September part 2

Just a few photos from our neck of the woods. September was a busy month around here. We were picking corn and freezing corn and picking corn and giving corn away and freezing more corn. We ate corn on the cob and then shepherd's pie and corn chowder and more of each of those. Did I mention that we grew potatoes too? More corn chowder and more shepherd's pie...leek and potato soup...potato salad, german potato salad, new potatoes on the grill, mashed potatoes. We were so ready for a new crop! LOL. The neighbors were not complaining! We traded corn & potatoes for cucumbers and made pickles. We traded for tomatoes and made salsa. And now it's apple season....

However in the middle of this gardening we discovered that the manure pile had it's own crop. Pumpkins! The best ones we grew...as the ones we actually planted, protected, weeded and tended did horribly! This crop which volunteered itself from the remains of last year's decorations tossed upon the pile produced some wonderful, large pumpkins...and a garden orb spider or two as well.

I was off horsing around again during much of September. I love this time of year 2nd best to that time between mud season and bug season. This is the post bug season-before rifle hunting of deer season. It is a wonderful time to go riding! This day had me with good friends enjoying the dirt roads and trails on another New Hampshire mountain. Ahhh.

Labor Day had us gathering with my folks and friends and it was chilly! The "chiminea" was a delight to hang around. We brought corn and potatoes with us to share.

Back at home we took a photo of the turkeys again. We have had 2 consistent groups here daily. This one is 5 or 6 birds and wanders through in the afternoon mostly. They enjoy walking right past the horse. We consider it obstacle training for him. I can say he's no longer worried about turkeys! They are often all out there just a few feet from one another. He's still a little nervous of those moving rocks...you know the kind which come up from the pond in the spring to lay eggs...snapping turtles. Those he's a little leary of. I am too.

~Rachel

September

The first day of school around here was exciting this year. Our middle boy is off to a charter school for high school. He commutes the 30 miles with dad in the morning. So we were seeing them off at 6:30am for our first day of school photos. The little guy was very excited to be starting school too. 3rd grade this year in our homeschool.

The school year has been going along very well for us and we're all settled in to our routines now.

The oldest boy got his photos done after work. He does 1 1/2 hours of school from 7-8:30 then off to work from 9-12. He's working at a local farm still and really enjoys that. It won't be long before they close for the winter but he's enjoying every minute until then!

Sometimes photo taking and boys turns out more like this....but that's okay too. Silly boys.

~Rachel