A Quick Trip to Patsy's Retreat

I took a trip to my friend Patsy's quilting retreat a few weeks ago and this is what I saw along the way. Cornfields ready for harvest.

The big work horses getting fueled up for the job ahead.

Brilliant colors on the maple trees near the Homestead Cabin Retreat.

And a quick shot of Patsy as she rushes around to care for her weekend quilting guests.

For the next two weeks she has her days free to sew. Every year at this time she turns the retreat over to the men in her life. Patsy always changes her decorations with the seasons and hunting season is no different. Click here for a peek at her blog.

Around the Farm in Mid October

An old seed planter sits in the tall grass. It was left on our farm long ago by a previous owner.... Jack is more interested in the neighborhood cows.

A small organic dairy joins our property to the South.

The oaks in the forest were near peak on this day.

A view towards our farm from the "back 40"

A week later all the leaves were gone. Autumn is very unpredictable in Wisconsin. You never know how long it will last. We try to make the most of each day while we can.

Waiting For the Sun

Early fall days before the first frost, we wait for the sun to shine.

It has been an Autumn filled with many gray days

With a few blue sky days in between.

This last photo is a shot of our farmstead mid morning. The sun is getting lower in the sky each day. Soon we will not see it until late morning when it finally makes over the ridge to warm the valley.

More photos soon. I have a couple more shipments to fill before I can relax and fill my free time with projects of my own.

Late Fall and Winter Approaches

This time of year can be a bit bittersweet. You can feel winter's approach in late October. The sun is lower during the day. Parts of our valley now stay in the shade until near sunset. The sun will not start to warm our house until after 10:00 am.

I took these photos a couple of weeks ago at 9:30 am.

Autumn Splendor and Some Tagging

October 7th at the farm.
The sumacs are brilliant this year. Our house in just beyond the grove of trees. The small building just to the right of the grove of trees is an old sugar shack where the previous owner made maple syrup.
The mist rising from the fields is from the hard frost changing to moisture as the earth warms in the sunlight.
A little further down the road on October 9th as I leave for DesMoines with Sue.

I've been tagged by Embellisher at a Million Little Stitches and Bindu at Transient Lives so here it goes.

For Embellisher:

7 things you may not know about me:

1. In addition to our dog we have a cat named Cleo. She is a 19 year old Blue Point Snow Shoe Siamese adopted from a shelter. She is blind and deaf so she yells at us when she want attention. Despite the yelling is is very sweet.

2. I switched from an art major in college to nutrition. I plan to go back to get a masters in art some day.

3. I love science fiction and fantasy books and films. I am thrilled that Doctor Who is back in production after so long.

4. I used to be terribly nervous about speaking in front of a crowd. It is only in the last few years that I have overcome this problem.

5. I am fascinated by dragons and dragon lore.

6. I'd rather be traveling, teaching and writing about all I see on the way.

7. I'm shorter in person than I appear on the Internet. ;o)

For Bindu:

1. Clothes Shop - I only do when I have to. Not much available in the country.

2. Furniture Shop - Antiques for me. Both British and American Arts and Crafts Era and early 20th century southwestern furniture. Also Danish Modern. These are my favorites, but not necessarily what I own.

3. Sweet - Organic dark chocolate with ground ginger - to die for!

4. City - Country life for me. Where I live is as close to heaven as you can get.

5. Drink - Diet Coke or a Sam Adams lager.

6. Music - Pink Floyd, Grateful Dead, Natalie Merchant (solo or otherwise), Heart, Vivaldi, Mozart, Secret Garden. I love most of it as long as the singer can sing, no screaming please. I just don't get it.

7. TV Series - Dr. Who

8. Film - Don't make me choose - Fried Green Tomatoes (I adore Fannie Flagg's books too). The Color Purple. Time Bandits. 12 Monkeys/La Jetee.

9. Workout - Walks in the prairie grasses, bicycling

10. Pastries - Cinnamon rolls

11. Coffee - no thanks

Dye Another Day

I finally photographed and listed some of the fabrics I dyed this weekend. I wanted to add some Autumn colors to my Etsy Shop. I thought the oranges, reds and golds needed a good complementary color to really set off the Fall colors. I started with cobalt and cerulean and then over dyed the blues with a couple hues of yellow. I love this fabric. It reminds me of a raging forest fire.
This fabric had my husband and I craving butterscotch pudding. It is so yummy!