happy Thanksgiving!

A morning low of 17 degrees and surfaces tinged with silver make me certain that winter can't be far behind. Reading through The Old Farmers' Almanac, it tells us to get ready for a long, snowy winter, one of the coldest in years. (And you know what, getting snowed in wouldn't bother me one, little bit!)

Autumn has found me stepping lively to get ready for the approaching winter...cords of wood are stacked in the barn and by the back door, goats and chickens have been tucked in with extra bedding, bales of hay have been delivered and put in place, food and water stores have been checked. Now, all we can do is wait and see what Old Man Winter brings us.

A brisk walk around the farm in this frosty November air clears my head as I make sure I've not forgotten anything for our family Thanksgiving. Our day starts by watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and right afterward is The National Dog Show...always fun!  We'll settle in for dinner, enjoying our traditional favorites, then we may not be able to resist a nap...followed by a movie later in the day.

Planning Thanksgiving day is one of those simple pleasures...remembering loved ones as we prepare recipes that have stood the test of time.

November also signals a settling-in time...flannel sheets are on the beds, extra quilts are freshly washed, candles are glowing, a fire is crackling. Oh-so grateful for November's blessings.

Wherever you may be, wishing you a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Come, ye thankful people, come,
Raise the song of harvest home!
All is safely gathered in,
Ere the winter storms begin.

-Henry Alford, 1844

brrr...

Cool, crisp November weather has inspired a flurry of seasonal projects, but I'm stealing a few minutes today for a quick "Hello" between cleaning the barn and prepping for winter.

What's been happening in our corner of the world?

Well, with below freezing temperatures predicted, a few days ago I gathered the last of summer's sage and chives for drying, and took every last jalapeno from the plants in the garden (cowboy candy is addictive for me...I'll share the recipe next time!)

Sage that I missed went from this...

 

to this, as temperatures dropped down to 27 degrees.

For Senior Night we bundled up under blankets and brought a thermos of hot chocolate to enjoy the last football game for the year (our son plays the trumpet in the marching band).

And for Halloween, when we sat down to carve pumpkins, we discovered a little mishap. Our local farmers' market was out of orange pumpkins, so I picked some plump, yellow-ish ones. Well as the carving began, we found it impossible to cut into the pumpkins. I don't know the variety, but evidently they were not for carving, so we pulled out paints and markers in every color and set out to create our pumpkins.

You know, in the end it was much more fun, and definitely something to remember!

Early November has brought sunrises that are simply beautiful...what a way to begin the day.

Well, it's time I was back outside...I just can't seem to  successfully stifle the urge to get outdoor projects done.

This weekend, it's supposed to be near 60 degrees, and that sounds like the perfect time for a little bonfire and an evening spent enjoying the fall season.