Tuesday, October 29, 2013

I'm here, I'm here!!

Okay, I know it's been too long since I've blogged when two friends, on the same day, want to know if I'm okay because I haven't done a blog post for, oops, over a week. 

I'm good! I've just been insanely busy. On the bright side, my honey processing is done, except for one bucket (about 45 lbs) that is going to become creamed honey once my friend Pierre shows me how to do that. My grand total of honey this year? 820 pounds!!! I added it all up yesterday. Astounding. I have already unloaded 300 lbs of the stuff!

This morning it was darn cold, -8C or 17F. So of course Gordon and I chose this morning to start our program of running in the early morning, instead of weekday evenings. We bought a bunch of cold-weather running gear on the weekend, just in time!

We left the house a bit after 7 am for a 5K run and although I was afraid it would be torture, it was in fact completely awesome. We are both hooked. It's a beautiful time of day with the sun rising over farmers' fields. There was frost on everything this morning, so it all sparkled. We both had a light breakfast before we left. I was worried I'd be hungry, or feel sick, or be comatose but instead I felt great, and because of proper clothing and layering, I was very comfortable. And by 8:30, Gordon was showered and off to work. Now he doesn't have to worry about rushing home from work to make sure we get our run in before it's too late. I'm sold! Plus we have a 5K race this Saturday morning, so it's good practice running early.

Now, some ducks...



The duck with the grey back on the right is mama Karène, who had seven ducklings this summer. The two ducks with her are her daughters! Two of the seven "babies" have gone to live with my friend Pierre and his wife Kathy, as well as the ten chicks Emma hatched out this summer. Pierre and Kathy are spoiling their birds more than we do ours, so I'm pretty sure there will be a revolt here soon!


Karène and an as-yet-unnamed daughter.

We've had a really warm fall (up until today!) so the hayfields and grass are very green, even though there are no leaves left on the trees, and the corn and native grasslands are all brown... 




I do love this time of year!

It is not normal to find dandelions blooming and bugs flying around here so late in October...


I took lots of photos of this one. A hover fly maybe?




And in the woodlot, a sugar maple has self-seeded and is pushing up at the edge of all the white pine and white spruce trees...



Meanwhile, inside the house, Emily is not being helpful...


"I'm not in your way, am I?"

All is well in kitty-land. Louise has fit in very well, although she loves to hog my office chair, so I am left sitting on the very edge of it, like I am now!



And if you're in the area, Gordon's having an open house at his law firm in Lancaster next week and all are welcome. Refreshments will be served! Our friend Ronna is making a cake! And our friend Dave did this hilarious adaption of a Peanuts cartoon for Gordon....


Someone pointed out that the price would be more like 5,000,000 cents. HAHAHAHA! Lawyer humour!




13 comments:

  1. Woah, that's a lot of honey! How awesome. I've always wanted to try creamed honey. I've heard it's delicious! I hope yours turns out well.

    I hope Gordon's open house goes well with a good turnout!

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  2. You really should give us the link to your honey store. I really want to try some of it.
    Those ducks look really good and happy.
    Running 5K? I wish I could run. sounds like fun :)
    Good luck with the open house!

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  3. You have been busy! Lots of honey, lots of work. Only a week off is not bad at all...I was off for months and didn't have an excuse as good as yours. Love the lovely Fall colors.

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  4. Wonderful photos, as ever, but the first one after the ducks, the grasslands and the barn, is a heart stopper. Maybe missing the hay wagon coming in, with a farmer with a tall whip and four big horses in harness.
    And, have a great open house event.

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  5. Helloooooo! Such beautiful photographs! I want to come visit! I'd eat all your food. hee hee.

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  6. I wonder how much honey per bee that works out at?
    Have great open day...wish we lived closer.
    Jane x

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  7. I wish we still had locals around here producing honey. Most of the time running makes you feel great. I found mornings were best for running.

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  8. Collecting 820 lbs. of honey is a pretty darned good excuse for not blogging! Wow.

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  9. OK, here is the 3rd try to comment on your post. My computer is playing games with me. Glad you are back and what a truckload of honey it is. And the open house. We have to move back, we are missing to much of the good stuff. And the ducks. Oh, I better stop here.

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  10. I'll be a bit closer to you (NYC) next week when Gordon has his open house. I'm tempted to "pop up" for some of Ronna's cake! Very kind of Emily to ask if she's in your way... as if she would move.

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  11. Emily,
    are you being ignored =)
    That honey sounds lovely!

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  12. That's a lot of honey! I just love the close ups of the dandelion and hover fly.

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Thank you for all your comments, which I love to read!