Fall color is mostly gone

I took all of these photos on October 15, same day as the last post. Autumn colors at their peak, except for a few trees which were holding out. I was walking Cyrus on our normal route, across the highway and down Tunnicliff Road, past our mechanic on one side, and the Quartier Horse Farm on the other. That is Panther Mountain behind the horses, still with a swath of green trees. I was starting to think they might be all evergreens, but today walking by, they have color and the rest of the mountain is looking brown.

It has been an odd weather year—beautiful fall, nice enough summer, mostly dry spring, calm winter. Just now we are getting some serious rain which is filling the pig pen with mud and causing John and Mary to try to dig out to cleaner quarters. They like the mud when it is hot, but prefer the grass on the other side of the fence when the weather turns colder. Every day The Husband has to replace the cinder blocks and fencing where they are trying to escape. It may be an early trip to Larry's this year...preferable to having them run over on Rte 28.

Our 6 red hens have not accepted their new home easily. Two of them were not easily coaxed into the coop every night until a few weeks ago. I got stung on the face (wasp) picking them out of the trees one night. The other 4 have spent almost every night up a whole lot higher in the same tree. Finally, last night we got some serious rain all day, and cooler temperatures which convinced them the coop was a better place to spend the night. That, and 1 of them was just carried off and killed by something. Tonight is only the second night they have all willingly gone in the coop.

Winter is actually welcome this year. Frozen ground will keep the pigs from digging out. Chickens are closing themselves up...finally! And Mr P has stopped milking goats in preparation for kids on the way. Dogs are behaving better as well.

More time for us to sit around the woodstove and enjoy life inside.

This truck has been parked at the mechanic's for a few weeks. Since The Hub has been wanting a truck, don't you think this is it? I love it, but am guessing it is not healthy or would not have been here so long...