November 22, 2012December 12, 20128 Comments

I recounted this story two years ago, and because it is one of my favorites I am sharing it with you again. Besides, some of my newest friends haven’t seen it yet.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
(Is is cheating to reblog yourself?) 😉

An Anniversary?

November 21, 201227 Comments

I didn’t intend to write today, but was surprised to find out just a moment ago that I have been blogging here on WordPress for four years.

Until I moved from Southern California, a distance of about 2,700 miles from home, I had never felt the need to blog. However, when you are this far from family and friends, well, there is suddenly a lot to share. And what better way, than to blog with pictures for punctuation and emphasis!

I think of my blog as an open diary… and sometimes, when I go back and reread old posts, I am amazed by how much I have learned and grown here on the Farmlet. I have gained new friends here as well. You’ve arrived on my little bit of blog from all over the world, and you have all had a part in helping me to survive the occasional loneliness, distance, and the learning curve of country life.

Thank you.

Here’s to continued learning, growth, and sharing with old friends and new!

~*~

Photo Friday: I couldn’t help myself

November 16, 2012November 17, 201235 Comments

This fall has been particularly lovely. I can’t tell you if it is only my perception of the season, or if in fact it is truly better this year, but I find that I can’t help but add just one more view…

I stand looking out my window and see that the rain has washed away the dust from the far-reaching windstorms generated in Hurricane Sandy’s fury. This wet and overcast view enriches the fall color. It is an enigma to me that with all the rich, warming, color of the season, I should have to bundle up to go outside, but I want an unfiltered view for my portrait.

Thus bundled and standing on the front porch I set up my camera and try to capture that warmth, saving it for this winter when it will be truly frigid and seemingly bereft of life.

Finding what I’m looking for, I capture the moment.

CLICK…

I study the treeline trying to decide on another suitable view, when suddenly the cloud cover breaks allowing a single shaft of light to fall in the center of the trees.

There in the middle of all this loveliness burns the heart of fall, and I think to myself,

“This will do.”

NOTE: Today’s images are best viewed full size. Please click the photos for best color and clarity.

~*~

UPDATE: For those who can’t get enough fall color you can find plenty more from all over the US on Growing the Home Garden’s website ~ www.growingthehomegarden.com/2012/09/the-fall-color-project-2012.html

In the dark with Georgie and Frellnick

November 11, 201248 Comments

Tonight, as every night after the sun goes down, I went out to put away the chickens and geese. As it often happens, there is no photo-op to capture the moments that happen at “Duck-butt Thirty” of an evening, and so I am left to tell you what happened tonight in the dark…

As stated, each night after sunset I grab a flashlight and head out to put everyone to bed. I start on the north end of the property and work my way south. First I put away the girls using my torch to light the way into their goose chalet. Lately this has been a battle because for some reason Georgie and Frellnick run opposition and chase the girls away from the entrance and into the paddock. So usually I have to chase them out first, and then guide the girls to bed.

Tonight I had little resistance from them so went about getting the girls in and then walked away to pick up a few things that had blown about in today’s high winds. When I turned around the boys took off and began dashing at, and biting, the side of the well house! I had seen this behavior before but never really caught on to what they were doing. That is until tonight…

They are trying to chase away the big, black geese that are invading their territory! I turned the light away from the walls and then back again to see if I was right in my theory. Well, sure enough! They stretched their necks, and ran at the walls hissing and trying to bite those big black geese again!

So now I am wondering…

Are they seeing their shadows and mistaking them for interlopers? Perhaps this is the reason they have been “chasing” the girls at bedtime? I will have to pay closer attention tomorrow at Duck-butt Thirty and report back in my next post.

😉