Like a walk through the country side living on a small farm is full of daily surprises, sometimes wonderful and amazing, and other times puzzling and sad. I hope you will walk with me as I live out my dream of living on this tiny farm. You will come to know the dogs, cats, Shetland sheep and chickens that make up this farm and what goes into keeping them happy and healthy. Come and join the journey with me.

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

A Harvest of.........

..... Squash

Remember when I asked for help identifying the squash earlier in the summer? Well, Butternut Squash Harvest was tonight. I picked 16 of the nice plump beauties. I had picked two earlier in the season. That makes a grand total of 18 squash from the mystery-volunteer-plant-that-should-have-been-pumpkins. Not too bad a'tall. Next year for sure on the pumpkins...but definitely some space for these prolific and tasty squash too.

....Dead Toys

Yep, it's that time again. Time to go around the yard and Boone's pen and pick up all the dead and dismembered stuffed animals and toys. Here a tail, there a leg.. and hmmm..a green head?? I try and do this when Boone isn't looking as it's very stressful for him to lose any of his toys even if he hasn't played with them for months. I always stock up on the stuffed animals at the thrift stores, so there is an endless supply, believe me.
Boone doesn't believe me. He wasn't lettin' this one out of his mouth, not with me around stealing all his toys.



.....Wood? Bugs? Spiders??

I'm working on the woodpile, a little at a time. I already got the old tarp off and trimmed back all the grapevine, so it's time to start re-stacking the wood. I don't usually have allot of outdoor time in the evenings as the days get shorter, so sometimes I will set the timer and make myself spend at least 15 minutes on a thankless job like this. This is a horrible, horrible job. Trust me. Why, I do not neaten and clean up the woodpile in the early Spring, I do not know. Every year, I lament my poor judgement on this issue. And every year its the same. It doesn't look so bad does it? A little messy, but harmless enough.

But it's not harmless.

It's full of spiders. In case you don't know this, spiders creep me out. Oh, you did know? Well, anyway they do... creep me out that is. And the woodpile is full of them. Big ones, very furry ones, all shapes. That isn't all either. There is also millions of ants, and every so often a fat, slimy slug stuck on a piece of wood. Shudder... There are insects I don't even recognize out there. So, even though you aren't suppose to spray wood with bug spray, I'm going to. Then I'm gonna hose it all off--high pressure as I can get. That is once it's all stacked and neat again. (and please don't judge that cockeyed end--I think it'll hold, and after all I don't get paid for doing this...and oh my gosh... what is that crawling on my leg!!!)

Here's fifteen minutes work. Another fifteen or so and it'll be close to done!

11 comments:

Unknown said...

I am so glad that I am not the only one who picks up lost toys in the yard! I have to watch my beagle ReRun cuz he always takes my slippers outside and hides them in the field! You other post has reminded in to think of all the stuff to be done before that first snow! The sweet Annie is drying nicely! I bundled more today. Would you still like me to send you some?

Vicki Lane said...

Years ago we had a mastiff who loved to take boots out to the yard and patiently remove the shoelaces. Never chewed anything up; just pulled out the shoelaces and left them and the boots for us to retrieve.

Michelle said...

I LOVE winter squash like butternut, but would never get that many here; our season isn't long enough. We got ONE nice pumpkin this year....

Pat in east TN said...

The squash look terrific ... next year on my list as we do love them baked.

Dogs and their toys ... one of us diverts his attention while the other 'cleans out' his basket, and believe me he notices the difference and is very indifferent towards us for a short time, cuz, of course, we took his favorite ones!!

Nancy K. said...

POOR BOONE! You took his toys? You brute! I may have to call the SPCA...

OMG ~ I loved your telling of your adventure with the woodpile! Perhaps you could get Boone to help protect you from those ferocious, flesh-eating insects? On no ~ that's right...he's mad at you!

Poor puppy.

Kara said...

You have inspired me to harvest my butternut today!

Shula said...

Ji (our husky) loves all his toys and is not at all destructive. The other 3 are a different matter though and they rip the toys to shreds. Zora's favorite thing is to rip all the stuffing out of a toy in the living room so it looks like a massacre. Oh and I am right there with you and your spider hatred. Ugh.

Tina T-P said...

Oh boy, look at all that squash! Do you have a cellar to keep it in? T.

Grammy said...

Did you get all them from 1 plant? You should save some of the seed for next year and get more for free My self I would power wash the wood first. So the bugs would maybe be dead with out the bug spray. Have a good weekend.

MR WORK 50 said...

YOU SURE DID HAVE A GOOD GARDEN THIS YEAR.AND YOU SURE DO KEEP BUSY.I DONT NO HOW YOU KEEP UP WITH EVERY THING.TAKE CARE..
BROTHER ...R...

Tammy said...

I enjoyed your comments---esp. hearing about how others enjoy their dogs and their interesting habits. :-)

If I had planted that squash ON PURPOSE I'm pretty sure it wouldn't have done that well! :-) Yes, it is all from one plant and did wonderfully. Tina, I don't have a cellar but hope that I can store whats left in the a pantry. I do plan to save some seed from it.

AND HELLO THERE MR. WORK 50--That, my friends is my favorite brother, who has been faithfully lurking on here since the beginning. Hi Ronnie! I love you guys and am tickled pink you left a comment!
Tammy