Tuesday Farm Photos: Tree Trimming Party

More photos below. . .

Wednesday Dose of Color (and Cute):Little Bear in the Big Woods

On the Ridge above the Farm



Heading Back Down the Driveway



And Down

And Down Some More

Want to see more of the where we walk in the woods?
9/28/05: It's Starting
10/12/05: I'm Addicted to Our Daily Walks through the Woods
10/26/05: Where We Cut Firewood
11/9/05: Top O' the Forest to You
7/16/06: Morning Dog Walk through the Woods (and Not a Leash in Sight)
10/29/06: I Don't See Colors Like You Do
11/7/06: A Most Beautiful Walk in the Woods
12/26/06: Reflecting on the Bigger Picture, Remembering the Little Things
2/3/07: Looking up the Driveway, the Snowy Version
7/28/07: A Picture Perfect Walk in the Woods (but Pictures Sometimes Lie)
9/23/07: Hello Autumn!
10/21/07: A Flash of Brilliance
11/16/07: Exercising with a View
12/4/07: Just Another Day at the Office

© Copyright 2009 FarmgirlFare.com, the transformative foodie farm blog where Lucky Buddy Bear (our English/Australian Shepherd who you can see more of here and here) is always a willing walking companion no matter what the season—and this year's autumn leaf show can only be described as fast and furious (and fabulous). Compare the second photo above to this same section of the driveway just a few short weeks ago—and look how much color there still was in the woods on November 4th two years ago). I took these photos five days ago, and everything already looks completely different out there—all glimmering golds and rusts and browns—but we've been walking so late each evening that it's been too dark to snap any currently colored shots!

Farm Photo 12/4/07:Just Another Day At The Office

Actually It's More Like An Office-Slash-Gym

There's nothing that takes the chill off like the warmth from wood heat--except maybe watching a hunky farmguy whack a giant tree into pieces. This photo was taken early on Thanksgiving Day while we were out working up an appetite in the freezing cold. I was very thankful that it was Wear Your Chaps To Work Day.

Copyright © 2007 FarmgirlFare.com, the award-winning blog where Farmgirl Susan shares stories & photos of her crazy country life on 240 remote Missouri acres.

Farm Photo 10/21/07: A Flash Of Brilliance

Hint Of Fall Color On The Ridge Above The Farm

I took this photo back on the 8th, when it seemed like nearly all the trees around here were determined not to give up their green this year. But a few days ago some much needed rain nudged them toward their autumn duties, and the true colors of the season are finally showing through. It always amazes me how quickly the entire landscape can change. We're still having warm days in the 80s, though, so now everything looks right but feels weird.

Is autumn happening correctly in your part of the world?

Want to see more?
You'll find plenty of autumn color here, and there are all sorts of farm landscape photos here. If you'd like to see how much our scenery changes from season to season (and sometimes even from day to day) check out the Same Scene, New View photos here.

© 2007 FarmgirlFare.com, the award-winning blog where Farmgirl Susan shares stories & photos of her crazy country life on 240 remote acres.

Farm Photo 9/25/07: It's All In The Light

Inspiration For The First Stained Glass Window?

A year of of Farm Photos ago:
9/24/06: The Ears Tell The Story
9/25/06: Morning Sun Having Fun

Two years ago:
9/24/05: Look What Flew Into My Photo
9/24/05: WCB #16 Window Washing
9/25/05: I Can't Resist These Pink Sunrises
9/25/05: Lucky Buddy Bear Happy In His Hay Cubby

And out of the kitchen came:
Pita, Pita, It's Time To Eata! My search for the perfect pita bread recipe, plus delicious things to do with unpuffed pitas.

© 2007 FarmgirlFare.com, the award-winning blog where Farmgirl Susan shares stories & photos of her crazy country life on 240 remote acres.

Farm Photo 9/23/07: Hello Autumn!

A Hint Of Color Heading Down The Driveway

It's hot and humid and still feels like summer, but last week's cold snap hinted at the cozy days and cozy food to come, and we let out our annual Summer Sigh Of Relief. This morning I paused long enough to take a good look around and realized that the wooded walls that make up our little valley are quietly changing from green to yellow. A pleasant breeze sends lazy flurries of tiny leaves onto the grass.

The calendar says autumn is here. The farm says soon. Very soon.

Want to see more?
9/20/05: Green, Green, Green, But Not For Much Longer
9/22/05: Happy First Day Of Fall
9/27/05: Autumn Bloom
9/22/06: Morning Calm Before The Storm
9/23/06: Last Night Of Summer Spectacular Show
9/23/06: Autumn Is Here

Want to know what to do with all those green tomatoes?
Make my simple salsa-like Green Tomato Relish!

In My Kitchen Garden:
I'm wondering what to do with purple basil. Got any ideas?

© 2007 FarmgirlFare.com, the award-winning blog where Farmgirl Susan shares stories & photos of her crazy country life on 240 remote acres.

Farm Photo 7/28/07:A Picture Perfect Walk In The Woods

Forest By Mother Earth

Accessories By Mother Nature

Something strange is going on. On July 16th, I took 81 photographs. I haven't taken a single one since. At some point during the past 12 days I stopped lugging around my beloved camera and didn't even notice.

I'm blaming summer. I don't function well when it gets above 80 degrees (okay, okay 65). Toss in 90% humidity (yes, that's really what it is, I just checked), and my brain hangs out a giant Do Not Disturb sign, while my body wishes it could do the same. Even the smallest outdoor chores feel monumental.

When I moved from northern California to Missouri back in 1994 it was November. And it was lovely. A big ice storm hit the small town we were staying in a few days after our arrival, and every single thing became encased in ice. While everyone else was huddled indoors staying warm, I bundled up and went for walks, admiring the glistening landscape that had magically appeared overnight. I felt as if I'd moved to Disneyland.

Then people began asking me if I'd been here in the summer yet. Lots of people. People who all said a variation of the exact same thing: "I thought it was humid in [insert nearly any state in the country here], but that was nothing compared to Missouri." I started getting very nervous. And unfortunately my fears did not go unfounded. Summer in southern Missouri must be experienced to be believed, and in a bad year you have from early May until late September to experience it.

I realize, of course, that there are many lizard-type people who think there is nothing better than lying on a burning hot rock in the scorching sun while most of the water in your body pours out of your skin at a medically alarming rate. It's too bad I'm not one of them. In my opinion, if you're not moving, you shouldn't be sweating profusely.

All of this whining is in fact leading to a point.

I know that many of you have come to believe I live a picture perfect life in a picture perfect place, and while I don't like to complain about all the bad stuff (and on a farm we definitely get our share of it), once in a while I think it's only fair to set you straight.

It's beautiful here. Really, really beautiful. Stops-me-in-my-tracks several times a day beautiful. My life is far from perfect, but I do in fact live in a picture perfect place. What you do not want to do, however, is actually climb into some of the pictures. Take the one at the top for example. I could have said nothing about it and simply let you believe that Bear and I were out for a pleasant stroll in the woods, enjoying nature and the crisp, refreshing air.

The reality, though, is that despite the early morning hour, it was already very hot and very muggy, and my clothes were completely soaked with sweat. A small part of my brain was functioning well enough to see the photo opportunity in front of me, but the rest of it was taken up with counting out how many more months until autumn on my fingers, and thinking about how much nicer everything would look if it were covered with several inches of snow. Right now it feels like a jungle. A jungle with pine trees.

I wasn't planning to write this. I was actually in the middle of watering the garden and feeding insect-ravaged turnip greens and Swiss chard to Whitey and her not-so-baby-anymore chicks (yes, I promise a long overdue chick update is coming soon). I only popped inside to jot down a couple of notes before the sun zapped them right out of my mind, which is what's been constantly happening lately.

Originally I was going to post these two photos with nothing but their captions and let you think whatever you like. In retrospect, that may have been the better way to go. You could have stared contently at them, letting out a small sigh and taking in a deep breath of cool woodland air. But as they say, misery loves company, and so I thought it only fair to hit you head-on with a sweat-drenched, furnace-like blast of my summer reality instead. Besides, the longer I sit here and type, the longer I can stay holed up in my little office--the only room in The Shack with air-conditioning--before I have to open the door and step back out into those perfect pictures where there won't be any snow for months.

P.S. There are plenty of nice winter photos in the monthly archives located on the homepage sidebar if you feel like cooling off.

© 2007 FarmgirlFare.com, the sweat-drenched foodie farm blog where Farmgirl Susan shares photos & stories of her crazy country life on 240 remote Missouri acres—no matter what the weather.

Daily Farm Photo: 12/16/06

It's All In The Light

October 17th was, for some unknown reason, a really good day for photos. Here is yet another one I took then. And here's to hoping something interesting reveals itself around the farm soon, as I'm getting awfully tired of lugging around this camera and not using it. There are only so many pictures even I can take of Cary!

A year of Daily Photos ago: Where Did She Go?
A year & a day of Daily Photos ago: The Weathered Look Is Very In Around Here

Daily Farm Photo: 11/7/06

Walk In The Woods

A year of Daily Photos ago:
Did you know you can store your potatoes in the garden?
And we've done it again this year. Just dug up some beautiful red potatoes that have been in the ground for months. So full of flavor they only needed to be scrubbed, cut up and boiled, sprinkled with salt, and smothered with organic butter. (Okay, the butter was unnecessary, but oh so good.) Leftovers were pan-fried until crisp in homemade lard and served hot with lots of salt. What a decadent and delicious treat!

Daily Farm Photo: 10/29/06

I don't see colors like you do. Let's go.

Attention Dog Lovers! This is Weekend Dog Blogging #58!
Catch the roundup every Sunday night at Sweetnicks. Hungry for more than pup pics? Weekend Herb Blogging is for you.

A year of Daily Photos ago: Patchy Cat & The Birthday Party

Daily Farm Photo: 9/23/06

Autumn Is Here

Check back later for photos of the spectacular Farewell Summer Show the skies put on for me last night while I was tucking in the sheep.

A year of Daily Photos ago: Swing Shot

Daily Farm Photo: 9/18/06

Wild Mushroom--Or Miniature Alien Spaceship Crash Site?

A year of Daily Photos ago: This Is My 100th Daily Farm Photo

Wow. Time sure has flown by. It's hard to believe the 500th Daily Farm Photo will be here next month. Never in my life did I imagine I would ever be taking this many pictures. It has been so wonderful to capture all of these priceless moments on the farm. And I am just thrilled to be creating a visual record of my life here. I love looking back at what was going on a year ago, a month ago, even a week ago. Last year these amazing sunflowers (which are the subject of both the 100th & 200th daily photos) popped up in a pen across from the barn, and I couldn't get enough of them. They never appeared during the five previous summers I've lived here, and they didn't come up this year. But now I can dive into their mesmerizing beauty whenever I want. If you'd like to see the 200th, 300th, & 400th Daily Farm Photos, click here and here and here.

And for those of you who have asked me what kind of camera I use, look over in the sidebar under the "About Me" paragraph, or click here (where you'll also get a sneak preview of the new Farmgirl Fare Favorites Amazon Store I created but haven't officially announced yet).

P.S. I just looked up the word "moment" in my thesaurus, and one of the phrases it listed was "two shakes of a lamb's tail." How perfectly fitting.

Weekend Dog Blogging #43

Morning Dog Walk Through The Woods--And Not A Leash In Sight
(A luxury loved by all of us.)

Attention Dog Lovers! This Is Weekend Dog Blogging #43!
To see fun dog photos and discover delicious new food blogs, visit Sweetnicks on Sunday nights for the roundup. And the weekly Friday Ark boards everything from canines to clearwing moths. If you prefer food to fur, don't miss the always delicious and informative Weekend Herb Blogging roundup every Sunday night. Catch it this week at Kalyn's Kitchen.

Daily Farm Photo:11/9/05

Top O' The Forest To You
(No raking here, just crunch, crunch, crunch as we traipse through the new view.)

Daily Farm Photo: 10/26/05

Where We Cut Firewood

Daily Farm Photo: 10/12/05

I'm Addicted To Our Daily Walks Through The Woods

You still have time to enter the Name That Sheep Contest!
You could win a sheep!

Daily Farm Photo: 9/28/05

It's Starting. . .

Daily Farm Photo: 9/22/05

Happy First Day Of Fall