sharing sheep

Tomorrow, a woman will come to see the flock and decide how many she will take home. I'm gifting a small starter flock to someone who's come highly recommended and am looking forward to meeting her and having her meet the sheep. While losing some of these guys will be hard, it's the responsible thing to do and will benefit all of the sheep in the end - not to mention the pasture and mucking pieces.

ending another growing season

Today will be spent cleaning out some beds and preparing for the garlic planting, which may need to happen sooner than usual given the forecast. A cold, long winter's ahead -  snow is being forecast for  some places in Maine in coming days. But, here along the coast it is a perfect fall morning. Birds are active collecting berries and seeds and we've seen deer more than twice on morning walks in the past week. Henry usually sees them first, and someday he will not chase them. I am convinced. Almost two now, his puppy behavior is slow to subside.

The maples are vibrant and the oak trees are dropping acorns like mad, the metal roof of the barn sounding like a novice steel drum band some afternoons.
The changing rhythm, the shift in season pulls us along and the comfort of preparing for the coming winter adds to the richness of the season. Warm, foggy fall nights will subside to frost soon enough.