The last three days have been a flurry of activity here on the farm. The weather  here in the Pacific NW Oregon, has been warm and dry, prefect for working outdoors. Everything from A (apples) to Z (Zucchini). Actually, there has not been much canning and cooking. The outdoor work for putting to farm to bed for the fall and winter rainy season was first priority for us.

I did prune back all my perennials, the lavender plants were a big project to prune. Last year I purchased a battery operated mini-pruner. Let me say that I highly recommend this device for completing the work efficiently and saving my hands.

I told the hubby that I would not assist him with a certain project.....it leads him to yell at me...and be a jerk. NO...I am not helping, I will ask the nephew to help. He figured out how to do it by himself with the tractor.

The pool is winterized for now, and the patio rugs, plants, concrete statures, chairs, umbrellas, and pottery are put away before the rain starts.

I cleaned out the greenhouse, and got rid of some old stuff, and organized my stuff in there. It is so much better.

Life is quiet and safe here.

October 13 - Here on the Farm

First of all I want to say that I have sympathy for everyone who is affected by Hurricane Michael. The news that we get here in the Pacific NW shows extreme devastation. 

The weather news here is that we are going to have a beautiful fall for the next 10 days or so. Sunny, dry, and about 72 F. The forest fires are not out, they will smolder all winter. That is pretty normal.

I have so much work doing outdoor cleanup, and putting things away for winter, and getting ready for rainy season here. I fill the tractor bucket with loads of plant materials to dispose of...it all goes on a compost pile. I have plants to move, and dahlias to dig.  There is the garlic to plant, and tulips too.

I hope to go mushroom hunting for Chanterelles in a few days.

The farm feels pretty odd, without any livestock. It is all part of my plan to make live easier here for us. It trim the things, one at a time. Now is the time to sell some of the excess livestock equipment. Hubby has my horse trailer in the shop, to clean and do some small repairs, put on new tires....then sell.

We have a friend who is going to purchase all our hay.

I am going to see if I can sell two of my saddles. A vintage western Side Saddle and a youth size Saddle. I am keeping three saddles. This is part of my overall plan....

2018 Hay Season

Today, we start the 2018 Hay Season in earnest. 2 Fields on this farm are cut, and laying on the ground to cure (dry). In a few days there will be about 500 bales of hay to put in this barn. The bales are light...about 40 lbs each.

My huge problem is finding some willing teens to work (for cash) for us. We just need help for 2 days, and pay a good wage. It is just amazing that, although we live in a rural area with a small town nearby.....no Teens are wanting to get a job. We are about the become desperate.

One big problem that I have is with my Hubby's friends. They are very willing and happy to take his hospitality to go on his hunting trips....with hubby doing all the camp cooking...for about 4 weeks a year. These friends all disappear when he needs help for 2 days. They have every kind of excuse you can imagine, need a hair cut, toenails are bad, boots are worn out, going fishing, allergies, dental, physical, stress, hangnail, stomach ache, gas, heartburn, old man crap, got to go somewhere.... etc... you know it really irritates me. The BUMS.

The only good thing about this year is..... that I finally put a stop to taking on someone Else's hay. That work last year was a true killer for us. No More!

Wildfire! NO, but a close one!

This is a Great Gray Owl. The species is the largest owl in the world, length from 24" to 33". The owl is surprisingly light for the size...due to the plumage. This owl is a year around resident in the forests around my home.

Now to the story....one night at 2:20 am...bang, bang! No electricity! Flashes of orange electrical light from the utility pole on the fence line. One of these birds had decided to land on the top of the power pole...on the "hot" wires. Yes, it did die instantly.

I was very concerned with the possibility of wildfire.The grass is completely dead from about 90 days of no rain and a hot summer. I was extremely lucky that no sparks started a fire. Why? When there is no electricity, there is no water from the well. The fire station would take a long time to get here, and by then everything would be on fire. I could try to bucket water to the location from the pool, and wet down some old towels. The grass is still standing dead, and waist high. I should have nagged hubby to cut it last June.......

About the Owl, it makes me sad because the birds are rare and that bird probably used many utility poles to hunt from, and they are good hunters. The feathers were pretty burned up, but the body stayed on top of the pole....and that is why there wasn't a wildfire.