Lady Farmer's Seed Swap and Share!

Dear Gardening Friends!

You are cordially invited to attend

Lady Farmer's first official

Seed Swap and Share!

Tomorrow Friday the 4th of November

at 12 noon Pacific time

I will publish my first seed share

post over at

Lady Farmer's Seed Swap.

If you grow flowers, veggies or herbs,

package up those extra seeds

and come visit and

leave a comment listing your

offerings and interests.

(I had wanted to use Mr. Linky, but

with dial-up internet it isn't possible.)

Even if you cannot participate

would you be so kind as to post

this image somewhere on your blog

with a link back

for others who may want to

join in?

Thank you! and hope to see you at...



Vintage...

...irrigators filled with ...

Pansies and Violas...

hang on posts along the driveway...

greeting family and guests

with shots of color... 

on grey, rainy days of October.

~*~

Joining Tracie at Fishtail Cottage for

Outdoor Fall Decor #4

and

Deborah Jean for

Farmgirl Friday

Squashed!

With the continual rains we have been having

and no cool crisp nights in the forecast,

I harvested the remaining squash

and pumpkins from the garden.

I didn't want to risk losing them

to rot or those pesky deer

who have managed to, once again,

find a way into the garden.

I grew and gave away many

plants this year, saving three of

each type of squash for our

own garden.

Three Rouge Vif D'etampes (Cinderella) Pumpkins,

three Carnival (Acorn) Squash

and three Sweet Meat (Hubbard) Squash

produced more than enough for the

two of us to enjoy throughout the

winter.

I will tuck them into beds of hay

in the barn to store them.

Throughout the season, we can uncover

a tasty treasure to serve with our

cozy winter meals.

~*~

If you have never cooked a Sweet Meat Squash

(or other large winter squash)

join me in The Pantry to see

how I prepared one

for our dinner and

for the freezer!

~*~

Joining Jami at An Oregon Cottage for

And
Amy at Homestead Revival for
Barn Hop #31

An Autumn Porch

My porch is very small, and I don't have a lot to work with

as far as 'decor' goes, so I use what I have and

what I find in the garden, barn and woodland.

Below is the garden 'Welcome' sign that I made

this Spring. I placed it on the bench and

added a branch of wild rose hips.

A homemade grapevine wreath is also adorned with

wild rose hips.

A vintage milk can from my Grandpa's farm is topped

with a yellow garden mum and Cinderella Pumpkins

(Rouge Vif D'Etampes), Carnival and Sweet Meat

Squash harvested from the garden find a place

to greet guests, too!

An old, brilliantly colored wool blanket is draped

across the bench ~ the cats love to scout for farmyard

activity from here while staying out of the weather.

Another pumpkin temporarily holds the place where a burlap

pillow in the making will sit.

An apple basket filled with more squash (and a wayward tomato ~

how'd that get in there?) and a vintage cream can are

next to the bench and an old twig broom with a few sparse

leaves, grasses and pods hangs above.

It's a shock of color but company has no trouble finding the front door!

That's my porch for today ~ it will change as my mood

changes, just like our weather!

Joining Fishtail Cottage for

and

Deborah Jean for

Farmgirl Friday!

Early on a September morning...

The shadowed trees waking from their requisite slumber



The sun's glorious rays stretch forth in radiant jubilation!



Another day has dawned!



White Echinacea glows in the dawns early light.



Persistent lingering Foxglove, too, rises from her repose.




Enjoying the refreshing coolness of the morning.

 


Coveting a kiss from the sun!




Sweet Peas extolling praise and adoration with their beauty and sweet perfumed offerings.

 

Impatiens hanging near a vintage scale, weighing the remaining days of summer.

 

Common Tansy and Russian Sage...

 



bow and curtsy before the Summer King on the carpet of sun parched grass.

  

Fameuse (Snow Apple) reflecting the early morning Majesty!




Fruit of the vine beginning to ripen...



with promised hope.



Rouge Vif D'Etampes (Cinderella) Pumpkin and...



Acorn Squash ~ their time is not yet come ~ but soon!

  




Sunflowers planted by the birds...






Blooming where they are planted
and always
keeping their faces focused on the Sun!

 

Joining Tracie at Fishtail Cottage for Cottage Flora!
Susan at A Southern Daydreamer for Outdoor Wednesday
and
Jamie at An Oregon Cottage for Garden Party!
and
Deborah Jean's Farmgirl Friday!

Beans! and the 'Berry Tree'?

I am so excited! This is the best my beans have done in a very long time! Usually the deer break into the garden and only leave a few leaves and buds at the top of the teepee's, but they haven't gotten into either garden this year! Yay!

bean teepee's early Sunday morning

Six four-legged teepee's reaching high into the sky




My mouth is watering just thinking of the yummy green beans cooked with bacon, onion and garlic ~ just the way my Grandma used to make them! :~P

Or made into a delicious creamy, garden fresh vegetable chowder she used to call 'Mulligan'!

The bean plants are just loaded with blossoms, too, forecasting an abundant harvest in days to come ~ IF the weather cooperates and the deer don't get into the garden! :~O

~*~

On another note ~

I was up behind the barn talking to the Gentleman Farmer while he was stacking the many cords of firewood he has been cutting for our winter heat.

I spotting a strange sight out of the corner of my eye~

there... up in the fir tree...

Do you see it?

A little closer...now do you see it?

Look half way up the tree branches on the left...

There they are ~ Himalayan Blackberries growing up in the Fir Tree about 20 feet in the air!

Too high for me to pick but I see that they are beginning to ripen and I will have to go out picking some for jelly and syrup! More delicious goodness from the farm!
~*~

Joining Amy for Barn Hop #25

and

Jami at An Oregon Cottage for

Tuesday Garden Party

Thank you, ladies, for hosting!

The Apple Tree

It is mid-August and apple harvest time has begun ~

at least for the Transparent Apple tree which is the first

to fruit here at Cove Cottage Farm.

Step under the canopy of the tree, peer up and behold

the multitude of golden globed apples!

This has been one of the better producing years

for this old tree. And I somehow have managed to

beat the deer to the majority of them!

These sunshiny orbed beauties are not only 'pleasant

to the eyes' they are 'good for food', applesauce

to be precise!

But before they can fulfill their destiny,

they must be picked!

And to see what they are to become...

please follow me to The Pantry!

Joining Tracie at Fishtail Cottage for

Cottage Flora Thursday!

Sweet Peas

This must be what heaven smells like!
~*~

Joining An Oregon Cottage for

And Tracie for