C'est la Vie

This morning I sent Philip and part of the kids to the farmer's market and I stayed home and fried up some potatoes and drank too much coffee and milked Coco in my pajamas. It was fun.

Then Philip, boys and little girls went on a hike and I joined Maggie at the farmer's market for a couple of hours. That was fun, too. Sat morning has become a fun time to catch up with our farmer friends and customers. Social hour.

Our afternoon plans didn't go as planned, so Maggie and I ran into town to the bank and over to Goodwill, hunting for tennis shoes. We found a pretty silver plated wire bread basket, seven almost, not quite matching brown stoneware bowls we decided would be perfect for french onion soup this winter, with melted gruyere all over the sides, a faux crystal bowl with a silver rim perfect for fruit salad or mashed potatoes, or something fancy, a little cut glass plate for olives and carrots or figs and chevre or something fancy, a stainless steel wire colander for straining cheese or vegetables, an 8 cup big glass measuring cup/mixing bowl for making brownies or something fancy like, I don't know, maybe creme brulee. We did not find any tennis shoes. But it was pretty fun having such a spending spree on nonessentials for under $15!

We girls hung out and cuddled in the afternoon and I had my hair done by three different stylists.

Philip and Thomas are moving the pigs to another section of the garden. I picked a mess of okra, cucumbers, bell peppers, green beans and at least 25 lbs of tomatoes. Still need to pick blackeyed peas and another 25 lbs of tomatoes to go. Too dark now. Have to wait til tomorrow afternoon.

We had bad news this morning. Some predator attacked and killed the baby turkeys. The good news, we thought that the mama guinea sitting on her eggs must had lost them. She had 20 or 30 eggs, then disappeared. This morning she returned home, with over 20 little keats! What a happy surprise. The cycle of life... I guess we will try try again with the turkeys next year. I guess we don't really like turkey all that much anyway. Maybe we will have to support one of our other farmer friends if we decide we can't live without one for Thanksgiving... How long does it take for a guinea fowl to be large enough to eat???

I should mention that the other evening on the first of October we were greeted by our blustery friend, the wind. We hadn't seen or heard from her for a few months. When she returns this way in the fall she slams the door of the valley wide open and knocks down a few branches on her way through. Loud, a little obnoxious, with a bit of a temper. But I kinda like it when she comes back to join us. It's about time. Of course by winter's end we may be ready to say farewell. Nevertheless, there is something awesome and powerful about that wind and the warning sound like a steam engine coming through the trees on the ridge. It is nice and still tonight, but I have no doubts that she will make her presence known to us on a regular basis now that fall is with us.

On the same note, the weather now is CHILLY. Cold at night and in the morning. Was 38 degrees this morning. But near 70 this afternoon. Perfect weather for corduroys and jean jackets and sweatshirts and socks and a fire in the fireplace. We need a bonfire with some friends and apples and marshmallows on sticks to make it just right.

Better go milk Coco. Will have to see where the moon is tonight. I saw her come back as a tiny crescent last night. She has been missing for a few days and I have missed her. It has been dark, dark, dark, and the stars have been clear and bright.