SHORT NOVEMBER DAYS~

"November comes

and November goes,

with the last red berries

and the first white snow.

With night coming early,

and dawn coming late,

and ice in the bucket

and frost at the gate.

The fire burns,

and the kettles sing,

and earth sinks to rest

until next spring.

~Elizabeth Coatsworth

The month of November...where shadows are cast in early afternoon... primitive lighting adds ambiance to the country home...

battery operated candles have become my favorite primitive decorating accessory...seeing I almost burnt my house down last week...here's a tip never burn cheap candles...I found out the hard way...the dehydrator is humming along...the fragrance of oranges and apples fill the air...once dried this fruit will be used in swags and potpourri... Pamela, proprietor of the blog "Our Pioneer Homestead" offered her blog readers suggestions in primitive decorating along with directions for primitive craft ideas. Below is one of Pam's projects, a Hanging Colonial Candle Dipper. I made two, one to hang and dry herbs (sage and mint from my garden drying for Thanksgiving) the other to hang candles. ( Where are the candles you ask? I am still in the process of making them) The Laura Ingalls School Slate...Pam mentioned that she had difficulty locating slates and improvised with a frame from the dollar store. I on the other hand had no difficulty locating a slate, but finding plain old white chalk was near impossible. Yes, there is an abundance of colored chalk and sidewalk chalk...I asked my friend to swipe (okay borrow) a piece of chalk from her daughter's classroom ( she volunteers)...nope no chalk...no chalk in a classroom...I ask you what is this world coming to?... Needless to say I am pleased with the way my slate turned out...engraved on the front top of the frame is Laura's initials and age and below the date...There are many more craft ideas offered by Pam also for the month of December she will be offering primitive Christmas ideas...Thank you Pam, I am so happy I discovered your blog, you are one talented lady and very generous with your ideas...

This is where Winslow Homer spends his November days, warm and toasty in front of the wood stove...what's that you say? another stick of wood...Have a great weekend everyone...

A DON AND HIS LADIES

Don Juan is a lover...he adores his harem of three...with Josephine broody and on the nest...his harem is reduced to two...Don Juan has no interest whatsoever in any of the larger gals...he prefers his ladies on the petite side...

This is Phoebe...she is a big old gal and may I say proud of it...she has absolutely no fondness for Don Juan and his rowdy activities...when his fits of passion rise Phoebe is quick to intervene...she jumps on his back...grabs his comb...pulls him of the lady that he is attempting to service and promptly chases him off into the darkness of the coop... In other words, she has no tolerance nor appreciates any "hanky panky" going on in the hen yard...This Don does not give up so easily...he dusts himself off...shakes his feathers out and prepares himself for another day...or at least another attempt at romance...one does need to live up to their name and reputation...

CHICKEN MUSINGS

~ Musings on chicken keeping~

1. If you are searching for some good old fashioned wholesome entertainment... where language or adult content is of no concern...pop a bag of popcorn...grab your favorite lawn chair...and watch the shenanigans unfold...believe me when I say there is a "Lucy and Ethel" in every flock.

2. Chickens love the gift of gab...no girlfriends around...pull up a chicken...she's happy to lend an ear...

3. Need a patch of lawn mowed or maybe a flower garden weeded...chickens delight in this activity...just remember to purchase replacement plants as chickens do get carried away...a bath is usually involved...and let me just say you have not lived until you watch a chicken bathe...dirt flies...chickens roll while purring with delight...yes, you read that correctly chickens do in deed purr...

4. Now there is chicken keeping and keeping chickens...there is a difference...my friend keeps chickens...she is a true farmer...her chickens remain nameless...they are given adequate feed and water and if one dies...oh well...her chickens remain quite healthy and are fine egg layers...

Mine on the other hand have been pampered...okay spoiled... fed organically...treats of blueberries and other delights keep my grocery bill on the high side...I admit one of the draws to keeping chickens is naming them...chickens are the ideal candidate for using "old" names...I just know there is an Auntie Em or maybe a Delores or a Blanche in my future...Yes, there is heartache...chickens do die...but the delights far out way the sadness... This day Charlotte is still with us but grieving, I fear for the worst...and my Josephine has gone broody...This is my first experience with a broody hen...I kept removing her from the nest box, however, her persistence won me over...four tiny eggs remain underneath her warm body...I do believe a little joy and excitement is needed in this hen house...and Josephine just may be the girl to do it...

SWEET IRIS~

Dear Iris,

You are gone, truly gone. I had hoped you might be off on a little vacation, maybe discovered true love in a neighboring hen yard, or had decided to roost in a nearby tree. But alas it was not to be. It took me four days of searching, but finely I stumbled upon the crime scene. Your golden feathers lay scattered about, proof you put up a valiant fight, the enemy... a fox. The hen yard is not the same without you. I fear dear Charlotte will not get over your absence, she remains in the corner of the hen yard, patiently waiting your return. All hope is gone, it is not meant to be. Such is the life of a chicken keeper, a sad chicken keeper. Goodbye my sweet girl.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN~

Despite the snow they came...goblins in all shapes and sizes... the words "Trick or Treat" filled the evening air...

A house is never still in darkness to those who listen intently; there is a whispering in the distant chambers, an unearthly hand presses the snib of the window, the latch rises. Ghosts were created when the first man awoke in the night. ~J.M. BARRIE~

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...