Festive crafting

There's nothing like nearly a foot of snow to get us out of the field and into the barn. The snow blower packed up half way round the pond, fortunately the snow only lasted a few days so we weren't stranded but it was a wake up call that winter is on its way and snow storms are inevitable. Saturday saw the end of hunting season so the woods are safe once more (aside from the coyotes), sadly Jamie has been too busy with the farm to get us a deer for the freezer. However, he has proved himself a fine marksman and, a crafty fox caught in the act of stalking our chickens has been put to rest.
We're busy creating a great deal of mess with a barn full of dried flowers (which seems to have ended up in the house) and putting together festive arrangements for the Christmas markets. Amazing what you can achieve with wire, determination, a glue gun and a can of spray paint. It's a good excuse to fill the house with pine and for Jamie to tuck into egg nog with rum - though to do so he has to fight off the mighty Bertie.

3 weeks in Europe

In an extravagant attempt to evade the planting of the garlic and many other fall-clean-up tasks, I jetted off to Europe for 3 weeks. My visit consisted mainly of taking groups wine tasting in the Ribeira del Duero and Rioja regions of Spain and the Chablis, Burgundy and Champagne regions of France.
Needless to say the trip was fabulous, the wine was, on the whole delicious, the winemakers were delightful and the food was fantastic (in particular the cheese). I also got the opportunity to visit friends and family in England which was wonderful. Now safely back in Nova Scotia I am exhausted but glad to be back with Jamie, dogs and a dwindling number of ducks and poultry.

Thankful for Fall

After frost and even a freak day of snow at the beginning of October, we somehow managed to scrape together enough lovely blooms for two weddings, parties in the city and a full complement of fall bouquets (including pumpkin arrangements and decorative gourds) for Thanks Giving weekend. Infact, perhaps due to the arrival of Charlie and his Englishman in New York style charm, that Thanks Giving Saturday was our best market day yet. Hurrah. Actually we are cheering because we had planned it to be our last. Don't get me wrong, we still have baby carrots, daikon, parsnip, squash, pumpkin and delicious garlic to sell but we have lost our momentum as far as Farmer's Markets are concerned, at least for now...... Christmas markets are looming fast!
It's actually been quite enjoyable simply being on the farm without the stress of harvesting. Jamie is at last able to look after the farm as a whole and has even been glimpsed out on the tractor with plough in tow.
We are busy tidying up loose ends, revelling in our successes and learning from our mistakes, discovering projects that were started and then forgotten about (mostly my doing - those poor worms!). It's sad to admit that two people can only achieve so much - even with the occasional helping hand - and many of our ideas never got off the ground, we are debating whether they should roll over to next season or whether in the scheme of things they are simply superfluous.
What will next season hold? - who knows? After we have wound down the farm and the cold weather descends, this is the big question that we can tackle over red wine around the stove with the dogs. If Eddie had his way it would involve squeeky toys and for Bertie we must develop an assault course with a series of hurdles and hoops to jump through because she is never-endingly bouncy. Jamie needs a housekeeper (because I am altogether too moany) and I need lots of fun. One thing is for certain, we all need days off at the beach!

 I'm off to Europe to drink wine leaving Jamie with a long list of "if you have time to fix...." jobs. My absence provides him with the perfect excuse to enjoy both the hunting and salmon fishing season. I do look forward to a packed freezer on my return and hope I am away long enough for all the gutting and dirty work to be completed. Oh yes, and I am triumphantly skiving out of planting the garlic, not sure I will ever be forgiven.