Frosty Morning

We awoke to a fall morning......fog and frost and quite a bite to the air.  It was so pretty.  The sun is melting the frost now, except where it is shaded. 

I've been making progress with yard and garden clean up, but there's more to do.  After a killing frost the last two nights, I can pull out the annual flowers which have frozen and cut down the perennials. 

A few images of the beauty of the morning.

Sweet cherry leaves with frost.

The girls don't seem to mind the chilly morning.

Baxter and the chickens and a frosty fence.

Asparagus fronds are so beautiful with a light frost.

The grape leaves are edged with frost.

Still a little work to do to clean up the garden.  

Baxter scanning the horizon for anything that may need his attention.  

Miscellaneous Farm Scenes

Alicia finished mowing straw on Friday.  So nice to have  that job completed.  Next up for field work is to sub soil.  It's our last bit of tractor work for the season.  It's not a "rush to get it done" project but we will focus as much as we can, and try our best not to get too distracted by other tasks!

This past weekend we took some time to catch up on some long neglected jobs.  We put up the fence boards that we took down a year ago for Roni Jo and David's wedding.

Finally getting the fence boards put back up after the wedding, and a permanent place for the Mielke Funk road signs!

It's a good year to be a Cougar Football fan!  

I started working on cleaning up the raspberries. I've also been working on clearing the garden in hopes of putting chicken manure so that the nitrogen can soak in over the winter. 

Working on the raspberry patch.  The left side of this photo needs to be cleaned and pruned, the right side is finished.

Here you can see how some of the canes that produced fruit and need to be removed.  The canes with the yellowing foliage must all be cut out and hauled to the compost pile.

Here's a closer view of the area that I have worked on.  It always looks so much better when it's cleaned up.

This summer Reynald and Alicia found this huge chunk of granite in the field when they were fertilizing.  They brought it home for me.  This is the final resting place for our faithful cat, Leo, who died this past March.  We are using this piece of granite for his grave marker.  He was such a good kitty.  

Our faithful kitty.  Rest in peace dear Leo.

We haven't had a killing frost yet, just a nip of damage on the most tender plants, so my yard still looks bright and colorful.

Heliotrope and an old bicycle that we Reynald's when he was a boy.

Last week Wednesday, when I went out to do my morning chores, I looked to the west and saw this gorgeous site.  The moon was setting in the west, just before the sun was rising in the east.  This image is the moon.  It was breath taking.

The Post and Office

This past weekend a new business opened in Harrington.  The Post and Office is open and serving terrific coffee in the newly restored historic Post Office building! 

Offerings at the Post and Office

Sandwich board outside the Post and Office.

And another sandwich board made from two windows and frames then etched.

I'm not a person that frequents coffee shops.  I think this may be only my fifth or sixth espresso I have ever bought in my life!  It was worth it!!

A little over a year ago Justin and Heather Slack conceived of the idea of restoring and renovating the old post office in our little town.  Their goal was to make this space a coffee shop where folks could gather for conversation, companionship and relaxation.  After months of hard work they have opened the door to the most delightful and comfortable retail spot for miles around.

There are a couple cozy places where folks can sit and chat while they enjoy their drink

Another cozy spot!

And a coffee bar!

The grand opening happened this past Saturday.  They were open at 6 am and we arrived shortly after the door was unlocked.  It was dark when we arrived and by the time we left, it was light and people were streaming in for a cup of coffee and an apple fritter! 

Reynald (who is not a morning person!!) and Alicia waiting for their order.  The two tables that are visible were made by Heather's Uncle Jim from local barn wood.

Justin filling our order.

Justin and Heather behind the counter and a customer deciding on what she wanted.

Stop in when you can, and plan to spend some time taking in the detail that this ambitious young couple have built in to their shop.  When possible they preserved what they could.  In addition, they have taken special care to build in local artifacts that have either been donated or gathered.

Looking out from the Post and Office through new windows on the lower level and restored pane windows up above.  Heather removed, cleaned and re-glazed each and every pane in these upper windows!

This wainscoting was salvaged, with permission, from the old Mohler school.

The coffee bar is also made from reclaimed local barn wood then a thick epoxy lacquer for a durable finish.

There was need for more flooring in the coffee shop due to past tenants of the building having different use requirements.  So, again, with permission, Heather and Justin acquired some flooring from the old Mohler school.  It was exactly like the original floor, just  a different color from different use.  The school house flooring is on the left in this photo.

Also from the Mohler school is this paneled door that Heather and Justin are using to enclose the mop closet.  

This delightful gem was donated to the Post and Office.  It used to sit in the Marlin post office!  

Time to go home.  The sun is up and we need to get to work.  Little Oliver looks so cute in front of the Post and Office!

September sky

This late afternoon in to early evening, the clouds were so dramatic.  It's a treat to be on the tractor on days like this.  It's one of the few places that you can get work done and keep a close eye on what is going on around you in the sky!

I stopped a few times to snap some photos.

Thunder heads were building for a couple hours this afternoon.

Right before sunset, there was lots of color in the eastern sky as well as the west.

Right as the sun set, a few drops of rain fell.  The sun shining through the clouds and the rain drops on my tractor cab were so pretty. 

Field side assistance

Yesterday I was mowing stubble and noticed that my tractor was losing power when I needed to pull up a hill.  It did not do that the day before, so I called the Rolinco Road mechanics and they immediately came to my rescue with new fuel filters!  So nice to have people on staff that know what to do, how to do it, and when it needs to be done!!

Rolinco Road mechanics arrive on scene.

Apprentice mechanic Alicia getting instructions on fuel filter removal.

First filter coming off....

and now going back on.

Both filters changed and dated, complete with a smiley face!

Like all mechanic work, an invoice was presented for me to sign for services rendered.

It was a gorgeous day.  I kind of hated to be on the tractor, but since I was, I enjoyed watching the changing clouds all day.  So pretty.

This is what the mower looks like from ground level.  The straw is very thick again this year, which is a good thing!