Flowers are covered with Painted Ladies and Monarchs in August and September. They stop to drink their fill before moving south. Many linger through October’s warm afternoons, but are gone, like the flowers, before November’s chill. I envy them. I often wish I could migrate south during the cold months, too. Maybe someday…
Author Archives: llzranch
Autumn is Turning
October’s last day started as a raw 19 this morning, and only warmed to 35 by trick-or-treat time late afternoon. Little witches and space rangers were wrapped in winter coats and stocking caps. The last of the autumn sun shone on falling leaves and porch swings. It’s the last day of employment for aContinue reading “Autumn is Turning”
Frost Expected
I harvested almost everything from the garden this past weekend. Beets, squash and onions are stored in the barn to dry. They can remain in the barn until the nights are consistently in the mid-twenties. One or two nights will not drain all the summer warmth from the building. My houseplants have summered outside forContinue reading “Frost Expected”
Peppered Peace
I’m not a religious person, but come from a long line of God-fearing folks, and often misquote, or half remember Bible verses. This year my bell pepper crop is outstanding. I harvested a five-gallon bucket of huge green and red peppers and spent several hours chopping them for the freezer. It seems only right toContinue reading “Peppered Peace”
Butterfly Migration
In 2015 my place was designated as a Monarch Way Station. Many Monarchs migrated through my flower beds that year. I’ve increased the number of milkweeds to feed the Monarchs at the ranch. There are now perennials asters in several garden beds (like the flowers in the photo above), and planted wildflowers in the pastureContinue reading “Butterfly Migration”
Retirement decision in perspective
I visited the Virgin Island of Anguilla, in the British West Indies in January, 2017. I took this photo of one of the beautiful beaches. It was peaceful and picturesque. “Anguilla is the northernmost island of the Leeward Islands, located about 270 km (165 mi) east of Puerto Rico, and just north of the islandContinue reading “Retirement decision in perspective”
Heat
I planted habanero pepper plants by mistake this summer. I meant to plant jalapeños. The habaneros are super hot by my standards. Perhaps the four-pack of peppers was misplaced in a shelf of jalapenos, or perhaps I didn’t read the label properly. Only two of the four seedlings grew, but each plant is producingContinue reading “Heat”
Predictions of a major change
I was born on wash day in early December, 1951 (that’s Monday folks). I am a Sagittarian. My mother finished the laundry before going to the hospital to deliver me. Monday’s laundry day was called “wash day” (pronounced warsh). Mom carried water to fill the washing machine. She used the same tub of water forContinue reading “Predictions of a major change”
Exploring
There were many empty and abandoned farmsteads near my parent’s farm in the 1960’s. A childhood friend and I walked or rode our bikes to those empty farms to explore the barns and vacant houses. Houses were rarely locked and sometimes the doors were missing. We explored those places to search for abandoned treasures asContinue reading “Exploring”
High School classmate turns 65
My high school graduating class was very small. There were thirteen of us. Two military veterans have passed away. I attended a birthday party for one of the remaining eleven today. She is a nurse and also still working. She likes her job and isn’t in a hurry to retire. She and I were childhoodContinue reading “High School classmate turns 65”
