Blue Sky Farm Dressed for Fall

 I have been shooting pictures like crazy.. trying different angles and working on how my "pictures tell a story." Must work on that one more ,..but here are a few of the Fall Decor. I think They tell a bit of a story....

Starting from the front porch.  I had to buy that rake thing last week at the "Antique Store" I couldn't pass it up.  The Canada Goose is resting on a basket.

Next just inside the front door we enter the Living room. Here sits one of my Annie dolls and a lighted creation.  ( with two cute black birds )

 











Peeking into the  living room over there on the table  look there is a Frightened Black Cat .

On to the Dining room table where these pretty flowers sit with my hen & rooster, Mr & Mrs Speckles











As we enter the Family Room  Look! There is a Crow on my table stealing Pistachios

So as you can see the house is dressed for Fall.. It sure was fun decorating....Is your home ready for Fall?

Photography Class

Last night was our first photography class. We are taking the class at a local Camera Shop. This is our camera
I say our camera because although he bought it for me last Christmas, He takes almost as many good & bad pictures as I do.

I know I have taken many photos and by chance alone have had a few (what I consider Great shots) but With this class we will learn how to take even better ones, by learning what makes a good picture, things to consider when taking pictures. Next week we will actually learn what the different icons do on the camera and what digital zoom is & what file size makes the best pictures. It is a two hour class packed full of great easy to understand material. I hope to take even better photos than I do now. And who said "You can't teach an old dog new tricks?"
It was fun to learn these things with my husband. Hopefully between the two of us we will retain what we need to do. Today I will finish decorating the front porch and have some photos to show you tomorrow.

Fall is showing up at Blue Sky Farm

 Yes, I am sure, It is Fall, and although it was a beautiful sunny day, resembling summer, this morning it was a lot cooler and you know how you can smell fall in the air? That early dampness from the nights frost.. the smell of fresh mowed hay in the distance and fading flower scents. I love it. This morningI took a couple photos of my little bit of fall. Here the Dining room table has a few farm visitors.. Mr. Piglet and Mr & Mrs Speckles. I see those flowers are almost fading dropping petals... but they were so pretty.


As I looked around I spotted my coffee table dressed also for Autumn. Martha's Living magazine came yesterday and I love the cover don't you? The pistachio nuts and candy corn were a treat from last weeks trip to Harry & David's and Boy do I love that store. I could have spent  hours there.

Awake way to early  this morning, laying in bed thinking of food again....( do you do that?)Think of food, I mean like "What  you are going to make for dinner, before its even Breakfast?"I do that often. Anyway,

I had the idea to make some croutons from some left over artisan rosemary bread. I had just enough to keep &

I cubes it and drenched it with olive oil and sprinkled garlic,thyme and some chili pepper seasoning over them, and toasted them in a 325 oven for about 45 minutes. The house smelled heavenly.  Oh Gosh! You can imagine can't you? A Carmel Spice Candle  burning and toasted bread... ahhhhh!

So what are croutons good on besides salads? Soup... And Fall at our house  brings out the flavors of Soup. I used some of our Yukon Gold potatoes and some North Country German Sausages from our local butcher and was very pleased  at how Great they blended together with some fresh grated Parmesan cheese and freshly chopped parsley...I guess I should have posted this over in my Thishensacookin blog page.

  I did post the Peach and Pepper Jam there. So
go on in the kitchen and check that out while you are here....Besure to leave me a note that you were there...

 

Time sure flies when you are having Fun

Where did the time go? My sister and her husband came for a visit from Wenatchee, Washing ton. We had a busy fun packed week believe me.. Our husbands went on a couple day trips to do some Sunstone mining and a day at Glass Mountain, both all day ventures  so Karen and I had lots of "sister time".  When they returned we shared our stories and enjoyed a  nice  dinner out and a few glasses of wine & laughter.. One of the "girlie"things we did was  to go to my favorite store "The Keepers Corner" and purchased a few great items for her new home.. and the local antique stores, spent one whole day painting my kitchen wall..yes I finally got it painted Red! and we also  baked, canned & made jams and sauces. I sure hated to see her leave this morning.... but have these great pictures to remind me of what a great sister I have and what fun we shared. I posted some of the preserved fruits of our labors on "thishensacookin" site.. Check those out.

Where are the Falls in Klamath Falls?

Well we looked for them.. We walked about a mile over sage brush & old paths where we thought they might be. There is a great building site.. If they were building homes right now.  Called Links River estates. The power is in as you see the street lamp.. Over looking Upper Klamath Lake. What a pretty view. This is where the Links River and the Lake meet.. Do you see the Falls? No? Well guess what?  The Big Falls, we expectedto find...  sorry They do not exist..   It was a nice day to get some walking in however and Klamath Falls is a very quiet farm country community.   Come visit sometime.

Ever have one of those days?

Okay, I woke with a sinus headache, drank 2 cups of coffee, took my daily medications, read my email...Hubby was not at the top of his game either  and that spells  friction in our home, with both us  in not so good moods.... I don't know about yours....But,  Knew I was in for a different kinda day. Have you ever felt this way? I seem to be in his way today.. and sure didn't feel like going out for the day.. to give us each some space. I have so many things I should do.. (with Company coming Friday) You know beds changed,  get guest room ready.  Plan a menu for meals,  Grocery shop...Although I know we will eat out at least once.. ( and I look forward to that!)
Well  as I sat for another hour, I had done nothing long enough.. So  got  it together.... ( I didn't even tell him I was leaving)  I know that was bad.... but...I went to town. ...drove my car through the car wash.. Heck! I treated my car to a real bath, wax and shine.. splurged & got  the $10 special..then filled  up the tank$35 more dollars.... drove to the butcher shop $30 more dollars spent..  realized as I was coming back I just missed the post lady & I had a rebate to send off... oh well that will be there tomorrow....... gathered an arm load of mail (the 3 books Clay ordered came,   now he will be happy...)..I made my way on home, into the garage where I removed the excess paper products from the car.. decided  to vacumned the floor mats & washed the inside windows..*how  do they get so dirty? Sprayed that "vanilla scent thoroughly inside the car.. Gee I love  that smell... Put everything away... and was thinking of that old  saying ..how does it go? "When life gives you Lemons.. make lemonade?"

Walked into the house and saw my pretty sunflowers smiling at me.. Thought of Sunshine and that led me to the freezer for some lemonade, searched near the bottom..."Score" I knew I had some.. Defrosted it and Here ya see I made 8 dozen Lemonade cookies..  I know  over kill... but  now I have plenty...So you see, I got more accomplished today than I thought I would and I feel pretty good right now.. and I have cookies for company..and my husband..  What can be better than that? Would I be pushing my luck to think he might tend the BBQ for dinner?

For those interested: I posted the recipe for the lemonade cookies over on "this hens a cookin".  (just click on the egg carton on the side bar to get  into the kitchen....)

Those are BIG Spuds!

Yesterday, I started digging my potato crop. I planted (if you remember from a springtime post)  2 kinds.  Yukon Golds & Red Pontiacs.   I   only dug about 6 plants ...We have enjoyed a few small new potaoes as they began their journey to becoming "Big Potatoes." Never in my life have I grown such Giant spuds! The one in my husbands hand weighed almost 2 pounds!! The average ones so far harvested weighed 1 1/2  pounds... I was afraid they would be hollow but they are firm & delicious...  (The egg ) in comparison was a Jumbo offering from one of our hens and we thought that was big! I wonder what the red ones will look like? We will check on those today... and find a good place to store these beauties for the coming months..and with 15 more plants to dig I could be even  more surprised...

Mmmmm Vanilla & Something Nice

There is a fabulous aroma  in my house...If you go over to the kitchen you will see what your smelling... Go ahead click on the egg carton in the side bar picture...be sure to wipe your feet, the patio is kinda wet from the Mr. repairing the bricks.. I'll be waiting for you..with fresh Coffee.
Autumn is here... And the whole house smells heavenly..
Vanilla &  Spice and everything nice...

Slowly stocking the Pantry....

Way too many green  tomatoes! This is the second year that my plants grew so nice and big, So healthy and yet the sun didn't allow them to ripen before Mr Frost took it's first bite.... So they are hanging in the garage, hoping they will ripen a bit at a time..I want to make salsa  too.  I have many green tomato recipes, but really like them in salads fresh, red & juicy.. Oh well..... Maybe next year?   

I was able to make some Peach & Pepper Sauceto compliment my chicken & pork recipes..  maybe even a tuck in gift for Somebody come Christmas with my Dilly Beans? 

Now I wish I had a crab apple tree or at least some right now  to pickle... Those are yummy too.. I do have my request in with a farm girl friend (a local Farmers Market vendor)... for them and some Italian Prunes..Oh! Yes, Its time but I am getting started slowly..

Oh Yes! Fall is in the air

It's Fall for sure here..Sunflowers are getting big.... Aren't they gorgeous? Cooler morning temps and  mild sunny day (at least today.) Time to start Fall Decorating.. starting with the Front  Gate and work my way next  to the  front porch.. Curb appeal 101.
 I want to get some pumpkins & a few potted mums to fill the tub and it will be complete, don't ya think?

All Aboard!

Not  just any train ride,  It's called "Train Mountain " and has been created by their Club members and open to the public for rides for a donations, from Memorial Day until Labor Day, every Sunday 10a-3pm. They use the proceeds for track maintenance and development. Quite the attraction.  Many train enthusiasts come from all over the states to enjoy it.  The track is only 7 1/2 inches wide. Yes Inches... You sit on single seats mounted on a frame and travel over 13 acres of track. Cute.. I think my grandsons would like to take a ride next time they come to visit. this young man "Alex" was our conductor...

Check  out that track.. This train engine (Below)  is only  about 4 ft long .

Project ..Paint and Repair

Buster is busy watching , That is his job... Watching..  

It is repair & paint time at Blue Sky Farm. You know how one project appears and all of a sudden inspiration kicks in and well, It happens to  me often, and I have slipped into full gear. Clay worked on repairing the back walkway today. The previous owners had placed nice brick work in the front yard and with these left over bricks designed a 4 ft wide walkway from the back stairs deck down the back side of the house. I have plans to extend those and my husband & I will build a patio deck off to the left connecting the stairs. Hopefully before snow falls.. Today the bricks had to be reinforced with cement because  they are falling. I think he made a great start.....I can see a flower bed along those bricks too...come Spring....

I have now chosen paint colors for my kitchen, and guest  bathroom & purchased the paint already. The trim in both rooms will be the lighter of the three chips. I have recruited help from my younger sister who will be visiting in a couple weeks.. I think I am on a roll. I wonder what project I can come up with next.. maybe a storage building?..I am talking like a small barn....12x12 . What do you think? Oh yea, we are going to be busy this fall... I am sure glad my husband is such a good sport, and is willing to get his hands dirty.

I love Red so my main wall color around my big kitchen window will be the red, the trim vanilla cream  and perhaps the bigger wall the tan( toasted marshmellow)  color.. it will also be the guest  bathroom color... I better start looking for new throw rugs and bath towels...don't ya think?

More Information about the Lookout

Upon further investigation, I found a website where you can view other lookouts & forest service cabins offered in many states. 
The one we stumbled upon is described as:      Over by Medicine Lake area (just south of the Lava Beds National Monument), a white wooden lookout rests on 4-foot-high stilts atop a cinder cone known as Little Mt. Hoffman Lookout (7,309 feet
A small building, usually located at the peak of a summit, the lookout towers consist of a small room known as a cab and an optimum-viewing vantage point known as a view shed.
Within the Shasta-Trinity National Forest there are two lookout towers eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places, and outdoor lovers can behold a whole new view of the world by booking overnight stays in them.  I had no idea....

If interested the website is full of information, fees, reservations & restrictions  at http://www.recreation.gov/
Hope you find this useful. When you get to the site  just put in keyword lookouts...

Is this for Real?

.

Today we took a day trip to Medicine Lake in California.  Clay & I have camped there before

and just wanted to get outside, enjoy the great weather before it gets really cold.

As we drove higher, to our surprise we came upon this fabulous sign that speaks for itself...   Little  Mt. Hoffman Lookout.

 OMG!

A person can actually rent it....I want to come back here an stay. Can you believe the view and how great it would be to rent this place?It is very rustic with two twin beds with mattresses  pushed together, a table and a small woodstove..  (there was a flash back glare from the window  on these but still you can see)  ..... That Snow topped mountain  is Mt Shasta in the far distance. I Love the view  of the  world from here.. No stressors here for sure...well maybe one....

I looked for a "potty" it was of course not inside but a nice & clean privy just down the hill.  (You can see the smaller building .. that's it....)

 Clay did think if the wind was blowing it would be really something we have never experienced before.. so maybe we'll come in good weather like today, In the last photo, He is showing me which way is North... I think.