BOO

The house is full of the aroma of pumpkin cookies. All sweet and cinnamony. It is thunder and lightening. A nice stormy day for Halloween. Drew and Frances are going to a Halloween Party in Springfield tonight and Nana is babysitting. We have not had a thunder storm in months. It seems that winter has arrived. What perfect weather to go to a Spooky Halloween Party.

PUMPKIN DAY

Today is the day for canning pumpkin. We only have 4 this year but they sure turned out to be really nice ones. Next year we know more now on how much we want of certain things and we will definitely plant more pumpkin and squash. We only left one pumpkin for a jack-o-lantern and are canning the other 3. We are going to use them for pumpkin bread, pies, cookies and are even going to try pumpkin soup. So wish we could share all of this harvesting stuff with all our children and grandchildren. They would love it as much as we do in seeing them share in this. We are taking the pumpkin seeds this year and roasting them with seasonings. One kind plain, one sweet and spicy and one that has cinnamon and sugar. YUMMY.

As you can tell our chickens are very nosey. If they see us doing anything by the sliding doors or the front door then they have to come up and watch us. It amazes us how inquisitive they are and tame.


Almost forgot a couple of days ago Clay was in the woods out back and not far from where he stood 4 deer were just walking along and then yesterday Frances was near the woods on the side and a HUGE buck came walking along. Clay is planning on getting a permit for one deer this year and make venison jerky and sausage. I'll keep you posted on that.

A LITTLE FARMERS WORK IS NEVER DONE

A ride out to the Hay Barn

Helping with the first load to the chicken coop.

Trying to decide whether to play or work.

Oops, well I might as well work.

This time I do the pulling.

Finally, putting in the fresh hay in the nest boxes for the winter. Sometimes it seems I get more on me than where it is suppose to go.

GROWING UP WITH YACO

FARM LIFE

As I sit here just finishing getting the last of the green beans for the season ready for canning I watch Alex. He is all bundled up because it is cold out, even with the sun shining. But today is the day for getting the chicken coop cleaned out and fresh hay for the winter put in. Alex is following around Clay and Frances and then he wanders off to explore other things on his own. He climbs up into a small pull trailer that we have, he has scooped dirt into it over the last few months and he finds things to play in the dirt. He is so inquisitive and everything seems to be an adventure. It does my heart good to see him be able to enjoy a life that I always wanted for all of my kids and grandbabies. The privacy, the things to explore, the wildlife the things that grow. Alex has also learned about death. One of our turkeys some how broke it's neck a week ago and he and Frances found her dead. I'm not sure what he understands about it but when he told me about it, he was sad and then him and Pappy buried the turkey. Life lessons.

TOWN HALLOWEEN PARTY

I know that I have said it a million times and a dozen different ways, but, I LOVE the different seasons. It's weird how also life is like different seasons and I am most definitely in the Autumn of my life.

It is suppose to get down to 31 degrees tonight. Our first real frost and then the trees will all turn really brilliant colors before they go all brown and barren for the winter.

For so long I didn't care about decorating for the seasons but for Alex's birthday party Frances and Drew took out the tub of Halloween decorations and I had forgotten all of the really nice things I had accumulated. It looks so nice and festive.

It was the annual Halloween party for Buffalo at the park and Alex had such a great time, he didn't want to come home. They went early and a good thing because when they left after a couple of hours cars were backed up with people still trying to get in. I've always said, go early.When Drew was young one Halloween he had a costume just like the one Alex has this year. Drew remembered it and went on line to ebay and found this one and ordered it. Another tradition is carried on. At te party there was also 2 haunted houses, one for the little ones and then one for the older kids.

On top of "Alex's Mountain" in the front yard.

Look at all those leaves.

ALEX'S 3rd BIRTHDAY

Cool Cake, Yummy.



You just can't have enough vehicles.

Guess how old I am.

Great Grandma Clarene always sends a card and money. Yay, now I can buy more Hot Wheels.

My aunt Angela sent me a Henry. I am carrying on a tradition that started with my Pappy. As soon as I unwrapped him I hugged him and then gave him a kiss and stopped unwrapping presents and took him to my room and put him on my bed, then I came back and finished unwrapping presents. (No one did or said anything special about the Henry but Alex seemed to just know that he was special. The whole party stopped until Henry got put on Alex's bed.)

Game time.




Alex had a great day. It is nice that he is old enough to realize what all the hoopla is about. You could tell that he felt really special and that all the fuss was just for him.

PREPARING FOR ALEXS' B-DAY PARTY

Getting ready for Alex's Birthday Party. He went to a park while the house was decorated so it was a surprise for him when he got home.
Frances and Drew
Hot Wheels cake. He loved it.
Taking a break. Also new dining room table and chairs.
Pumpkin from garden waiting to become a jack-o-lantern. Will post the rest of pictures from party later.