Fabulous couple of weeks...

[vfem]

Time sure did get away from me!

The last couple of weeks I had been busy with the family, went on vacation and enjoyed unusually comfortable weather. The family helped me get a lot done in the garden recently, weeding, cleaning up spent plants, transplanting and planting fall crops. My garden has already started a major transformation, I think I'll really enjoy the biggest changes when spring arrives next year. I don't mind waiting.

I also had a great trip to the beach. Nothing like sitting in a beach chair watching the run come up catch blue crabs! (Though I was actually fishing for flounder, but you get what you get.)

Then today started back to school for us, and we had a very eventful morning trying to get there. Makes me really wish the summer wasn't coming to an end? Anyone else already feeling the autumn taking over? We're not even getting into the upper 80's anymore. So strange here.

I wanted to come share pictures, but my camera isn't connecting to the computer very well. I know its the computer and not the camera so I hope to have it fixed so I can share some fun photos. Just wanted to say I missed talking garden, but I think with all the seasonal changes I'll be back more often. I just had to enjoy the last bit of family time in the sun.

:coolsun :coolsun :coolsun :coolsun :coolsun :coolsun :coolsun :coolsun :coolsun

 

[Chickie'sMomaInNH]

i noticed the trees starting to change over their colors a few weeks ago and thought my eyes must have been playing tricks on me. about last week i noticed my aspen trees started turning their grungy yellow splotched leaves and dropping them. :/ seems too early then, but now with kids going back to school this week it sort of fits into the right time for them to start changing. i don't have kids but its a reminder that i need to beat the buses in the morning if i have to go anywhere around the times they are on the road.

i've been pulling lots of winter type squashes and mini pumpkins. and just yesterday i pull one of my potatoes i noticed dying back to find it had a couple lbs of spuds nicely growing under it! with all the eggs and now potatoes it is that time of year i really enjoy potato salad!

 

[vfem]

That reminds me, about 2 weeks ago the chickens started molting heavily, which seems early to me. Of course we're lacking in eggs now. Have yours begun a molt yet?

 

[dewdropsinwv]

My Julia started back to school last week. I noticed the trees are starting to turn here too. It's sad because we didn't have a very good summer..... a rainy summer and cooler temps than normal.
I'm not quite ready for cooler temps because we have had that all summer.
I don't know if my chickens will molt this year or not.... they are just pullets.

 

[thistlebloom]

Welcome back V! Sounds like a very good time off.

I remember when school didn't start until September, and we got a real 3 months off.

The trees here haven't started turning, but the days are getting very noticeably shorter, and the suns angle is changing. :/

Once again I'll have to be dragged kicking and screaming into winter!

 

[MontyJ]

Welcome back V! Sounds like you had a great time! I miss flounder fishing Nothing like dragging a finger mullet over the sandbars. On the bright side, blue crab is pretty hard to turn down! I see our shelves piling up with canned food from the garden and the plants dying back. I'm harvesting fewer and fewer things and find myself realizing that summer is already almost over and before I know it, the snow will start falling. Winter is coming.

 

[lesa]

About time you had some nice weather, and some fun days! So glad you are feeling better and enjoying life! But, please don't talk about fall- summer has barely started here!

 

[Chickie'sMomaInNH]

That reminds me, about 2 weeks ago the chickens started molting heavily, which seems early to me. Of course we're lacking in eggs now. Have yours begun a molt yet?

yep, egg production slowed down the past couple weeks from about 8 a day to 3-4 a day. we processed a year old roo yesterday and i noticed as we were plucking away he had a lot of pin feathers starting. a few of my girls have noticeable bald spots that are getting pin feathers too. i'm watching Chickie to see if his lovely tail feathers are going to be growing back soon. one of my other roos tormented him in his pen which caused him to break the feathers about 2 inches from his skin. he hasn't been his pretty self since just after his last molt. :/

 

[so lucky]

I'm so glad you had a great vacation, and family is being helpful. A rare treat for lots of folks! My chickens' production has slowed down considerable: Out of 4 girls, two are molting, one smashes her egg about 75% of the time, and one lays about every other day. One of the molters is laying about half speed.
I don't know what to do about the egg breaker. Wonder if there's something I could do to make her stop laying completely? I have done everything to strengthen the shells, to no avail.
(Sorry, didn't mean to wander off topic)

 

[bj taylor]

V it sounds like you've had a lovely time, and time on the beach sounds best of all!
it seems so strange to read about leaves turning color & temps cooler. somehow this summer just flew by. it was nice today because the temp fell to upper 80s. it was forecasted to be right at 100. instead, it's been cloudy w/slight sprinkle now & then & the cooler temp. just odd.
i'm pretty anxious for cool nights and mornings. pumpkins, apples, & fall leaves. wonderful