This man!!!!!  Really?  Did I tell you that he's 72 years old?  Yep, and nothing phases him.  Now you know why we call our home:  Crazybrook Farm.

 

This time he's tying down the antenna to the corner of the house, to prevent wind damage.  See those guy wires?  They attach to the front corners of the house.  He had to lie on the roof on his stomach, and lean out over the edge to attach it to the hooks he had screwed onto the fascia.  

 

Where is Tim when you need him?

 

HAPPY HOME OWNERSHIP!!!

 

We finally found something the deep WON'T eat.  Creeping Jenny, Mondo grass and gravel.  And apparently, oxalis and morning glory.

 

Oh well.  Better get out there and do a little weeding;  oxalis is not my favorite, but the morning glory can stay.  

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

I'm telling you, this has been THE year for mushrooms.  We're seeing them everywhere!  This one was about 10 inches across, and weighed almost a pound. 

 

When we saw it in the woods, we both gasped.  We knew what it was, but asked Seek to verify our find.  Seek told us it is Chicken of the Woods, Laetiporus cincinnatus, another Polypore mushroom.  This one was fresh and beautifully clean, so we cut it and brought it home.  I double checked the mushroom field guide, and several internet sources for back up positive identification.  They all confirmed:  white-pored chicken of the woods mushroom.

 

Then we looked for a recipe, and how to cook it.  Lots of recipes on the internet.  It can't be eaten without cooking.  

 

Of course, we only ate a small amount, to be sure of no bad reactions.  All foods affect people differently.  It was fabulous.  The texture was like chicken, and it tasted exactly like chicken.  And we still feel fine today, no bad tummy reactions.  I'm going to make a chicken mushroom pot pie with the rest.  

 

Please DO NOT follow my lead on eating what you find in the woods.  I've been foraging for years, and KNOW what I can eat and not eat;  and I always double check what I'm not positive about.  You must always positively identify plants even before touching them.  Some plants can cause allergic reactions just by touching them.  

 

If you're not sure, BE SAFE, and leave them alone.  

 

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

 

 

I know this doesn't look very pretty, but it serves a purpose.  

 

The Echinacea was beautiful all summer, but now it has gone to seed.  See the dark cones?  They are full of seeds, and the goldfinches love them.  Every time we step outside, we see them fly off of the echinacea.  They will eat every last seed until there are only stems left.  I'll get rid of them, then.

 

Not very attractive.  Don't care, food is food, and this food is FREE!!!  And we love seeing the goldfinches.  

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

Meet Nasturtium.  Tropaeolum majus.  It is an annual, easily grown from seeds, and it is vining, and beautiful.  The leaves, stems and flowers are edible, and have a peppery taste, much like cress.  Just taste a tiny bit the first time.  It's an unusual flavor.

 

We sometimes chop the leaves and add to a salad, along with the flower petals.   We also use the flowers to decorate dishes for happy hour or dinner.  

 

Nasturtium thrives in poor soil, so you don't have to do anything special to grow it.  Just plant the seeds in May and watch what happens.  Not sure about deer resistance, ours is inside the fenced garden.  But a packet of seeds costs only 3 bucks, so it's definitely worth the risk.  Try it.

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I know you've seen these in your travels.  There are several on Five Forks Drive near Solitude, and a few more on Stonebriar near Crabapple Lane.  

 

This is Devil's Walking Stick or Hercules Club, botanically, Aralia spinoza.  It is native to the Eastern US, and grows up to 25 feet.  Mostly, they are seen as understory trees at the edge of the woods.  

 

Look for them now while they are fruiting, remember the location, and go back later this fall to see them when they've changed color.  They're pretty then too.  No point looking for them in winter, they are bare stalks with lots of thorns.  But once you know their location, you can check on them again in spring when they sport fabulous umbrella heads of whitish yellow flowers.

 

HAPPY GARDENING !!!

 

 

 

This is what Jon did the week of his birthday.  It took all week.  You can see it's almost done.  

 

He had to use a 28 foot ladder to do the top part, and it was a bear!!!  The last time he stained this part of the house was at least 5 years ago.  So this time he double coated it, and hopefully it will last a little longer.  Doesn't it look beautiful?  

 

He did declare that the next time this job needs doing, he's going to hire Tim to do the top part.  Maybe he should call him soon, and book the job.  Tim is one busy guy.  

 

HAPPY HOME MAINTENANCE!!!!!

photo: compliments of The Farmers Almanac

 

 

Today is the Autumnal equinox, when day and night hours are nearly equal.  Astronomically, it is when the Sun is directly above the equator.  Astrologically, it is when the Sun enters the sign of Libra.  In the Northern hemisphere, we will begin to see more hours of darkness than light, until the Winter Solstice in December.  

 

According to the Farmers Almanac, Autumn officially begins at 9:31 a.m. EDT, September 22, 2020.

 

 

I read in the Carolina Country newsletter that now is the perfect time to plan your spring garden, and buy your spring flowering bulbs.  You can get them in garden centers, and catalogs that specialize in bulbs.  My favorite is http://www.brentandbeckysbulbs.com  and Jim and Roxanne shop at  http://www.brecks.com  You can't go wrong copying Jim and Roxanne.  They have the best garden around.

 

We are talking about crocus, daffodils, hyacinths, iris, lilies, tulips;  and don't forget onions and garlic.  They all get planted in the late fall.  You can get onion sets and garlic bulbs at the garden center too, or from http://www.sowtrueseed.com  You get better selection from catalogs, even if you don't always get better prices.  Depends on your preferences.  

 

The selection is best at the beginning of fall.  But it is TOO EARLY to plant them now. The soil needs to be cooler to keep the bulbs from starting to sprout.  Late October into November is the best time for planting in our area.  

 

So BUY your bulbs now, and keep them cool and dry until you plant them in October into November.

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

We are members of Farm Bureau, and every month we get a newsletter/magazine.  It always has good stories, tips, and general information about North Carolina.  So I read it every month.  This month I read a short article on roadway safety that I'd like to pass along.  

 

Agricultural vehicles are on the roads now, delivering food and necessities, or just getting from one field to another.  And they are very slow-moving.  They can only travel at 20-25 mph, but need to use the same highways we use traveling 55 mph.  When you see them, SLOW DOWN, for their safety, and yours.

 

I thought it was an excellent reminder that we're not in the big city, and we ALL need to slow down.  That's why most of us are here anyway, isn't it?

 

HAPPY TRAVELS!!!