Harvest of the Gourds

Paisley helped me bring in the massive harvest of batwing gourds and the few jack-be-little mini pumpkins. He was certain there might be a mouse in there!

I had to Google bat wing gourds to find out what their real purpose is. Evidently, they are good as utensils--like spoons and small vessels.

I only have several hundred of them so I am hoping to make them gifts to the expected visitors this weekend to the art tour at Catfish Corner. Cat included.

I also harvested eight BIG pumpkins and several dozen buttercup squash. We tried a couple of squash this week and they are very ripe and tasty.

Week before the show

Here it is Sunday afternoon already, and it has been a very full week. I made a lot of glass this week and I'm starting to get it set up into some fashion for the show.

I had Lois and Anders here for a visit Friday afternoon which was a welcome diversion! Then "The Petersen Girls" were here yesterday afternoon. This minivan of ladies piles out--they seemed familiar but being in my dotage, I wasn't quite placing them until the conversation turned to Luck, and that they are Stella Petersen's daughters. A long time ago, but were such fun customers at Studio Works, Luck. I was just a little girl when they were the young singers in church with their brothers--very talented! Early 60's stuff! We chatted a bit, and I showed them my shop and talked about the lampshades, etc., that they have from the Luck store.

I got a little pony time in last evening. The girls have been so bored lately since I have been in work mode. I brought them a bunch of carrots from the garden and a bucket full of kale. Favorite treats! Chy wanted to play first and we had a little 22' line action--which triggered Cerra and Emmy into galloping and bucking fits! It was so fun! Chy was so responsive--loped with me and was jumping barrels like a breeze. She tried walking the balance beam--a new try for her--she offered. I didn't ask. We tried the trailer again and, as usual, it's just so close. By then it was dark and I had to quit under the rising half moon.

Sasquatch and more coyote activity

Ma and pa coyote were out on the town again--and managed to cross the trail cam at 4 am.

A norwegian big foot was also spotted. Alert the media.

On the road to the tour

The journey continues in the preparation department. Setting up displays, pairing compatible colors and finding the flow.

This coming week will be all about making stuff and the next week will be getting everything in place for the opening and doing the final clean up.

I'm making leaf shaped ginger cookies during my down time!

What are you going to do?

That's what I think their little cartoon bubbles would say at this point!

This is the kind of shot I have on hand for days like this. There isn't a real descriptive photo for everything that has been going on here in preparation for the Fall Art Tour. Maybe one of the vacuum cleaner? Art being hung? Cobwebs on the ceiling?

Transforming the workshop into "art gallery" has been challenging since I wanted to have it look good (decent, not too messy) for a press interview. I was visited today by Pam Powers of the Leader-Telegram newspaper in Eau Claire to do an article about my studio and the Art Tour. Being interviewed is strange--trying to tell the story, hit the high points, don't say anything too stupid, and keep my mouth shut if there is a camera around. Pam asked some thought provoking questions that---well, I guess I'll have to read the article to see what I said because I think I was at blabber point by then. It will be in the Sunday paper the week before the tour.

She took pictures of the studio, but also some for rural flavor--chickens, geese and we even got Paisley up on Chy. The "children" who are normally full of cat and horsenality were suddenly having to be coaxed with treats to come out and have their pictures taken.

They Work While We Sleep

Don found a great wildlife crossing spot to put the trail cam and got some good shots of the evening activities. A young buck in velvet, a BADGER, and ol' Wiley Coyote were caught by the camera over the last two nights. (I didn't keep the many shots of squirrels and raccoons!) Our nocturnal visitors have been busy.

He had been thinking about setting a trap for the coyotes--especially since we have lost so many chickens, but with a badger in the area it was good that didn't happen or he might have found himself in big trouble. The badger and Don!

I noticed, too, that I need to adjust the date on the camera--unless I can take pictures into the future.

Mysteries Revealed

The huge umbrella leaves of the pumpkin plants have shielded their bounty from view. But they are out there and now they are turning orange.

The dry two weeks have taken a toll on those big leaves and now they are starting to sag and these big guys are peeking out.

Hardy Hibiscus

I love my new hardy hibiscus plant. It is supposed to be able to live through our Zone 4 winters, but I still have it in a pot on the patio. The plant is just a stick--about 3 feet tall with this gigantic flower that is at least 6" across!

It was a miracle it survived at all. The plant arrived by mail from a nursery and there wasn't a leaf left on it. It lived in the greenhouse all summer to gain strength and now is showing off its will to thrive.

The next step is to get it planted for real and hope for the best in the spring.

But, Wait! There's More!

The rag quilt got done last week but I just haven't taken time to update the blog. The many months (years?) it took to git 'er done was worth the wait. The guest room has been waiting patiently for this improvement. It was a fun project and didn't need to take that long, but was a welcome diversion from gardening and winter!

So, guests of Catfish Corner, you will be well covered and have turnips to boot (read on) !

Chick Day - Late

It was chick day here this morning when my order of a dozen Gold Star laying hens and two dozen Cornish broilers showed up at the post office. Most people have the common sense to get their new chicks in the spring. I thought we had plenty of chickens and decided to skip a year. Then the coyotes, raccoons and owls made their dinner plans.

Most of the summer we weren't shutting the door on the chickens at night. They go to bed way later than we do in the summer and it was just too much of a rodeo trying to herd them into their room every night.

The raccoons eventually caught on to our security breach and decided it was fun to go in at night and terrorize them. Owls probably took some during the day when they go out to forage in the pines and the last straw was having coyotes here in the yard at night howling and yipping. Egg production has gone to one or two a day. Horrors! I am going to have to buy eggs at the grocery store!

I talked Don's cousin Clint into taking a dozen broilers in exchange for his help on processing day (he and Don can decapitate---I don't like that part). It will take only seven to eight weeks of growth to have chickens for the freezer and probably four months before the Gold Stars start laying.

Waxing philosophic with turnips

The turnip harvest was completed yesterday and I picked the gigundo turnip--about 5 lbs worth. It was amazingly firm inside, too! I had to cut it into four sections so it would fit in my little waxing bucket. Everyone got dipped and put into cold storage. Just wait until people find out they may get one as a prize for visiting Catfish Corner!