(D♥A) A Busy October

Whew! Have Dave and I ever been busy! Between broken computers (yes, sometimes Dave's has been down, too), the extreme heat of the summer, heavy drought, and a handful of other time consumers, Dave and I just haven't managed to find the time to write. Odd thing is, it is during those times that you actually have the most to write about!

Throughout the month of October, Dave worked an additional part-time job on the weekends, in addition to his regular full-time job. (Plus, there was all the ordinary farm stuff to take care of at Dave's Farm, too.) But the good part in all of that was that the part-time job was not far from Anna's Farm, so mixed in there, we got to spend a little bit more time together. Granted, we were both far too tired to make good use of the time, but we really enjoyed getting to spend some wind down time together. (It will be so much nicer when we eventually get both farms completely combined!)

One Friday night, a few weeks ago, we sat out in my front yard (Anna's Farm) and watched the sky as a storm rolled in. Fortunately that storm never hit (because it looked like it was pretty viscous), but we really enjoyed watching (together) it rolling in and back out. We were both exhausted, and I had spent the day getting ready for the flea market the next day, so it was a very enjoyably, relaxing and calming evening. 

But the next morning, the rains did come, the flea market was closed, and we took advantage and caught up on some much needed sleep (which we could both, once again, use some more of, now). And oh, how we have needed the rain! The Fall rains came and pulled us out of the drought, but it is beginning to get dry again. It seems so strange talking to our friends and family over in the New York area, and listen to them talking about all of the heavy flooding and extreme devastation, while we are standing here looking at everything around us beginning to wilt back down again (everything that hasn't frozen, that is).

We hope that life is finding you all well and we are doing our best to get back on here regularly, posting and catching up on all of the blogs we follow. We miss you all!

(AF) Spring Came in With a BANG . . . . . . .

....... and another bang, and another bang, and another bang. . . . . . . . Yep, the last 24 hours has been solid rain and storms. I thought it would never quit! Actually, I don't think it has. I think it is just a reprise with more to come throughout the week. But I would rather be done with it for a week or so and save some for August.

I'm not sure how much rain Dave got, but I know I probably got more than enough to catch up any we might have been behind. I am figuring it was around 8-inches here, maybe more. The thunder and lightening were some of the most viscous I have ever seen and heard. My house shook and rattled so hard that, at times, I thought we were having an earthquake mixed in with the storm!

Most of my critters were all agitated for a couple of days before it hit. I guess they knew it was coming, or maybe they were feeling it in their bones, too. Every one of my 'weather predictors' were going off (throbbing and hurting) for days before it hit. I hurt in places I had never even hurt, and the last few hours before the storms hit, the arthritis in my foot swelled up so big that I could barely walk (it was more like step-drag-step-drag).

This time the weather man actually predicted that 24 hours correctly. But they usually miss by a landslide. We should really pay more attention to all of the aches, pains and changes in our bodies - in conjunction to what weather follows - then make mental, or even, written notes or logs. When and if the grids ever go down (and I have no doubt that they will), and there is no access to anything electrical, we need to be able to forecast our own weather. The signs are all around and in us. We are just no longer in tune with them. We have let ourselves become far too dependent on the local weather man (which usually leaves us frustrated because they normally don't get it even near right). It would be much handier if we could simply pay attention to the signs and predict our own short range (and even long range) weather.

Below are some pics of the aftermath of the storm. I thought I had tightly covered my precious, last bail of hay, but the storm still ripped the cover off and drenched it!  The others are the water, literally boiling up out of the ground. The 'bubble-ups' were all over the place today. You had to be careful where you stepped our you would think you were stepping on solid ground, but instead, sink. The area where I live is covered with underground springs. After a storm, there are usually several places where water comes up out of the ground, but today..... it was boiling up in places I had never seen it bubble up before. As you can see, just for a little, odd, farm girl entertainment, I dug the one bubble-up out a little bigger to watch it flow faster.

Drenched Hay - tarp blew off

Ground Boiling where it never has - before

Ground Boiling - after I dug a little

(DF) Frost

We all knew it would happen soon, but after the flood and drought, I was hoping for a few more ripe tomatoes. It is the season however and this morning, daylight revealed light patchy frost at my place. Only problem is that the "patches" were mainly in my little patch of tomatoes and squash. It is still too early to tell the amount of damage, but with the forecast for tonight calling for a freeze, there are a few things I need to do to salvage what is left.

Last night, in anticipation of frost, I picked all the squash that was ready, and a few of the largest green tomatoes for frying. The peppers, not yet ripe, are covered with a blanket along with the smaller of the tomatoes.

The one remaining pepper plant, with its little peppers, may spend the night potted and in the house, but that decision has not yet been made.

For now, it is time to cut one last bit of hay and enjoy the first real chill of fall.

(AF) Need Rain Badly

This past Spring we had an enormous amount of rainfall. We had all-time record breaking floods that still show traces and memories of their destruction. The constant heavy rains also resulted in very poor pollination of our area fruit and nut trees, much to the dismay of the wildlife as Fall approaches.

Then Summer came. The rains stopped and Nature cranked up the heat.... and cranked up the heat .... and cranked up the heat. I am nearly 50, and it was the hottest summer we ever experienced here in my lifetime. We broke one high heat record after another. The rains stayed away, the heat soared, and extreme drought moved in and made itself right at home. What vegetation didn't die of water log in the spring, died from lack of moisture and/or extreme heat through the summer.

A few weeks ago it cooled off to very comfortable temps, I got a good soaking rain and all my fruits and veggies were so very happy! They began putting on new growth and some began to bloom and fruit. But it was short-lived. The winds set in and have dried everything right back out. I am having to water, water, water. It seems to be keeping them alive for now, but the wind is so strong it is drying the plants out faster than they can drink up the water!

Water . . . . . Just before that last rain I had set out an assortment of buckets, pans and tubs to catch and save as much of the rain water as I could. I used it to water with for as long as it lasted and my plants thrived! I also used the water from the dehumidifier in my house to water my veggies with and they seem to do really well with it. But it is once again so dry that there is not even enough moisture in the air for the dehumidifier to find. So I am back to watering with faucet water. My plants initially enjoy the drink, but soon after they bitterly protest having chlorinated, chemical laden water poured over them. I don't blame them.

Yesterday evening dark, wicked-looking storm clouds rolled in and I got all excited! I cheered them on and begged them to generously drop some rain down on my thirsty property. The intensely active lightening show began and the thunder rumbled and rolled so strongly my house shook and Bunny, my youngest Boxer, kept trying to get the back door open. It rained a bit but the wind was so strong and noisy it was hard to tell how much was rain and how much of what I was hearing was wind. With all the lightening, I certainly wasn't going to go out in it to see. But this morning, much to my disappointment, I stepped outside to very sad, wilted veggies and ground so dry that small dust clouds poofed around my feet with each step I took.

The high wind is still here and blowing strong with no sign of stopping. By late morning it had completely dried out all traces of last night's dab of rain and, mixed with the warm air and bright sunshine, has continued all day to further dry out my land and all that is attempting to inhabit it. Looks like my poor fruits and veggies will have to endure yet another soaking with chemically laced municipal water. Someone, please send me some rain!