The Fall colors are quickly fading, but they're still beautiful

October 18, 2019 - Friday morning

27 degrees/clear skies/calm winds

Pentoga Road

Brrr, it doesn't take too many mornings like this one to get a person thinking that winter might be just round the corner. I certainly didn't get any mosquito bites earlier this morning while taking my usual pre dawn walk around the yard. 

We talked with my sister and Mom last night. Mom's been moved to the rehab center in her senior community to begin the road back to independent living. The local grapevine runs strong and she'd no more arrived in her room when two of her friends stopped by for a visit. 

Last night, for the first time in a long time, Mom sounded like her old self of forty years ago. Her voice was strong and clear and she sounded excited to begin her road to recovery. 

We're anxious to talk to Mom later today and hear how her day went. I think Mama's going to have some sore muscles once the physical therapists begin working those leg muscles that she hasn't used for the past six weeks.

As they say, No pain, no gain."

You go Mama!!

Thursday morning began with a beautiful walk. I only hiked two and a half miles to let the shin splints stretch and heal from doing too much too soon the day before. My two and a half mile route is mostly on flat ground, no effort needed.

As mentioned above, the colors are quickly fading. Most the reds and orange leaves have fallen to the ground leaving those that are brown or mostly yellow.

Our property's on the left with the drive at the bottom of the hill.

Once home, I worked up another batch of apples to dehydrate. Aunt Joanne was curious how the apple peeler works.

The apple is skewed onto three prongs before the handle is turned, forcing it be be peeled and cored at the same time.

The result is beautiful, even, slices.

Easily broken apart, each is rolled in cinnamon and sugar. I made our neighbor, Sue, who is diabetic, a batch yesterday substituting sugar with stevia. 

The slices are placed on one of four trays and after six hours in the dehydrator, are completely processed. We store our's in sealable plastic bags where they'll keep indefinitely.

I moved from the kitchen to the orchard where I harvested what remained of this year's apples. I borrowed Jambo's apple picker which made harvesting those higher up in the trees much easier.




Speaking of Jambo, I have a bone to pick with the boy. I've invited him down a million and a half times to PLEASE shoot the grouse that make our apple trees their home. Each time he comes, he claims he doesn't see any, yet Sargie and I see them all the time.

The proof is in the pudding... 'er the apples.

I've never known grouse to have a fondness for apples, but they ruined probably a dozen or more of our giant Wolf River variety.

I guess if Jambo's not going to shoot the winged critters, I'll have to dig out my shotgun and do it myself. It's been so long since I've used it, I'm not even sure where it is.

Partridge are our favorite winged fare. There's nothing tastier than partridge breast, lightly sautéed in butter.

The apples are huge this year. 

Hopefully the Wolf River variety will store in the basement well into the winter months.

The rest of the day was spent harvesting hard wood from the neighbor's land that had been logged off a year ago.

It was difficult going as I couldn't drive the Blazer, pulling the trailer, too far into the woods due to the stumps and old branches. Everything I gathered had to be carried by hand.

Unfortunately, much of the wood had already rotted, but enough was found to make it worth my while.

I worked up most of the load into late afternoon before I ran out of steam. The rest will be finished this morning when I get home from my walk.



Sargie had a good day at the eye clinic yesterday and we had a quiet Thursday evening. 

I see the sky is beginning to grow bright in the east which means the sun can't be far behind. It's time to go for my walk to Pentoga Village and back before beginning the day.

On the agenda: MAYBE I'll get those ash trees cut, the ones I've been talking about for the past several days and I'd like to get the garden house wrapped before it rains again. There's a 70% chance of precipitation on Saturday. No doubt, we'll take our usual afternoon drive around the countryside, something Sargie and I enjoy a great deal.

They'd better stay on the other side of the fence!

Time to get a walkin'.

After all, a man's work is never done.

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...