Color Blasts

 

The above photo was taken while it was drizzling and very overcast. Charlie and I decided to go to our favorite place to go for a hike despite the weather. When I saw the incredible colors on the hillsides, I found a side road to pull off on and stop.

I live in the likes of these hills and heavy forests. This side road is on the flood plain of the Kickapoo River. It is one of the rare 'flat' areas in the region. 

Since I live surrounded by large forests and valleys, I enjoy walking in the morning and afternoon to catch the sunlight that streams down on changing leaves.

The colors are beautiful as they always are. I imagine that things will really get going and be done within two weeks around here. 

The deep forest is still quite green in most areas but splashes of color are all peeking through.

This time of the year I generally walk up and down this old 4 wheeler trail and watch as the forest turns colors.

In a few more years, the forest will grow back over the trail and it will be hidden from view, but for now, I'll enjoy it.

Soon all these maples and other trees will start to drop their yellow leaves and the path will look golden. Then...it all disappears. In the late fall and winter, this makes for an interesting walk too. 

I went by one of the wild apple trees and decided to pick some for some apple sauce or more jelly. This tree is fun to watch in the late fall from a stand I have in my pasture. The deer come through late fall and winter to eat the fallen fruit.

Walking back to do chores I found another huge flush of Chicken of the Woods! This time on an old Ash tree stump that we'd tried to burn. This is our old brush pile.

Seems the color theme of the day was of reds, yellows, and orange colors!

I'm so pleased that my Lego People are always around to lend a hand.

Mules, Pigs, Apples, and Stars

Here is to hoping that Rich and Mica stay out of semi retirement from mule riding. Mica is about 21 years old and has always been a 'hard' keeper. However she had a hard job in her younger years. She was a 'heeler' and a trail mule. After we acquired her she was used for trail riding and team penning.

The view from Mica is different than any other mule I have ridden.

I could really like this view...a lot!
Mica gets a little grain in the morning and a little bit at night. None of our other mules really need grain. They can stare at a piece of grass or some hay and gain weight.

I plan on riding Mica much more this fall. She is tall enough to get me through those thick weeds in the valley. After she and I break open a trail, I'll rotate with Sunshine and Siera. Fred gets a break after all of his hard work training youngsters this summer. Although he will put up a huge fuss if he is left behind.

Apples.
After juicing the wild apples the old fashioned way.

I took the left over pulp and ran it through a food mill.

And viola! I had the makings of apple sauce or apple butter.
I put the apple sauce in the crock pot with some cinnamon and sugar to slow cook while I canned 4 quarts of apple juice.
Now common sense would say that it is less work and easier just to buy apple products, but there is some sort of satisfaction in making it yourself.


Pigs.
Swine.
Vernon County Fair.

Regarding Pigs. Hmm. Well we purchase our hay from a local farmer and have for 9 years now. I met this farmer through work. Rich and Ed hit things off right away and have been friends ever since.
Ed's daughters started to show swine at the Fair along with other projects.

This year Rich and I actually went to the Fair specifically to watch the Swine judging. Rich has not been to a Fair in a very long time.

I'd forgotten how intense showing an animal at the fair can be. Months of work are then judged in an arena with a lot of people watching. The judge looks over the animals and places them.

Learning how to walk a pig and show off your pig is really quite the task. Just say I was very impressed. I'd seen the farmer's girls raise these pigs and train them.

Stars.
Last summer Lily asked me if we could see the Milky Way. So I've done a bit of studying including using a program that would show me the location of the Milky Way on any given day.
I studied and practiced in taking photos of it too.

I wanted Lily to know that indeed the Milky Way does shine right above "Grandma and Grandpa's" house.

I obviously need more practice for 'shooting' stars, but as always, ... I love a challenge.

Of Fog and Wild apples

The morning started out with thick fog and a brilliant sunrise on the ridge.
I don't know if the extra color is because of the smoke from the wildfires out west or not. But the fog was thick and intriguing.

If I stood on our ridge and looked east just before the sun broke through, I could see where the other ridges peeked up out of the fog. I can tell where the Kickapoo River is in this shot. But only because I am familiar with the lay of the land.

September is a good month for sunrise photography and dewy wet surprises.

My idea yesterday was to pick some more of the wild apples from the pasture and make some apple juice. The trees are abundant with fruit this year and it would be a shame not to take advantage of it.

So far I've made 10 pints of pink apple jelly and 2 quarts, one pint of applesauce. So I thought I'd try making some apple juice. I've done it before and recall how pleasant it was to open up a quart and make some 'fresh' apple juice in the winter to drink.

I dragged a ladder out to the pasture and after so many trips up and down the ladder picking and gently putting the apples into the bucket, I decided that perhaps next time I'd take a canvas shoulder bag to pick into. It would save a lot of trips.

I got nearly a 5 gallon bucket full before I stopped.

I washed them and chopped the apples in half then put in just enough water to cook them for about 20 minutes at a slow simmer.

[Note...WOW, does that ever smell great!]

Strain the cooked apples next. Sometimes I use a cloth to get the purest of juice and squeeze it.
This time I just used the strainer and what didn't drip out with the pulp I transferred to another container to run through the food mill later.
This will become either applesauce or applebutter.

Somehow this would not have been a pleasant task in the old kitchen that had no counter space.

This harvest season is proving to be rather productive.

And of course it makes for a pretty nice Still Life display too.
Dried food and canned food along with tomatoes and zinnias.