Early Winter

Winter is definitely here earlier than usual. The frost is thick on the grass this morning. Our low tonight is supposed to be 18 degrees. For the next 4 days,  highs are supposed to be in the mid30's to the mid20's. Lows are supposed to be in the mid20's to the low teens. We're also expecting to have measurable snows over at least the next 2 nights. Not sure I'm ready for winter this early.

I'm still on antibiotics, trying to recuperate from the sinus infection and asthma that laid me low last week. Won't be going to the farm until I'm feeling better. Can't afford a 4 hour drive (there & back) when I can't get done what needs to be accomplished. Will be hanging out here in the city house doing some cleaning & chores that got missed when wrapping up the garden. And of course with the holiday's approaching, there is so much to do.

Found a new simple recipe for pumpkin pie. Perhaps it will work with the simple gluten free flour mix I found. Hopefully, there will be time to try it this week. Getting ready to put a turkey in the oven today. Will be canning most of the meat and bone broth, too. Turkeys are only 58 cents a pound this week. It will be handy to have the turkey and broth in the pantry. Since I have a chicken allergy, we eat a lot of turkey as a substitute.

Papa left for the farm yesterday afternoon. The deer gun season opened this morning. He was trying to decide where he will hunker down since he can't climb into a tree stand. We've seen a lot of deer on the farm. We've seen them down by the barn and seen where they have bedded down. They visited the garden across from the house & camper and helped themselves to some of the pumpkins a few weeks ago. Mostly, we've seen them in the south field. In fact, they hang out there a lot. We have to be careful coming up the drive, especially at dusk, since there are multiple trails that cross it. There are other areas where there are trails that they have been traveling, too. Last year we saw many deer until hunting season began. Then they all disappeared only to return a few weeks after it closed.

We're really hoping Papa can get a deer or maybe two this year. My allergies and our daughters have been increasing for years. We're hoping that the venison will be better handled by our immune systems. I'm ready to freeze and can all the meat. We may even dehydrate some of the scraps as dog treats. 

Here are some pictures of the deer we've seen in the past 6 months or so.

There were actually 4 deer out in the south field on this day.

Deer in the south field very early in the morning.

In the south field, several weeks later.

Papa is still moving slowly as he's still recuperating from his surgery. Hopefully, this will not interfere with his hunting. I'll let you know if he's successful.

God is good. Blessings from our tiny farm.

Mare