Oh It Is Good To Be Home

How much did I miss home? Well let me just say that I have never been so happy to smell the, um, fragrance from the local dairy. After 19 days away (that's the longest I've ever been away from the farm) all that cow poo was the sweetest smell. I don't know if I would have felt the same if it had been 90 degrees out!

Of all the animals I missed Hoover the most. Here's how he greeted me. He is always mellow! I just about burst into tears when I saw him.



I missed the chickens almost as much as I missed Hoover. Everyday I asked "How many eggs did you get today?" Collecting the eggs is my favorite part of the day.

I was so excited to find that I got home just in time to find the first eggs that my Wellsummers laid. There's nothing like finding these small eggs that have such amazing rich color! I think it is so incredible that the chicks that I hatched in the Spring are now all grown up and laying.

The pictures don't do the color justice! The smaller eggs are a rich deep brown color. There's a touch of red to it. A bit of terra cotta. Like rich hot chocolate with a hint of terra cotta. I could look at these eggs for hours. These aren't the first Wellsummers I've had but it doesn't get old. (I know, but, sorry, I'm weird like that.)


Now this picture is a bit better but it still doesn't capture the true color.


Oh, I am so happy to be home. Even the thought of having to muck out the barn is a happy thought!

First Hand Experience That Growing Old Is Not for Wimps

Oh Dear Bloggers! I have spent the last 2 weeks helping my mother who is recovering from knee replacement surgery. Now I cannot tell you how old my mother is (because she would sense I had done so and flatten me with her walker) but I can tell you that my father is 84 and my mother is somewhat younger. (But she is in the same decade of life and that's all I'm saying.)

I see my parents several times a year. I drive them from Ohio to Florida (and back) every winter. So, I have seen them slowly aging. But it seems that suddenly they have gotten old.

My mother, prior to the problems with her knee, walked 5 miles every day. This was something she really enjoyed so when she had to stop it was frustrating for her. She first thought about having the knee surgery 7 years ago so this was not something she did overnight. There was much thought and consideration (and hand wringing) that went into this decision. I must say that if you were to meet my mother you wouldn't believe she was, um, the age she is. Now if you were to meet my father you might think he was much older than he is.



I think I can handle the mental side of aging. I can't tell you how many times in the two weeks I've been here that we search for, glasses, wallets, cell phones, car keys, remotes, and other things I can't remember.

The physical side of aging looks much harder. Not being able to lift a half gallon of milk, struggling to get out of chairs and cars, walking very slowly, losing your hearing. Having your joints hurt and cease to work. These are the things I think are going to be more difficult to deal with. Especially since I already misplace things and am getting quite used to it. (Heck, I just told you my parents are in their eighties so clearly I'm no Spring chicken -oh how I miss my chickens!)

Oh, and the shrinking. I really don't think I can handle shrinking. I mean I'm not a tall person. I cannot afford to lose an inch. I think I might fear shrinkage the most.

So most of my recent posts have been me playing catch up with things I had been to busy to blog about.

Walking In The Woods

This year I remembered to take my camera out more often to try to capture what I love about fall. So a walk in the woods with Hoover was a perfect chance.


We found this fallen tree.


I a always fascinated by lichen. I've found some beautiful colors. This reminds me of aged copper.


Notice Hoover there on the right? He is a whirling dervish in the woods so it is hard to get a good picture.


I was tempted to try out this fallen branch as a balance beam. I'm trying to remind myself that I'm getting too old for broken bones so I didn't do it. I still wish I had. *sigh*


A classic shot where Hoover has turned before I can snap the picture.


All the pictures seem so calm. Here is a video of how windy it was that day. I love the leaves blowing in the wind.

Cape Cod Camping

I have some how managed to live this long without ever having gone camping. I guess it wasn't something my family was into.

So I didn't hesitate when my friend asked me to go camping with her and her 2 1/2 year old daughter. I mean why not give it a try while my back is still young enought to surrvive sleeping in a tent.

Here's the tent.


It rained quite a bit (not what a first time camper wanted) so here is our table under a tarp.


Brace yourselves dear bloggers, here's a rare picture of me with a yummy lobster.


The Cape Cod coast as seen from a whale watching boat. (Notice the tower?)



This tower is in Provincetown.



I walked to the of the tower and here is the view.




Nice cloud.


This is a blurry whale tail.


Whale dorsal fin.


This is a long stone wall that is a shortcut but it isn't a short walk. We didn't make it all the way across because some things are too much for a toddler and some toddlers are too much to carry.



I loved this flag.



The great dog flag was on this boat.




There's just sometihing about lighthouses. They always look good.


We got a nice day so we went to the beach.




These were the clouds on the drive back home.


I took this trip in early September during my blogless time. I absolutely loved Cape Cod and camping was fun. I would do it again. (I slept on an air mattress so no back ache.

The Best of Fall Doesn't Last Long Enough

If only "peak" lasted longer. I love watching the leaves change color. I am among those who love winter so it isn't like I dread the coming winter. I just would love to have the amazing colors to last for a whole month.


Give me a chance to get sick of it.





I love how the sunlight makes these next two pictures seem like different worlds.

First Snow Flakes

As much as I love fall, my true love is winter. I know I was in the minority in my joy at seeing the first snow flakes.

The only bad thing was that there are still leaves on the trees and there was fear of the weight of the snow bringing down some branches.

It stayed on the grass for a bit. Just enough to get my hopes up.

Sheep and Wool Festival

This weekend is the big Sheep and Wool Festival in Dutchess County. It is one of my favorite events. It is a sure sign of Fall.

I was addicted to knitting for a while and I'm always sorry I stopped. I'm thinking this winter will be when I pick the needles up again. I have quite a stash of yarn, (because I also had a major yarn addiction!).

So while I enjoyed the festival I did not allow myself to buy any wool.

I did have an amazing chicken pot pie!

The place was packed.


Here's a sheep that's been sheared.


This one still has his wool. There were a lot of white sheep but not so many of other colors. I like the brown ones.


The white ones do have such sweet faces. I really would love to have some sheep and I know if I started learning the different breeds I'd get way to involved and I'd end up with some rescued sheep.


OK now this is where I could really lose it. Alpacas! These are such amazing creatures. The look in their eyes. They have a presence about them. I would take an alpaca in a blink!


Then there's the llamas. They're like brave alpacas. I would love to have a llama. I once met a llama that stared me down and then let me pet it, and then wouldn't let me stop petting it.

I've Been A Bad Blogger

Well, I must say that I have been neglectful of my blog lately. In all fairness I do have a good excuse. We have been crazy busy trying to keep up with the growing grass. I swear that as I mow I look back behind me and can see the grass growing. It also doesn't help that it is constantly raining. And don't even get me started on the heat and humidity.

I did find the time to take pictures of the latest blooms.


You can't tell from the pictures but the hibiscus are huge. They catch my eye from far away.



I fear the mowing will never end. Or at least not until it snows. I have never wanted it to snow so badly.

Have You Ever Been to a Place That Was So Beautiful You Never Wanted to Leave?

This weekend a friend and I went to Innisfree Garden in Millbrook NY. The following pictures don't even begin to do it justice. It was once privately owned. The cost to create this amazing landscaping is unimagineable to me. I believe it is impossible to be in a bad mood here. Whatever the cost, it was worth every penny! It is scerene beyond imagination. I found myself thinking if I were a wild animal this is where I would live. Every where you look is an amazing, breathtaking view.And I mean EVERYWHERE! People instinctively paced themselves so as not to run in to other groups. The wildlife was like something from a Disney movie. Even frogs were calm and aproachable. I want to visit Innisfree as often as I can. I want to see it in every season. I was heartbroken to learn that they aren't open in winter! Even the insects were special. Anyone know what this odd looking bug is? There are numerous waterfalls. And water features. The mushrooms seem more beautiful here. I will leave you with some videos.