Hold that Heat, Please!

Wow, we have been baking in NE Kansas.  Nothing like the 

western states, or Texas, but hot, hot, hot. 

My yard, lush and green just two weeks ago, is brown and sere, 

and literally just dirt in many places.  Ask me... I cut last night, 

because I did not cut the north end last week.... and the roadside. 

When I finished, the Dust of Ages was everywhere on me, and in my eyes and mouth. 

Ugh. 

The light is changing. 

The leaves are changing. 

The flowers that were so full weeks ago are starting to fade. 

I have never grown this before, but I love it. 

Going blank on the name.  

The two petunia baskets looked like this on Tuesday of 

this week. 

Today, they are almost totally brown husks.  I'm taking them down tomorrow. 

They did last all summer, for 6.97 at Walmart.  I shopped there maybe four times since 

March.  I may have to go there tomorrow to get some 1.00 mums to start filling in. 

There were five beautiful calibrachoa in here, they are gone, too. 

The box needs repair, so I will have to dump it and see if it can be used again. 

This is Spot.  Spot likes the sheep, and they like him.  He is the second feral eating here, he came right before Tanner died.  He will sometimes lay on the deck and wait for me to put canned cat food out for him.  

He was waiting for dinner here. 

Jester wants to be friends very much, Fritzi... not so much.  Snowy is indifferent. 

I'm keeping a close eye on seventeen year old
Snowy in this heat, in fact, I can tell when her tongue lolls and she walks slowly, even after three or four minutes, it's too much for her.  She recovered nicely from her mammary tumor surgery, and they got all the cancer. 

My little Fritz was hiding from the doctor yesterday.  She had her ears and eyes checked, and though her cataracts are not complete yet, I can tell by the way she gets startled that she cannot see.  I watch her very closely, she still wants to go outside.  She is having increasing problems walking, though, and the doctor thought that was weight related (she is not gaining or losing now for months) but also as a result of her medications. 

It hurts me to see it affect her, because she was such a happy little dog.  She is also my watch dog, nothing gets by her.  The other two dogs do not bark. 

The doctor did tell me that Fritzi cannot undergo anesthesia for anything at this point. 

I keep the ground wet by the little blue swimming pool under the tree.  This sheep was watching something going on yesterday. 

I had a new roof put on the old hen house.  It was an investment in 

my future here, maybe another year or two. 

The two men worked fast and it was torn off,  and redone in about 

four hours.  In the heat. 

Thank heavens they were directly under a tree. 

The pumpkin patch is going nutso.  In fact, as soon as I finish here, 

I have to go out and water.  

We are expecting rain in the next four days, and I am 

praying it comes sooner rather than later.  I have to watch how 

I do laundry, fill the sheep pools, etc., because I run myself out of 

well water, and then it takes an hour or so to pump back up.  

It would be good to have a surplus of water for a while. 

Pumpkin "Howden", growing on. 

I also have summer squash, and I must have 

planted a few cucumbers, and didn't remember.  I'm cutting them 

up for the chickens, because they are picklers.  Smelled GOOD, though!.

They are holding on in the heat, I thought I was losing an old hen today, but 

ten minutes later, I saw her go across the yard! 

I have something interesting to note here. 

I have been removing all seed from the flat feeder at night, and locking up the finch feeder, suet, etc. in tin cans with bungee cords across them. 

Three weeks ago, I had fourteen to fifteen raccoons feeding under the feeder every night.  I noticed that in the last week, I have had only three or four. 

Monday night, I saw a possum for the first time in weeks. 

I'm wondering if the natural food is so available right now, that they are all somewhere else eating. 

Do you realize it is dusk before 8 PM now? 

I am praying for those affected by the terrible storms and by the terrible fires.  We are so lucky here in the Midwest, and I feel 

for the humans and animals who are suffering during this awful summer of Covid and disasters. 

Fall is coming. 

Frost on the Pumpkin

Guess what?

There was frost on the pumpkin this morning. 

I'm bringing this one... 

And the green one up on the deck today. 

The dogs went out, did their things, and came back in where it was warm. 

I don't blame them. 

Because today was the first day the outdoor water froze, too. 

I need to poke around in the shop tomorrow and find my 

heated water bowls that I keep on the deck for the wild birds all winter. 

Sister is venturing out several times a day, mostly when he gets tired 

of being abused by Twinkle. 

He sits at the door and meows when he is ready to come back in. 

Last night he leapt off my lap to go lay on the couch when Twinkle joined us. 

Twinkle looks as if she were going to the bathroom here, but she is not.  

She was balancing where she landed on the edge of the couch, on her way to bothering Sister again. 

It's the last hurrah for the mums, too!

Here I need to make a statement about posting. 

I'm back out in the country and off cable, i.e., back 

on a satellite operation... at least, I think they are satellite driven, but 

am not sure.  Notice how cagey I am being about the carrier?  I have had a few outages... but they are usually resolved shortly... it's just that uploading pictures is SLOW.  I usually get up and go do things in the house while they are loading.   BUT... I am pretty patient, so I am going to stay with this service. 

One good thing about the frost, my grass cutting days are ending.  I ran into the young man 

who cuts the big house (no, it has not sold) yard... and he told me they will skip this week, and check it next week to see if it needs to be cut again.  I was there after church last night to turn the 

furnace on, and noticed it is looking beautiful.  

I will be so happy when it sells, rather than feeling sentimental about it, 

I recall it as the place where Keith was so very sick, and I do not like 

going over there unless I have to. 

The young man who cuts the yard here was out this week, and realizes the mowing is ending... he is going to start cutting saplings from my fenceline, hallelujah!  I told him I could not support him all winter, but there was plenty he could do here to keep him busy as I pay as I go.  I will be glad to get 

things cleared up.  

Do you all realize Halloween is upon us, and Thanksgiving just around the corner? 

A Tiny Rant

I'm going to start with a tiny rant today... one I'm sure with which many of you can identify at this time of year! 

Mail. 

Every day, in my mail, I get solicitations for donations.  Yes, I do make 

some small donations throughout the year... but I am 

being ASSAULTED with solicitations this year, and 

Keith is now getting slammed. 

I wish these organizations know that I DO check them out on 

Charity Navigator to see how they do with their donations... 

but for all the return address labels, cards, and other "souvenirs" that I am sent... 

I have pretty much decided to take a hard line.  I donated to a few 

that I believe truly in... and the rest... well... I am using 

some of those labels... and throwing most solicitations into the 

mail unopened. 

I'm retired, for Pete's Sake!

I wish I had a penny for every piece of paper I had thrown away in the 

last month. 

Here's another tiny rant...

I recently renewed my subscription to Country Sampler.  I am cutting 

back on magazines now... and letting many subscriptions lapse. 

Two weeks after renewing, I got a "special offer" from 

Country Sampler, and I put it with my bills to see 

what it was about on bill-paying day. 

I opened it... and actually wrote a check before looking at the date on the 

label. 

I was offered 1 year for 18.00 and the Home Tour edition for 6.99... came to 24.99 with tax. 

I wrote the check... then looked at the label. 

I am paid THROUGH 2016!  2016!!!!!

Good gravy. 

I tore the check up, and the envelope. 

I have been trying for WEEKS to get a picture of this old boy in his pasture.  Many times he 

is up near the fence (he has a fly mask on).  He has two calves as companions. 

Day before yesterday, I was able to get it!  

I stopped in a store in Lawrence yesterday, in between rainstorms. 

I thought this white pumpkin was beautiful!  Then... today, at 

Wal Mart of all places, I saw white pumpkins galore for 3.99. 

I should have gotten one. 

This is our side yard yesterday and today. 

We have had maybe 4 inches of rain in the last three days. 

It is brisk (59) and sunny this afternoon. 

And the dogs went out with me to fill the sugar feeder.  I am still seeing a few 

hummingbirds. 

Last night, I saw probably two hundred geese high enough up I could not hear their honking.  

They are the FIRST geese I have seen since we moved here... and oh, how I have missed the geese terribly. 

No camera with me, of course. 

Our little boy is always smiling. 

My heart had been lost to pugs... but I have to tell you... this 

sweet Boston Terrier has won me over to this breed... they are loving

and so much fun to have around... he is always happy. 

We have yet to hear him bark, but he runs to the window with Lilly whenever she does bark. 

It is a pleasure to go anywhere on errands... the world is so beautiful in October!

Tonight we are going to my 46th high school reunion.  Some of you may remember 

that we had a large 45th reunion last year... and this year, we are all meeting at a bar for a "46th"... well, some of us are.  Last year I dressed to the nines... this year I am going in jeans and a sweatshirt! 

Keith will have his Royals shirt on... there is sure to be a lot of talk about the 

Cinderella team!  

Pictures tomorrow. 

Bits and Pieces on Wednesday

Miss "yesterday's post was all about me"  when we got home from 

our walk last night. 

A last look at the gorgeous Mia, who won two classes at the 

AKC show last weekend.  

They will all be leaving on Friday. 

The Birdbath That Fell on Austin. 

You notice it is not on its' plinth. 

It's staying on the ground, it's too heavy to be in a yard where kids will be playing. 

We are grateful to Valerie for it... and for the six or seven planters she also gave us!

I spent some time with Brother Pete this morning... 

and I need to say here that all his clothes from his previous 

nursing home disappeared when he went in the hospital. 

I am slowly getting him new clothes, so dropped off a bunch this morning

Now his shoes are gone. 

I ran in the Michael's up by where Pete's nursing home is to get a puffy paint pen 

to mark the clothes better... so this is a gratuitous fall foliage picture. 

Yes, things found their way into my basket! 

I took a different exit from the highway coming home, and finally found a road I KNEW connected to 7 highway so I could go to the grocery on the way home.  They were working on the road, and here let me 

say that we have never lived anywhere where the roads are taken care of like they are here in Leavenworth County.  I stopped to talk to two of the workers (way behind this) and we had a nice visit. 

The countryside over there is gorgeous, too... the problem there is that there is nowhere to pull off and take pictures. 

Keith, one of these MUST come home for our porch  and I'll put a battery-operated candle in it!

That's an inspirational planting of angelonia at the nursing home.  

Love it! 

Last night's sunset...

And this morning.  I prayed we would get rain... and there ARE some chances... but 

it is full on sun right now. 

That's it for today... Lilly and I have a destiny at the park! 

The Rest of the Story

That's the washer agitator. 

That's what I found when I took the wet clothes out 

Uh huh.  

Remember my repair job in the pasture last week?  I didn't clean my pockets out well enough, obviously. 

Keith will tell you (rat on me) that it's not the first time, though it is the most serious. 

I thank God nothing worse happened. 

I thank God I decided to sit and do the post before going to WalMart. 

I thank all of you dear readers for your kind sentiments expressed last night. 

And now, back to the regular post. 

Even with the fog, you can see how beautiful it's getting here. 

There!  There you go! 

It's a blessing to walk down in the pasture and look down on the Spehar's big ponds. 

And the little ones are making good use of browsing time. 

Fort Apache is already being put to good use.  As you see, the chickens moved the straw that was loose around a little.  (!) 

I pushed the bales a little closer together so there were no gaps.  

And of course the ducks used it last night....

NOT. 

However, I found an egg under there this morning, so they are getting the idea! 

Abby could not wait to get out to do chores this morning.   For such a chubbette, she is a very game little dog.

Note the destruction caused by our angel kitties, Nickie and Gwen. 

And here come the girls up out of the pasture, where they made sure nothing was lurking around. 

And, guess what? 

They aren't going to make it by Halloween, but I'll have some more porch decorations for Thanksgiving, and for the goats and chickens to enjoy!  

And here's the little home last night in the fog descending, but lights shining, and still intact and welcoming.  

Thank God we were all allright. 

P.S. 

Our little friend Tweedles is very sick and in the specialty hospital, several weeks after her surgery.  Her mama, Georgie, is very worried sick right now.  Won't you all take a minute to send up a prayer for Tweedle's quick recovery?  If you have ever looked at their blog, you will see that Tweedles writes wonderful blog posts... and we hold her in a special place in our hearts.