There is so much I want to do outside today, it makes it hard to choose. But it is already after 1pm and I need to get started soon. Morning chores and a trip to the "Piggly Wiggly" took up the morning. I only needed a few things and found a couple of great buys which made the trip enjoyable. I love the small town feel of the store. What it lacks in variety and prices it makes up in friendliness and personal service. You don't find that in the bigger chain grocers. I had avoided the store before because of the prices on a few things. But I realized that when I add in the cost of fuel and time to drive to a larger store. I am probably not saving much if any for the items I buy. We have bought several meat specials since moving here and have not been disappointed yet. When they put on a sale, it is REALLY a sale, not just hype to get you into the store. I may start shopping there more often, as it is the closes grocery store to the farm. Plus the little town has a couple of other shops I want to stop at when I can find some extra time in my schedule. Do you really have extra free time on a farm?
Lon dug the holes for the apple trees for me yesterday. Getting them settled in and water took very little time and effort today. We had purchased a McIntosh, Green Crab apple (my personal choice) and a Fuji at the feed store. I look forward to the beauty of the blossoms this Spring and yummy apples possibly this fall. It will take a couple of years before they will give a full crop. But watch out, there will be lots for fresh eating, pie making, cobblers and jelly to be had then. Maybe even a small batch of homemade apple cider.
Nearby where the apples were planted in the edge of the woods stands a Persimmon tree. It was all tangled up with the south's aggravating but wonderfully smelling honeysuckle. It is the third tree we have found on the property so far. Not many people have every tasted the sweetness of a ripe persimmon fresh from the tree. It has a fruit you have to wait on to get ready before eating, no sneaking a bite till then. Or you will get bit back. They are extremely sour with a turn your mouth inside out if not ripe. Anyone who has ever had the experience of eating a green one will tell you. DON'T! It takes a heavy frost in the Fall to change the tartness to sweetness. Many a person has been fooled into taking a bite as the fruit is a pleasant orange color at all times, not an indication of ripeness.
I cut back the vines as far as I could reach up and will need a ladder to get the vine hat out of the top of the tree. It is close enough to the garden and house that we can monitor it progress and hopefully keep the deer from eating the fruit. I'm looking forward to tasting a treat that I enjoyed often in my childhood. I was surprised last Spring when we were working on the house to look out and see a beautiful blooming bush in the edge of the woods and yard. My first thoughts were that we had some type of a wild azalea on the property. But the blooms were huge upon getting a closer look. Brilliant scarlet blooms on a small tree instead of a bush.
After calling my daddy and describing the tree and flowers, he told me I had buckeyes. A tree that produces large pods from the blooms that hold a smooth cocoa brown seed inside.
Legend has it they will bring you luck if you carry one around in your pocket. I've always loved the feel of one in my hands, rubbing in over and over till the shell would shine. A bowl of them on the coffee table never ceases to start a conversation about them either. Hiking through the woods has revealed a multitude of these trees. Looks like I will have plenty to share if anyone would like to have their own "lucky" buckeye. You could plant it to grow your own if you like. Or just set it where you can see it, rubbing your hands over it and enjoying the legend. The seeds won't be ready till about September or October. Let me know if you would like one and I will mail it to you.We have had warm, sunny and breezy weather for 2 days in a row. It has been wonderful! The temperatures have soared to the 70's. Mine you it is a Spring 70, unlike the hot 70's of Summer. All of the livestock has responded like I have to this heat wave, loving it and quite joyful. You may wonder how a goat, horse or even a chicken displays joyful. You can see it in their activity. Increased movement is the best way; a quicken step chasing after a bug, ranging farther from the barn, kicking up their heels, prancing around and running circles in the pasture. It is a treat for me to see the adult goats back to playing like kids, jumping up in play, gentle head butting and kicking up their feet in glee. With the iweather is so nice we decided to let the babies out for their first encounter with the pasture. They loved the wide open spaces and did just what a child would do on a playground ~ they played. I love watching them in their discovery of the world around them. The interaction with the adults went great. I am sure when it is time to put them back up, we will see some gloomy faces. But they sure are cute right now . . . .
Spring what a wonderful feeling,Deborah
2 comments:
Your goats are so pretty! and such nice long ears! of course thats important in Nubians :) I know you must be enjoying that milk! Do you make cheese?
Sunny, yes we are enjoying the fresh milk. You just can't beat a cold glass of it. It was a long winter without it. We are finding more people interested in trying it than before. I do plan to try my hand at making some cheese. I have had several request for it. Looking for some easy recipes to start off with. Though I will have to wait till the babies are weaned to have enough. ;0). Thanks for stopping by.
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