Let's see. Where did we leave off? First of all, does it seem to you like summer just zipped by!? For us, there were only a few weeks where T-shirts and shorts were appropiate. Now we're back to long sleeved shirts, sweatshirts, flannel lined jeans, and hoodies. Yup, it seems Fall arrived in a hurry this year.
In August, we saw Tropical Storm Irene. We suffered no damage here, thank goodness. We were very lucky and only had a strong summer rainstorm. Can't say the same for our neighbors in Vermont, however! Yikes! The Green Mountain Horse Association showground was just one area of Vermont which was badly damaged. (Barn D shown here during the storm. The link will take you to more photos at the GMHA website.)
September brought the USDF Regional Championships, which were as fun as always. One of our horses attended and placed well in the Freestyle classes.
Then in early October, the local Warner Fall Foliage Festival, preceeding peak colors by mere days, was a big success with perfect weather.
But the big surprise this Fall was when we got SLAMMED by an almighty massive snow storm on the last weekend of October! We measured 15 inches of the white stuff on the farm. Amazing really.
This past week, we've enjoyed a week of weather in the 50's and yet we still have big piles of snow along the indoor arena, snow which slid off the roof and serves as a constant reminder of what's still to come.
Winter. Four to five months of winter.
Meanwhile, as time continues to march on, we're finally seeing wonderful growth in our Thanksgiving turkeys. We purchased our lovely Bronze Turkey poults in late July. It was not until October that we started to believe they would be more than "rock cornish game hens" by TG. Now, the difference in their size, week by week, is truly evident. They will be good sized in time for "the end".
Parting with these wonderful pet farm birds will be, as it always is, difficult from an emotional perspective. We round them up and load them into canine travel crates, all while our dog barks and whines at them, as if in warning! Then off the go on their road trip, returning a few hours later in plastic bags.
But until that day, we know they are enjoying life free ranging around the farm all day, sleeping in a cozy shavings lined stall at night. They munch on pumpkins, eat and play with apples, enjoy dust baths, sunbathe, and even waddle up to visitors' vehicles, greeting them with their "ar, ar, ar" turkey calls.
None of them is gobbling yet, but they will soon. Looks like we might have a couple toms. And that means more for Thanksgiving Dinner, the big Fall Feast.... and weeks of leftovers.
In August, we saw Tropical Storm Irene. We suffered no damage here, thank goodness. We were very lucky and only had a strong summer rainstorm. Can't say the same for our neighbors in Vermont, however! Yikes! The Green Mountain Horse Association showground was just one area of Vermont which was badly damaged. (Barn D shown here during the storm. The link will take you to more photos at the GMHA website.)September brought the USDF Regional Championships, which were as fun as always. One of our horses attended and placed well in the Freestyle classes.
Then in early October, the local Warner Fall Foliage Festival, preceeding peak colors by mere days, was a big success with perfect weather.
But the big surprise this Fall was when we got SLAMMED by an almighty massive snow storm on the last weekend of October! We measured 15 inches of the white stuff on the farm. Amazing really.
This past week, we've enjoyed a week of weather in the 50's and yet we still have big piles of snow along the indoor arena, snow which slid off the roof and serves as a constant reminder of what's still to come.
Winter. Four to five months of winter.
Meanwhile, as time continues to march on, we're finally seeing wonderful growth in our Thanksgiving turkeys. We purchased our lovely Bronze Turkey poults in late July. It was not until October that we started to believe they would be more than "rock cornish game hens" by TG. Now, the difference in their size, week by week, is truly evident. They will be good sized in time for "the end".Parting with these wonderful pet farm birds will be, as it always is, difficult from an emotional perspective. We round them up and load them into canine travel crates, all while our dog barks and whines at them, as if in warning! Then off the go on their road trip, returning a few hours later in plastic bags.
But until that day, we know they are enjoying life free ranging around the farm all day, sleeping in a cozy shavings lined stall at night. They munch on pumpkins, eat and play with apples, enjoy dust baths, sunbathe, and even waddle up to visitors' vehicles, greeting them with their "ar, ar, ar" turkey calls.
None of them is gobbling yet, but they will soon. Looks like we might have a couple toms. And that means more for Thanksgiving Dinner, the big Fall Feast.... and weeks of leftovers.
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