Don Juan and his repetitive announcement of daylight. Finally out the door Winslow and I enjoyed our morning walk through the woods. Leaves were softly falling with the color of fall blanketing the trail below. The woods were silent with the exception of squirrels scouring about.

Once back home my kitchen was soon filled with the aroma of cranberry banana bread. The recipe I use is from Janet, proprietor of the blog Old Crow Primitives. This recipe has become a favorite, the bread is moist and the cranberries offer the perfect tartness. YUMMY. By now I am sure you have come to the conclusion that Fall is my favorite season. Black, orange and teal are my favorite colors. I am very fond of pumpkins in any shape and form, so when I came upon this lovely pumpkin girl I knew she needed to come live with us here at Dog Trot Farm.The Jack-O-Lantern below found his way home with me many years ago. When I unpack my holiday decorations, no matter the season, I feel as though I am reconnecting with old friends, do you ever feel this was too?Now, I have seen Christmas commercials on television, I have even heard Christmas music playing in the background of certain stores. I admit instead of putting me in the buying mode, it has the opposite effect. Please, let me digest my Thanksgiving meal before the buying frenzy begins.With that being said, I vow to enjoy Autumn, in it's entirety. There will be popcorn balls and candy apples, Halloween, pumpkin pie and candy corn...The crunching of leaves under my feet.These are the days that I have been waiting for...tonight I shall set the alarm clock...I don't want to waste one precious moment of this glorious season by over sleeping. Did I mention there are snow showers in the forecast?

BANTAMS

The last remaining flower in my perennial bed is a fall blooming Anemone. Mythology tells us the anemone sprang up from the blood of Aphrodite's slain lover Adonis. The name "windflower" signifies that the wind blows the petals open and eventually blows the dead petals away. The anemone is a wonderful flower for the fall garden.

My little banty rooster has been a wonderful addition to my flock. I, who was dead set against keeping a rooster, will now eat crow. Oh, he is a looker alright and his Cock- A- Doodle-doo has been practiced to perfection. Banty's enjoy small social groups, one rooster to three hens. Don Juan keeps a protective watch over his ladies making sure their feathers remain intact. Speaking of feathers, there is a new trend in my area anyway, where rooster feathers are in demand. It seems for $35.00 you can have a feather woven into your hair. I happened to notice a sign with the words "get feathered" I had no idea what it meant. You might have guessed by now I am not very trendy. Well, it appears rooster feathers are the new hot "it" item. Let me just say the only ones sporting feathers here at Dog Trot Farm will be my chickens.Loretta is a Mille Fluer, a very sweet and social gal.Josephine is a lilac colored Cochin and is very lady like.Annabelle, a Japanese bantam is the smallest of my bantams. She also happens to be Don Juan's favorite. Bantams lay the sweetest little eggs, three bantam eggs are equivalent to one hen's egg. I have read that bantams can also be raised as meat birds and make a mean chicken cacciatore. Bantams are friendly little birds and quite entertaining, they scurry about the coop yard but know enough to stay out of the way of the older hens making sure no toes are stepped on.Don Juan..guardian of Dog Trot Farm...and proud feather

THE ROAD LESS TRAVELED

Fall in New England is a magical time...

A time when days grow shorter and temperatures begin to drop...we soon discover nature's bounty by driving back roads...the road less traveled. Farm stands dot the countryside...pumpkins glow in brilliant shades of orange and green...some speckled..some striped...

gourds discovered in many shapes and sizes...October is the month for pumpkins..some will find their way into a pie plate while others carved into spooky creatures announcing Halloween's arrival...On this day we find the countryside ablaze with color.. fields of gold.. sugar maple.. beech and oak trees provide a kaleidoscope of color. Their brilliance reflected in a pond below... clouds billow in and soon the rain begins to fall... we drive higher into the hills...in the blink of an eye the clouds simply float away...

and the reflection appears once again...this day has become cold...we decide it is time...the kindling is brought in and soon the flame is burning bright...there is warmth and the fragrance of cinnamon and clove fills the air...yes..it is Fall in New England...such a lovely time of year...my favorite time of year...

OCTOBER DAYS

Happy Birthday Mom...

I am blessed with the most wonderful mother. She and my dad gave my brother and me a wonderful childhood, one filled with many cherished memories. Today this most incredible lady turns 82." Age is just a number"...and my mother is a perfect example of this saying. Mom stays involved with many island activities, whether it be volunteering at the church gift shop, historical society, or heading up a weekly bridge game,

she stays busy. Not only does she find time for these activities, but has been employed for the last 32 years as a rural route mail carrier. I think she would agree with me when I say the key to a long and happy life is to remain a life long learner, surround yourself with people you love and care about and give back to your community. It also helps to have a husband who is willing to vacuum daily, fold the laundry and wash dishes. My parents make the perfect team...Happy Birthday mom, we love you...

Fall is here... the weather today cold and rainy. The foliage has not been as spectacular as in previous years and much of the foliage has fallen from the trees. October means popcorn balls, candy apples, pumpkin bread, apple cake and tonight the first wood stove fire of the season. The fragrance of cinnamon and spices once again simmer in the old black cast iron pot.

Sunday DH and I took a drive to New Hampshire, while in North Conway we noticed there was snow on the summit of Mt. Washington. Mt. Washington allegedly is known as having the world's worst weather. We have driven up the auto road many times which is an experience in itself. On my "Bucket List" is to travel to the summit via snow cat during the winter months. It is a day trip and one that would offer wonderful photo opportunities...

Honestly there is not a pumpkin that I have not fallen for...I just love these warts...

I do believe there is a bit of a witch in me...

EARLY MORNING

Early morning walks...you never know who you might bump into...and if you were wondering...NO...there is no deer hunting here at Dog Trot Farm...

LESSONS LEARNED

Life with a blind dog...from my experience it is harder on me than Winslow Homer...What I have learned is never rearrange your furniture... with the holidays in sight this could be a challenge. It is difficult enough to watch your dog bump and bang into everyday items ...let alone a Christmas tree trimmed with treasured ornaments. Never ever leave your barn boots in front of the door...spread eagle are the words that come to mind...Winslow not me. This is not the time to adopt or foster a new pet...unfamiliar scents can cause a BIG ruckus...when friends or family visit let them call your dog's name and let your pet be the first to approach... The leash is now their friend...both inside and out...so when your husband offers to take the dog out while he closes the chickens in for the night...returns to his nice comfy reclining leather chair...and minutes later his wife hears a distinct yelp and soon asks "where is WINSLOW HOMER?" and he replies "oh my GOD I forgot Winslow"...darkness is fast approaching and I hear the words "I need help"... in my mind I am thinking..."I'll have to call everyone in the neighborhood... rustle up a search party...and then I hear the words "I've found him." I mumble a little prayer, thank you Jesus...
On this beautiful Fall day... I grab the leash... Winslow and I are off...I enjoy the sights..he the sounds...

"October gave a party;

The leaves by hundreds came,

The Chestnuts, Oaks, and Maples,

And leaves of every name.

The sunshine spread a carpet,
And everything was grand,

Miss Weather led the dancing,

Professor Wind the band."

George Cooper, October Party

DEAR MOTHER NATURE...

Dear Mother Nature... I do believe it is the month of October...the month which I have longed for...you know the one where we gather pumpkins and gourds...take our sweaters out of storage and anticipate hayrides followed by a mug of hot mulled cider...it is not the month for lemonade...shorts and tee shirts.

October...the month were we don hiking boots and enjoy early morning walks...finding the trail now covered with a bed of newly fallen leaves...it is not the month for flip flops...October... where vibrant hardy Mums fill greenhouses...

soon finding their way into yards everywhere...October...is the month for bittersweet...and cornstalks...chestnuts and acorns...stacking fire wood...it is not the month for air conditioning and suntan lotion...

So...Mother Nature if you would please send the October that I have been longing for...Thank you...Julie of Dog Trot Farm...

GOOD SUNDAY

Good Sunday...In the early morning hours... when darkness begins to fade and dawn is fast approaching... the rooster begins to crow... it is time for my feet to hit the floor. This day will be warm and inviting... temperatures will reach the mid eighties... regardless of this beautiful Autumn day... crunch time is here... time to put one's nose to the grindstone and complete the remainder of the outside chores. Winslow...ever present by my side...is still adapting to his blindness...as am I. I do think I miss his eye sight more than he. The chipmunk population here at Dog Trot Farm has become quite bold... acquiring side by side dining accommodations with the chickens...and the squirrels...brazen in their attitude...boastful in their chatter... the cornstalks have been stripped of their corn...which I was hoping to dry and dip in scented wax...only the cobs remain tossed about helter skelter in the yard...and finally...the demise of another hen...Fern..a Silver Wyandotte...I neither heard nor witnessed anything out of the ordinary...but unfortunately later in the day discovered a yard full of feathers and a corpse laying at the edge of the woods...my guess... a dog. Let me just say chicken keeping is not for the faint of heart...and to top it off the older girls...my two year olds... are still on strike...no eggs...NADA...but my lovely dainty banty's...each produce one or more eggs a day...I hope you all are taking advantage of this beautiful day whether it be...apple picking...a hayride, or constructing a scarecrow. These days will be memories before we realize it...I shall salute this day with a cold glass of apple cider...right after I finish painting the house...cheers!!

~A TRIBUTE TO NANCY~

A tribute... There are people who walk in and out of our lives, some we struggle to recall and others who leave an indelible imprint. Such is that of a women named Nancy. Nancy with her then three year son Ben became part of my daycare and preschool family. I soon discovered first hand how Nancy could light up a room with her smile and magnetic personality. In 2003, Nancy was diagnosed with Stage 4 Inflammatory Breast Cancer, a rare cancer with a grim outlook. She was told to get her affairs in order. As a newly divorced single parent with a young eight year old son giving up was not in the cards. She became a mighty warrior...a pink warrior... her goal, to see her son graduate from high school. Oh how this courageous women fought...for eight years she battled this horrid disease... but never once did I hear her complain. Sadly... Nancy passed away last Thursday. I do know the world is a better place for having her in it and she will be forever missed. Her beloved son Ben is now a junior in high school. Wednesday, I will go to pay my respects and say goodbye to this dear friend.

OCTOBER'S BEAUTY

October... "Just before the death of flowers,
And before they are buried in snow,
There comes a festive season
When nature is all aglow."

Author Unknown

AUTUMN'S GIFT

I am not the least bit sad to see summer fade...I welcome all that Autumn has to offer... with it's brilliant shades of color and crisp cool air it makes me come alive...feel energized...ready to tackle the last few chores on summer "to do" list... I begin my day with Jack...holder of morning cereal...

one can never have enough Jack-O-Lanterns...

they find their way to Dog Trot Farm in all shapes and sizes...large..small..happy..spooky.. none are ever turned away...

along with black glittered owls...and owls with soft downy feathers... witches boots that jingle in the dead of night... blackbirds...crows...ravens...all find a home here... the harvesting of squash and pumpkins is in full swing...there are many shapes and sizes to choose from... and the colors..from pale to vibrant...I'll take one of each please!!! I hope you too are taking advantage of these brilliant Fall days...whether it be stuffing a scarecrow... heading to an apple orchard... a pumpkin field... seize the day...you won't regret it~