Summer's Gone.....But Fall's Here

Summer and her last hurrah.  After enduring the insane heat and drought of the summer, I was pleasantly amazed that we got a second cutting of hay on the horse hay pasture.  I'm still not all that sure of my tractor driving abilities.  That lack of assurance means nothing when Cowboy says, "You're driving the tractor."   Behind the wheel, I'm as nervous as a circus performer juggling newborn babies.  Look at me...sitting there all easy like.

Don't be fooled....I'm no expert



Proof that I didn't throw Cowboy off the wagon...this time.

My dad always drank sweet tea; my brother, Dr. Pepper.  Me?  ....Well.....

The stuff that keeps me going....

I have been a big fan of fake strawberry soda since...well, since I was given the choice.  Red Pop was like ambrosia...nectar of the gods.  The red mustache on my lip was worn as a badge of accomplishment ...like a sash across my chest:  Miss Fake Strawberry Soda.  Since my induction as the self-appointed taste tester of all things "artificial strawberry flavored" I have crowned Strawberry Crush as the Best of Show!!  The grocery store out here doesn't carry it....but the farm store does!!!!  I justify it this way:  one of the fruit servings in my daily diet.  Is that wrong?

Back to the story.  OK, a few mornings later.....

Sunrise on summer's last day

I grew up with weather sayings being quoted as scientific fact.  There must be some validity embedded in them.  For instance, Cowboy saw the dawn and said, "Red sky in the morning; sailors take warning...."  It didn't look red to me....does it look red to you? 

But as evening ambled on in, we watched wispy gray clouds descend ominously from the thick cloud cover.  I asked if they were the type that would rotate themselves into a tornado.  Just as I heard "yes" hail pummeled the farm.   The hail and the accompanying thunderstorm was as severe as it got.  All the roofs are needing repair (hail damage) and several trees went down in the woods.  No tornado.   This time the weather saying was "on the money."

Late afternoon on summer's last day

Here are some other weather sayings...some I've been taught, others I've just learned:

If it rains before seven, it'll quit by eleven.
Red sky in the morning, sailors take warning.  Red sky at night, sailors' delight.
If crows fly low, the wind's gonna blow.  If crows fly high, wind's gonna die.
If it rains on Easter, it will rain the next 7 Sundays.
When dew is on the grass, rain will never come to pass.
A sunshiny shower won't last half an hour.

I'll add more as I think of them....




Fall is here.  Although I say every dawning season is my favorite,  I'll admit that Fall is my favorite season start to finish.

Autumn.......Harvest

What wonderful images those words evoke.  The roadsides and meadows out here show off the golden and the lavender billows of goldenrod and thistle.  The trees are donning their glorious autumn hues.  We planted yellow and red mums at our doorstep as a friendly welcome.  I don't have much in the way of fall decorations, relying instead on the Midwestern countryside to supply.  Mums are the exception....

Welcome to the Cowgirl Cottage

doesn't this just make you smile?

Tonight  I'm making a batch of crock pot apple butter with our hail-pecked apples.  We'll wake up in the morning to an apple-cinnamon greeting.   Yeah!!    Here's the link to my apple butter recipe:

http://farmgirlskitchen.blogspot.com/2011/10/farm-girl-apple-butter.html 

 

 

Multi-tasking update:

 

  I've come to the realization that I am what I am!   I tried the one-task-at-a-time thing...can't do it.  I got fewer things done one-at-a-timing it than when I multi-task.   So I'm back to multi-tasking.

There!

I said it!

No apologies! No excuses!