It’s October 6, and we’ve had the strangest October weather for so early in fall.
Saturday, I got up and discovered ice on my deck! I didn’t realize it had rained overnight but evidently it rained enough to freeze.
I knew it was cold overnight but I didn’t think it was THAT cold!
As the day progressed, we were treated to several rounds of ice balls pounding on the roof and making a horrid noise as it hit the metal barn and roof. It rapidly accumulated on the ground and the deck.
My miniature donkeys, Samson and Delilah were very glad to be inside, huddled in their cozy barn.
The sleet made several appearances during the day and everyone around the Valley was talking about the weather so far this year. For some reason, most of us can’t remember a lot of details about our late fall and early winter last year. Maybe it’s a case of “selective memory loss” since it was such a horrid winter with bitter cold temperatures and snow.
I was going through my files of old photos and came across these photos of our early snow. The photos were taken October 30, 2012, and show we had a pretty good snowfall just in time for Halloween!
Since the weather wasn’t too great this past weekend, I made a batch of apple butter. I was able to get the apples higher on the tree than the resident woodchuck could reach! The aroma of the apple butter simmering with cloves, cinnamon and allspice filled the house with a spicy aroma that just fit the day of sleet.
Sunday was a better day, on the cool side but sunny. It was perfect for working on my Sweet Annie candle rings. The aroma of apple butter was replaced with the wonderful sweet smell of Sweet Annie as I collected the old rings from last year and replaced them with fresh Sweet Annie rings.
I’m sort of sad that the summer is over and the garden is done but I have to admit that I like ALL seasons-fall being one of my favorites. Seeing the trees dressed in their fall colors and the fresh, crisp air, especially in the morning, is a pleasing time here in the Valley. It’s also time to make the more winter-hearty meals such as soups, stews and bigger meals. Gone are the salads!
We have a local Mansfield judge, Frank Ardis, who makes snow predictions. It’s just about time for him to calculate our “tracking snows.” I’ll be curious to see what he says …
The rain is hitting the windows right now and the poor birds have abandoned the bird feeders to find shelter in the pine trees. It’s almost time to walk down to the barn to feed my “babies” and get them settled for the night.
