punkins, punkins

Publish Post

I hauled a few hundred pounds of pumpkins in a wheelbarrow today. I had to move the harvest so's we could actually mow the backyard (in the process, mulching most of the squash vines). I have no idea if any of these are going to be edible, but they sure are pretty. Our soil was a little lacking in richness, but we're sheet mulching and manuring before the snow comes and it should be much better next year.

Speaking of harvests, we'll be apple-picking as soon as the weather allows. I'm hoping for a few bushels for the basement. And now, I have a sparkly new pile of apple recipes to play with. THANK YOU carryboo !!! I'll be apple-ing all winter (and I think I'll start with the "Cake for Elves" and not just because it's for elves and maybe they'll come and have dessert with us if I bake it).

And because there's nothing purple in this post:

Basket Flower

I received a seed packet of Basket Flower as a bonus in our Spring seed order a couple years ago. This year, I finally decided to plant them, and now I want a whole field of them. They are madly beautiful. I brought in a few as cut flowers, and each day they open more, completely changing shape over and over again. The color in the yarn aren't right-on (the purple isn't quite pink enough), but the white on purple is what reminded me of the flower.

Star-shaped bullets

So, the problem with going off the radar for a bit is that there's too damn much to say when you finally jump back in.

This would be the appropriate time to apply bullet points.
Ahem:

* I hate cars. I hate my dependence on cars. It is one of the few downsides to living rurally. And yes, this can be read as: the car is dead, having overheated in between one middle of nowhere and the other, but kind strangers with goodness in their hearts do still exist in this world, so I am thankful for that, at least (further translated: the boy and i got home safely by way of random motorist whose name I feel guilty I've forgotten).

* It's not the end of the world, but terribly inconvenient.

* Like sinus infections and colds that last two weeks.

* The new yarn shop, Knit or Dye (website isn't up yet), has opened in downtown Bratt. I'll be teaching some felting workshops this fall, and starting up spinning classes after the holidays. It's a beautiful store...please come check it out if you're in the area!

* We had a memorial service last weekend at market for a revered member of the local farming community. I wanted to make a post about what I learned about myself and my community that day, but I need to find a moment when I have more in me than just bullet points. The short of it is that we actually have friends here. After three years, it's time to let go of our new-kid-on-the-block tendencies toward hermitism (which really should be a word), stop feeling sorry for ourselves, and allow ourselves to become part of this amazing community. So, we don't know jack about farming. We are surrounded by amazing resources and beautiful folks who are more than willing to share their experiences and offer advice. And be our friends.

* I won't be at Market tomorrow, as the weather is supposed to be pretty nasty. My booth can handle a little rain, but not the torrential downpour in the forecast for most of the day. Next year, we'll get some corrugated roofing for my space, but it seems silly to get it now, when there's only one month left. Anyway, this gives me time to spin the giant bag of husky dog/wool blend that a customer dropped off at my booth earlier in the summer. It kept making its way to the back burner, but there's no denying this is the weekend for getting things done.

* Bullet points are boring me, so here's something to look at:

* I'm in the process of redoing the website...pretty soon there will be no shop on the website, just a link to Etsy. I'll still have information on the website, a customer gallery, link to the blog and what-not, but I just can't spend two hours adding three items to my shop. Ten minutes apiece listing on Etsy makes much better use of my time. It's totally worth the commission. Changing the site is going slow, though, as I'm trying to learn Dreamweaver as I go, and I do not have a computer-y brain. It just needs a whole new background page and everything. That's all.

* Pics of the pumpkin harvest coming soon! Not sure how many of them are edible, but they sure are purty (even if a bit lop-sided and pale on their undersides).