Sam's Club Adventure - Our Changing Fall Colors

More rain yesterday, about 3/4 inch and a dreary, dark day.  When the sun did pop out it almost blinded us.

We decided it would be a good day to check out the much touted Sam's Club.  It is about a 40 minute drive for us.  We live north of Springfield; it is south of Springfield.

DH wanted to go ahead and get the $45 membership before we looked around so we did.  It took us over an hour and we still didn't cover everything.  I bought $139 worth of food items....we had a special $20 coupon  so  it made it a good bargain. My impression:  I was underwhelmed!  I  guess we will get our money's worth when we need laundry and paper supplies.  We will see.

I agree with my daughter:  At this stage of our life it isn't so much about saving money as the  whole shopping experience!  As experiences  go, this one didn't rate high.

We have taken two day-trips to see  fall color and realized  that we have some pretty spectacular sights right here at home.

Yesterday afternoon we made a run to the library to pick up a book they were holding for me, The Anatomist's Wife by Anna Lee Huber and then "drove around the block" (actually two roads north and then circled back south to the house).

Another Week on the Farm

Fall has arrived here.

After the hard freeze and the following 2 inch rain, the leaves are coming down.........we  love looking out the window at  the 'raining' leaves....they will remain on the ground.............unless I get a chance to mow.  I do not rake leaves!!!!



The top of the white oak is just beginning; that is the rejuvenated Pin Oak behind it.  It has the best color I can remember.



This is the Pin Oak, west yard.



I was just coming from the Milk Parlor and loved the changing colors, the shrub to the right  is spirea prunifolia; you can see the top of the Pin Oak in the west yard.  This view is looking southwest.


Back to the front yard.  This is the Limelight hydrangea,

and the Oakleaf hydrangea,



I think this may be millet dropped  from the bird feeder.  I don't know why I am not seeing birds feeding on it....maybe they will come later,

From fall 2013

We had weekend company again.  Very enjoyable and easy to have.  I just did my standard crock-pot roast with mashed potatoes and gravy.  I had a very late picking of haricort vert (which I will discuss later).  Dessert was chocolate cake which turned out nicely.  Bread was the French bread I had made earlier in the week.  I also made our son's favorite Scotch Shortbread Cookies.....and sent them home  with him (also all the left over cake).

Speaking of bread; I am getting more adventurous with bread making.  I am not following recipes closely some days.  This time made Oatmeal bread but substituted some white whole wheat flour for regular, no bread flour (I was out), potato water (left from Sunday dinner's mashed potato cooking) instead of milk....results were great.  DH loved it.  I want to broaden his tastes a little from plain white bread.  He just said this morning that it toasted really well.

I made rustic loaves just for fun,



I also made us a pineapple upside down cake.  I hadn't made one in years.  I like the size for the two of us.
I need to try some variations.

I didn't like the texture of the cake...sort of grainy.  Next time I will use another cake recipe.

FARM

I finally found a recent picture of my Jersey heifer, Jewel who I hope will be calving soon.

Fall Flowers and other Mundane things

October10 -17, 2013

We are enjoying  beautiful fall so far.  We have been getting little  rains, 1/2, 1/4 and l inch  which gives everything a lush green look.  We still aren't at peak fall color but some things are beginning to get their fall look.

Gardening

This has turned out to be my favorite little  grouping.  The center  would be the Grus an Aachen rose and the salvia farinacea which is perennial for me.  The others were planted because there was space.....that is almost the extent of my design technique.  Of course, I knew the Laura Bush petunias would look good with blue and pink.  The broad leaves are self seedling of nicotiana sylvestris.



This is the rose up close,

 


I hope the petunias self seed. 

Limelight hydrangea is turning,



I never plant anything that has to be dug up and replanted every spring.  If I plant it once, it stays planted.  I bought these at a Lowes or Wal Mart one year and have left them in the ground for maybe three or four years now.  This was their best year yet.  They have really blossomed (pun intended) in this cool weather.

Since this photo doesn't do them justice  I took some closeups.

and the back is as pretty as the front,
and the side,


Endless Summer is still not  my favorite hydrangea.....much over praised but at least it does now bloom a long time.



I still haven't dug my sweet potatoes but will very soon.

Food

I finally bottled up the mincemeat,  I ended  up with about half what I guessed but it should be plenty since it is just for me and my Sis.