Fall Days, Comfort Foods and Mysteries ...

Thursday, September 15, 2016

Hello dear friends!  It seems the season of summer has come and gone, quite quickly, and far too fast! Yet, we have enjoyed every possible minute of the warm daylight hours!  However, early in August we began to see this...



... the geese have been heading south for a month now, earlier than usual, their loud calls piercing and deep as they have been flying over our home... headed south.  If this is any indication, it seems to point to an earlier than usual winter.  I think summer left right around the time the geese did, and fall has since arrived in all its glorious beauty.



And our very short growing season here has come to an end.  We had the last spring frost on June 9th, and our first fall frost was September 9th, exactly three months apart.


My tomatoes were just starting to ripen, and this year... they were sooo tiny!  Most of my tomatoes were not bigger than a golf ball, and they had just begun to ripen when our first frost hit.


Inside the greenhouse, my peppers are quite happy, and growing very contentedly. So far the frost/freeze has not bothered them.


My sugar pumpkins began ripening on the vine towards the end of August.


Broccoli is also just getting started, and it should continue growing, despite any frosts we may get.


Our corn did great this year, and was very sweet.



Yum!


A picture of my garden in the prime of its growing season, about mid-August.


After the frost... the death of a garden...


Such are the seasons of a garden... we were blessed with a good abundance of vegetables this summer and now... it has come to an end.


Carrots are still growing bountifully.  So far the frosts have not affected the carrots.  I will wait until the tops wither before I pull all of them up.


Amazingly enough, my strawberries are producing again in September!


I had to cover the berries with a net because some of my chickens had figured out how to get in my garden, and were eating them!


Some of my Roma tomatoes on the vine beginning to ripen before the frost.  Since we got the frost on September 9th, I have picked all my tomatoes and brought them inside to ripen.  The short growing season we have here means that usually we have fresh tomatoes ripening all the way into October, which is pretty nice!



I keep my tomatoes in cardboard boxes with newspaper and check them every day for the ones that have ripened.



Some of the bounty from the garden this year.



I planted Blue Lake stringless green beans, and they did very well.

Overall, my garden with its ups and downs this summer, did pretty well.  I estimate that about 3 pounds of potatoes planted in the garden grew about 100 pounds, and that is the biggest potato harvest I've ever gotten.  My tomatoes were very small, and did not grow quickly.  I suspect this is in part due to the cooler weather we had early in the summer.  It is hard to believe that the main gardening season has come to an end for this year.  But... the shortening days, frosty nights, and clear breezy days assure me that fall is indeed here, and winter is nipping on its heels!

~ IN OTHER NEWS ~

I'll share some pictures of pieces of our lives over the past few days... 



Our daughter's paintings are being displayed in a local art gallery.

~ A MOONLIT WALK ~


The new moon was truly lovely as it came up one evening while we were at the river enjoying the quietness of the sunset.


My husband and I drove down to the river, and just watched the sun set, and listened to the call of the birds, the squirrels, and the crickets.  So peaceful and beautiful, we let the music of nature wash our souls with its loveliness.


This little flower was growing along the bank of the river, and its bright colors were in contrast to the deepening shadows of the night.


A family of rabbits kept an eye on us as we walked along the bank of the river.  They did not seem afraid of us at all.  Momma ran off in the bushes, but he sat very still and let me take his picture, which was hard to do.   I had to use a flash as it was almost completely dark.


Leaving the river and walking back up the path, I loved how the moon seemed to be lighting up the path for us.

~  DISASTER AVERTED ~
 

One morning last week we had a water emergency. I was about to go on a walk with Annie, and had put on a load of laundry.  I heard a funny noise in our bedroom, and went in to investigate.  I found a flood! A plastic connector from the water heater closet in our bedroom had just snapped without any apparent cause, and massive amounts of water were pouring from the water heater onto the floor.  I frantically called my husband, who didn't answer!  Of course!   I knew that the main line to shut off the water was under the house, not the best place for it, but it is what it is.  I was about to get under the house when my husband called me back, and told me to turn the main electric circuit off, as that would shut off the pump.  Phew!  That worked, and the flood was halted. 

Then it was damage control.  

Thankfully the water damage had only gotten to a couple of inches in the bedroom, and I was able to soak it all up with towels, and then put several fans on the floor to dry it.  I can't even imagine the disaster that I would have returned to, had I left on my walk.  So I gave the Lord great praise for allowing me to catch the leak the instant it happened, and saving us a costly and messy cleanup! My husband was able to fix the broken connector, replacing it with a solid metal piece!  And all ended well.  So very thankful our little water emergency did not turn into a disaster! Thank you LORD! 

~ BUILDING A TRACTOR SHED  ~


My husband and son have been hard at work building a tractor shed.  This has been a project we've wanted to do ever since we moved on our place.  We are using some wood from the downed trees we've had from the beetle infestation.


There is not much I can do to help, other than moral support, and prayers.  This was very dangerous work.  My husband and son skinned the bark from the trees. Then the 32-foot Douglas fir tree beam was hoisted up with the tractor and settled it on the beams.


Here you can see just how long this beam was, and the tight fit they were working with to get it up and set in place.  I handed tools to them, and made sure they stayed hydrated as they worked... and prayed for their safety!



You can see that it was quite the balancing act using the tractor to get such a large beam up on those posts.



This is what we have gotten done so far on the shed.  We still have a lot of work to do yet to get the shed built before the snow flies!

~ MISSING EGGS ~

One night I noticed that Martha had not come into the coop for the night.  I was quite worried about her, wondering what happened.  I called and called her to no avail.  I left the coop open, and left Annie out for the night to keep an eye on the coop, in case she needed to come back in.  Early the next morning about 5 a.m. I woke to hear her sweet voice calling and I was so thankful that she was okay.  However, that day I noticed that my egg production was less than usual.  The next night, the same thing happened, no Martha!  The next morning, she showed back up as usual.  I knew it was time to go on the search to see where she was spending the night.



I began to walk through the woods around our place, and then I saw Martha's bright comb peeking out from the grass and weeds, and underneath her this is what I found!  A whole stash of eggs!  18 eggs in total.  I had to throw most of them away, except for the 2-3 on top, which I gave to our dogs.  The grass/mud contaminates the shell, and they rot quickly.  However, I was thankful to have found their egg stash, and I covered up their egg stash area so they wouldn't return here to lay eggs.

Unfortunately... this was a week or two ago, and I think they have changed their egg stash spot... as I am on the look again for it..... sigh.  I have been walking through the brush all over our property close to the house looking for them. However my husband mentioned to me today that he found two crushed egg shells way back in our woods.  I notice that the hens and Pepper are now taking long "excursions" in the afternoon.  It may be time to keep them in the coop for a day or two, just to teach them where they need to be laying their eggs! I love to let my hens free range, but the continuing need to solve the mystery of where they laying their eggs in the woods is getting old, lol!

~ SOUTHERN-STYLE POTATO SALAD ~


My kids requested a potato salad one evening for dinner.  I was more than happy to oblige, as we have a bountiful supply this year of potatoes from our garden.  It is a simple potato salad, and I've tweaked my recipe recently.  My daughter did not like the taste of the onions in it, so I switched from a white onion, to chives or green onions, and we all were amazed at how much flavor the green onion still added without any of the stomach issues that onion can cause later... lol!


This potato salad is quite simple. I simply cook the potatoes until soft and then drain them.  I use a hand beater, and add in mustard and mayonnaise until the potatoes are creamy. Then I add in salt and pepper, chopped chives, dill pickles, and boiled eggs.  Once mixed together I sprinkle with paprika.  This salad was made with ingredients mostly from my garden/chickens, which was pretty awesome!


Just looking at this picture makes me think I need to make another one soon!  I think potato salad is one of my favorite comfort foods :)


Cooking up some squash and jalapeno for dinner... we like it stir-fried.  I melt some butter in the iron skillet, add in the chopped zucchini and squash and 1-2 chopped jalapenos, and stir it until it begins to soften.  Then I add in a little Mrs. Dash, and some chicken bouillon, salt and pepper to taste, and this makes just about the best tasting zucchini ever!  

Well that kind of sums up our days around here.  Since the frost/freeze has come, my garden chores are lessening, and I hope to have more time to blog again :)  Unless of course my chickens keep me busy solving egg mysteries, lol! 






59 comments

  1. The potato salad really looks simple and delicious! Perfect comfort food♥

    summerdaisycottage.blogspot.com

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    1. Hi Summer, thank you so much for visiting! I'm so happy to meet you :) The potato salad is a favorite with my family, and definitely an easy one to put together! I hope you have had a blessed day, hugs to you :)

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  2. Chickens do keep life interesting! The shed is going to be great. I will have to share the pictures with my hubby. He use to build barns and will find it interesting to see them building it with logs. Looks like you are making the best of the crisp fall days!

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    1. Tell your husband not to look too close... we are not carpenters, lol! Just trying to make the best of materials we have on hand! Appreciate your visit Wendi, and trust that fall is beautiful for you this year too! Hugs to you my friend :)

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  3. Oh Marilyn....it is cool here in the mountains, but no frost yet! I am sorry that your growing season has come to a close so rapidly...it feels as if it was so very hot one day and the next, was so very cool :o/ but then that is how our Lord has intended it to be.

    Thank you for sharing such lovely picture and praising Our Lord that the disaster was averted. A water heater breakdown is just no fun! at all !!!

    Have a blessed weekend dear lady :-o)

    mari

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    1. No frost?!! Lucky you :) Yes, we have a very short growing season here. This year seems shorter than usual. I think we have an early and long winter headed our way, if the signs of nature prove to be true, which they can usually be trusted!

      Indeed, so very thankful for the mercy of the Lord to prevent the water disaster from being any worse. I'm thankful the Lord spared us that!

      Trust that you are doing well my friend, will be stopping by for a visit with you :)

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  4. So many thoughts swirling around in my head while reading your post today, Marilyn, but then I saw the potato salad and they all flew out of my head! I need to make that!! Congrats to your daughter on her exhibit and it's aways lovely to catch up. :)

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    1. I know that I have been kind of packing my last few posts with a lot of different thoughts, lol... but that potato salad really did get me to thinking, and off I went today to make another one, lol! Thank you for the sweet words about my daughter's exhibit :) Hope that you have a blessed and lovely fall weekend :)

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  5. Hi Marilyn! I love green beans, and yours look so good...yum! My fav photo is the one with the path in the moonlight. I never seem to be able to take photos of the moon. It always looks like a little dot in a black sky.
    I'm so sorry about your water heater. Thanks be to God that you didn't go on that walk! God knew you had to be there to flip that switch. I hope all is back to normal now.
    So good to see you here again :)
    Ceil

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    1. Hi Ceil! Happy to see you are back from your blogging break! I have taken a break of sorts too this summer, and hope to get back into a more regular blogging routine now that fall is here :) Thank you for your sweet words about the moon picture... I agree that it can be very hard to get the moon to cooperate in a picture! Yes, we are soo thankful for the averted disaster, and I continue to give God praise for that! I hope to stop by and visit you soon... have a blessed weekend my friend :)

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  6. Glad to see you are back, sweet friend! It was interesting catching up and seeing all the goings on in your life! Oh, my! I am SO thankful God protected you from water damage. That HAD to be the dear Lord looking out for you...oh, He is SO faithful! Your daughter's painting is just beautiful. She is so talented and creative...hmmm....wonder who she takes that after?? LOL! Your photos are SO pretty and clear, and I felt like I was right there. Thanks so much for sharing such a lovely post! God bless you abundantly. :)

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    1. Oh dear Cheryl, indeed I continue to give the Lord thanks for so many things, and the water heater a big one! He is so good and faithful to look out and ahead of us, and take care of us! Thank you for the sweet words about our daughter's paintings, I will pass your kind words on to her! I'm so thankful that you enjoy the pictures that is such a blessing to know! I appreciate your dear and faithful friendship Cheryl, and pray you have a blessed weekend!!!

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  7. I forgot to mention...I love your new header. Can you tell me how to add more than one picture to the header? I tried to do that in the past, but I never could figure it out. Would love to know how to get more than one photo in the header...it may have something to do with making a collage, which I do not know how to do, either! :)

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    1. I will be glad to share with you how I did it. I'll send you an email in the morning with more detailed directions, but just for starts, you do need a nice photo editing program that allows you to make a collage - you are right, it does need to be a collage, if you want more than one picture. The program I currently use is free, and is Picasa. However, I noticed that you can no longer download it, but have to use it online. I'm not sure how that changes the functionality of the program, but there are probably others out there that let you do that. :)

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  8. I love to come here to visit because I come away with ideas, interesting stories, and good advice. I'm going to go pick all of my tomatoes.

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    1. Aww thanks Christine, so glad that you enjoyed your visit here... yes indeed, pick those green tomatoes before you get a hard frost, as they ripen just fine inside :) Have a blessed weekend!

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  9. I love your photos and you have a lovely place to live. Your garden looks very nice too. Our tomatoes were small this year too. We planted in a different area, and need to get some fertilizer in there for next year. I am burying egg shells, coffee grounds and banana peels next to my chard. Thank you for visiting my blog and your sweet comments. I post our pastor's sermons, our Bible Teacher's SS lessons, and usually my lesson that I give on Wed to the group praying over our city. Return to my site, and follow my by E-mail to gain some additional word of God for your day.

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    1. Thank you for your return visit Hazel, such a delight to have you visit here! Isn't that something how we both had small tomatoes. I too want to put out more fertilizer for next year, hoping that amending the soil will produce better results.

      Appreciate your love for the Lord, and thank you for sharing your address here for me and for my readers too :) Have a blessed day!

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  10. Here is my site address: http://hazel-moon-blog.blogspot.com/

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  11. It always makes me sad when I see the geese heading South for the winter. We've not been so lucky with our garden this year - just a few apples, a couple of pears and about 10 figs. We didn't get any oranges because we don't have an orange tree!

    I really like the painting and the photos you took. Did you know that crickets chirp depending on the temperature. If it is too hot they chirp about 30-40 times a minute, if it's a little cooler they chirp about 20 times a minute. When the temperature is -5 Degrees Centigrade they don't chirp at all because they're probably frozen stiff. That's unless they're indoors enjoying a hot drink.

    It's awful when something goes wrong in the house. Luckily you sorted things out before you had great water damage. The other day we needed to fix the water heater in the kitchen and I could not get a plumber to attend. It's almost impossible in the UK to get a plumber in an emergency. I phoned several who said they were busy. One of them said he could turn up on 12 January 2017 - I agreed. He said he'll come in the afternoon because he's busy that morning!

    Years ago, when I was a child, we had chickens. Like yours, suddenly they stopped laying eggs in the usual place. We searched and searched for days to find out where they laid theirs eggs. Eventually, we found out they were selling them to the local supermarket.

    Thank you for visitng my Blog. I have replied to your comments on my Blog.

    God bless.

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    1. I think you must be a stand-up comedian at heart, you had me laughing out loud as I read your comment! Are you being serious about the plumber not coming until January 12?! That is utterly unbelievable! My goodness. And the story about your chickens, that really cracked me up... quite the savvy chickens you have LOL! Thanks for the laugh, and the kind words you brought today, they are much appreciated!

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    2. No, of course I was not serious about the plumber. But it is difficult in the UK to get a plumber in an emergency. It got to the point that a number of Home Insurance Companies guarantee that if you ensure your house with them they'll get a plumber to you within 3 hours of an emergency.

      Years ago, I used to compere a group of performers, (singers, musicians, actors etc ...) and we used to put on shows for charity or in Old peoples' homes to entertain the elderly. As a compere I used to open the show and tell a few jokes in between acts.

      Thank you for your kindness. God bless you and yours.

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    3. Oh you had me there! I really was believing that's how long it takes, lol! Thank you for coming back to clarify :)

      You definitely could do stand up comedy. I still laugh when I think of your observations of life! I'm sure the elderly were so blessed by your comedy!

      Have a blessed and lovely Sunday!

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  12. Seems like it's been a very good year for your gardening.
    God bless you as you move into fall.
    Laura of Harvest Lane Cottage

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    1. Thank you Laura, it was a blessed year indeed, and many gardening lessons learned :) Blessings and hugs to you too, my friend!

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  13. So much goodness in this post! Love all of your pictures. I did not know that hens go off to lay their eggs...funny creatures and always an adventure for you. Your potato salad is exactly how I make mine except the pickles...I have to try that now!!

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    1. Yes hens are funny creatures, and have quite the personalities! I have come to enjoy them so very much :) Pickles in potato salad give it a great bite and flavor, I think you will never have potato salad without them again once you try it! Hugs to you, have a blessed day :)

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  14. Wow Marilyn, a frost already??? I hope we get at least another month before that happens here!!! I am always anxious for fall after a hot, humid summer but never quite ready for winter! Yum--comfort foods! I have been eating a ton of zucchini all summer. Love that stuff! Your potatoes look good! I've never made it quite like that!! I've been thinking so much about comfort food but still dieting...:(
    Well it looks like you have been busy for sure and I'd say your garden was a great success! It's a great feeling to consume your own stuff, isn't it??!!! Take care and have a lovely week!
    xo
    Linda

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    1. We really do have such a short growing season here, lol! I saw your post about the zucchini noodles, and I would really like to try those, but I guess I need the special machine to make them. I will peruse Amazon for one perhaps over the winter, to have ready for next summer. They sound really delicious! Congrats to you on working on weight loss, that is a tough one, but sounds like you are doing awesome! Have a blessed and wonderful Sunday afternoon :)

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  15. Hello,
    I just love catching up with you.
    Wisconsin weather has been very different this garden season. We have enjoyed a lot of rain, maybe too much rain. I do not like to say that, because the next summer we could have a drought.
    We usually have a frost by now as well, but this year it has been hot and warm .... another very odd thing. ;-) I will take it! We are GREEN and things are still growing. My mom thinks we will have a hard winter, due to the abundant garden year? Farmer Almanac wisdom? ;-)

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    1. Weather is always rather a conundrum isn't it! It is quite a challenge every year to garden, because there are always so many variables. I've heard several say something about the Farmer's Almanac, although I haven't read it for myself. Probably need to, lol! We do have a lot of different things pointing towards a colder, harder winter too. We shall soon see, lol! Have a blessed day my friend :)

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  16. Homegrown veggies, beautiful sunsets, critter company... what lovely, summer sights and sounds and scrumptious treats! Your daughter's paining is beautiful!

    Poppy

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    1. Aww! Thanks Poppy! So wonderful to have a visit from you, and trust you are doing well my friend! :)

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  17. It looks like your garden has done well. We had hoped to plant one this summer but it didn't happen...maybe next year. It concerns me a bit with the geese flying south earlier, I hear we're supposed to have a more traditional winter here this year...oh no!! That's wonderful that your daughter's art is in a local art gallery, she's very good! I love your photos by the water, the give a sense of peace. I hope you have a wonderful week!

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    1. Oh thank you Kelly, it is so good to have a visit from you! Gardening is indeed a lot of work, and a time investment for sure.. maybe next year will be better for you! It does seem that the signs of nature are pointing towards an early winter at least... and thank you so much for your sweet comments about my daughter's paintings, her talent is such a blessing. And oh yes, being by the water always give such a beautiful sense of peace, and knowing that God is still God! Hugs to you today dear friend! :)

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  18. Good morning, my sweet friend! Oh how I have missed YOU! I am so glad you are well and oh my, you have been ever so busy! Your garden is truly amazing and I can just imagine how delicious everything tastes.

    I had to giggle when I saw the pile of eggs....oh, chickens are too funny.

    And what a delight to have a tractor shed in the making. Not only have you been busy, but so has your husband and son!

    Congratulations to your dear daughter...her artwork is incredible! She is one very talented young lady.

    Please know that I think of you OFTEN, dear one. I was so happy to see you had signed up for the exchange. Much love and sweet hugs to you!

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    1. Thank you dear Stephanie for your visit, always a delight! Indeed summer was busy, full of good things! And now fall is here in full, amazing how fast the seasons change! Oh yes the chickens are so funny... and continue to play their egg games! Thank you again for your kind and sweet words, they mean so much! Hope you have a lovely fall day today :)

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  19. What a great harvest you were blessed with - and that potato salad looks heavenly!

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    1. It was a wonderful gardening season, came to a close rather quickly, but we have lots of goodness from the garden to enjoy, so thankful for that! Have a blessed day :)

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  20. Your garden certainly did well by you this season. Looks beautiful at the beginning and you did get a wonderful harvest. Nothing like that in the world! Glad you found your eggs and Martha. The potato salad looks so yummy and zuchini is one of my favorites. You live in a beautiful area, and walking down the moonlit path must be so special..It is so nice to visit with you..Happy Week to you..Judy

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    1. You are right, there is nothing like fresh veggies from your own garden, grown completely chemical free! We do live in an incredibly beautiful area in every season, and I am thankful every day for it! Thank you for your visit, praying you have a blessed and wonderful day :)

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  21. You do have a short growing season! But what a wonderful crop you were still able to pull in. The corn looks so good, and potato salad looks delicious! The picture of the river and your walk there looks beautiful. Such a peaceful place.

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    1. Thank you for your sweet comments, they are so appreciated! I am happy to have harvested all the goodness from the garden this year, and it is wonderful to know that it was all grown without any chemicals! We do live in a beautiful and peaceful place, for which I give the Lord thanks every day! Have a blessed and lovely fall day :)

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  22. What a very interesting and fun post, Marilyn! I am sitting here with my leg propped up on a heat pack and my elbow resting on a cold compress, typing slowly on my tablet. I took a tumble down the cellar stairs yesterday morning -- just the last few, thankfully -- and am trying to take it easy today.

    What a blessing that you could stop the flood in your home before it got any worse. God is so good!

    I loved reading about your time at the river, and seeing the rabbit and the moonlit path.

    And the potato salad looks so good! I always prefer to use chives or the tops of green onions in any salad, rather than chopped raw onions. I love the onion flavor but not the raw onions. That substitution works perfectly, in my opinion!

    Have a blessed week, my friend!

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    1. Oh no!!!! I hate to hear about your tumble down the cellar stairs! I don't have a cellar now, but sure wish we had one, as it makes storing veggies and canning jars much easier! I do hope and pray that you get better quickly!!!! God indeed is so good to us, and I am very grateful for the many blessings He provides us with. I am happy to have found that green onion works just as well in potato salad, it is a perfect substitution for sure! Appreciate your visit and your very sweet comments, and will be praying that you recovery quickly!! Hugs to you today :)

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  23. You live in the most beautiful place, Marilyn! All that produce you have grown is amazing. How refreshing to be able to cook delicious meals using your own harvested crop. Your potato salad looks so yummy. We too have frosts throughout the year. It always plays havoc with our tomatoes. You must be so thankful you caught the 'flood' in the nick of time. There is nothing worse than water escaping into your home. Those chickens are naughty aren't they. Yes, you will have to teach them a little lesson. =) That is some tractor shed your husband and son are building. Those logs look terribly big and heavy. I am afraid I would have my heart in my mouth watching them all the way up there. It will be fabulous when finished. Oh I forgot....your daughter's artwork is amazing. How very clever she is. So happy to have visited you and caught up with all that you have been up to. It is always an absolute delight to visit your lovely place. Have the most wonderful week, lovely Marilyn.

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    1. Oh Kim, thank you so much for your wonderful comments, it is just a joy to have you visit here too! We certainly are very blessed here, even with the short growing seasons, we just learn to work with it. I think you and I must have a very similar climate, if you get frosts all through the year, lol! Appreciate your kind words about our daughter's work, she has a talent and a gift from the Lord and it is a blessing. Appreciate your visit here as always, and I know that your crafty hands are always up to something amazing, and will be stopping by for a visit shortly. Have a blessed day my friend!

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  24. Oh my...now I'm hungry! That potato salad looks wonderful! What a wonderful post just full of hints of fall and the lovely bounty from your garden. It looks like you make your home in a GORGEOUS place! I'm so jealous (smile)...and I was at the beach when the Harvest Moon rose in the sky. It was truly a magnificent sight reflecting onto the ocean! Can't wait for fall to show up around here!

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    1. Wow, how awesome that you got to see the harvest moon rise in the sky over the ocean... now I'm jealous {smiles}! I will have to pop over to your place and see your pictures, I know they will be amazing! Thank you so much for your sweet visit, and lovely comments, they are always a joy for me to read ! Have a blessed and lovely day :)

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  25. How disappointing to have early frost. Sometimes we even get one in August, but have been blessed the past several years...no frosts yet, but I expect this to change by the weekend.

    Great bounty of veggies and too bad about all the eggs. Hope that being cooped up will help those hens.

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    1. Yes, it is a bit disappointing, because the frosts seem to come just as the harvest begins, lol! But at any point, I learn to take what the good Lord has provided, and be thankful for it all. :) I did coop up the hens for a couple of days, and really didn't get many more eggs. I think perhaps it may be the changing of the season why they are not producing as much. Life with chickens is always an adventure, lol! Appreciate your visit so very much, and pray you have a lovely fall day today :)

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  26. I thoroughly enjoyed this post, Mrs. Mosely! Hunting for chicken eggs sounds fun, yet probably annoying after awhile! The potato salad you made looked really yummy! I look forward to your new posts! I love your blog!

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    1. Thank you Olivia, you are so right, the egg hunt has turned into a hide and seek game for the hens, and they are better at it than me, lol! Life with chickens is always full of adventure for sure! Thank you for your sweet words, I'm so thankful you are enjoying my blog :) Appreciate your sweet visit and comments, and pray that you are having a lovely fall day!

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  27. Wow! I'm surprised you guys have already had a frost. It actually was a bit hot for us today at 85 degrees! I have all my windows open and my shirt sleeves rolled up. Some of the leaves are starting to turn a bit, but most are still green. That's too bad about your tomatoes, but glad you did have such a good harvest. Your garden looked beautiful. Your lack of weeds is impressive. We have very large gardens, so I know how much work must have gone into keeping the weeds away!

    Your photo of the sunset on the river is beautiful, and it's neat to see the rabbit. I always find dusk to be the hardest time to take good photos.

    Glad you were able to catch the water leak in time. That sounds terrible!

    Most of our chickens lay their eggs in our coop, but once in a while a couple hens will get a mind of their own, and find somewhere else to lay their eggs. One hen even succeeded in hatching a whole brood out in one of our buildings. But the most common place for them to try to hide their eggs is in the dog house! I really don't think it's a good idea on their part, but maybe they figure our 13-year-old puppy (Ginger) will keep the eggs safe for them... I don't think Ginger likes it though--she'd rather have the house to herself! We've discovered a few nests in random places (like my flower garden). And cleaning up the nests can be no fun. There's no smell quite like rotten eggs!

    Your potato salad looks interesting, and worth a try!

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    1. Hello Bethany, thank you so much for your visit, and wonderful comment! I loved hearing about your chickens and Ginger too! Chickens certainly like to keep things interesting, always an adventure with them for sure! I agree with you, the smell of rotten eggs is horrible! I usually just try to cover them with dirt, and hope for the best, lol! Thank you for the sweet comments about the sunset and the garden. It is a job to keep out the weeds, always a lot of work for me, which is why summer keeps me absent from doing much blogging, lol! It is nice now to have a little more time each day that had been devoted to the garden! Appreciate you stopping by and leaving such a delightful comment! I do pray that you get to enjoy some lovely fall weather soon :)

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  28. What a blessing that your husband was home when you had the little incident with the hot water heater! A little disappointing with the early frost for you. There is no frost here but the sun has slipped so low that it isn't shining in the garden anymore. Such a yummy looking potato salad- that is a favorite of mine. Looks like lots of blessings in the garden. Smiles!

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    1. Oh it was such a blessing to have him home while it happened, whew! Yes, the early frost was disappointing, but somewhat expected, as I am learning here where we live! So happy to hear that you are doing well dear friend :)

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  29. What a beautiful post filled with gorgeous photos and your bounty of veggies. So glad your hubby was around for the water heater. This happened to me once and I was home alone and my hubby out of town. It was a terrible mess to deal with!! You could send some of your cooler temps our way. It's still hot here in Texas but predicted for rain this weekend.
    Happy Fall and Blessings to you. xo

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    1. Oh it would be such a nightmare to have to clean up and deal with it while your husband wasn't there to help! I truly was so very thankful it all ended as well as it did. I hope that you all got the rain and cooler weather you were hoping for! I know "fall" probably doesn't come to Texas until this month, but I am hoping you are able to enjoy some cooler weather soon :) Hugs to you dear friend!

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