Wild Moon Cottage is a small working homestead in the pristine Ozark Mountains. We have dairy goats, poultry, organic herb and vegetable gardens, a start of a tiny fruit orchard, several black walnut trees, wild berries and fields of wildcrafting goodness. We raise our own milk, our own eggs, much of our own medicine and food. I do laundry by hand, make my own vinegar, candles, soap, bread, cheese ........ For a living I am an artist and herbalist. My goal for myself and our homestead is to be as self sufficient and self sustaining as possible.

Wednesday, October 1, 2008

Merry October !



It's just about 50 deg this morning. I'm having coffee and carrot cake for breakfast and the day seems to be whispering of great things to come.

The henhouse has a roof now, sort of. I'm actually a very good builder. I've drawn up plans and built many things and they've come out wonderfully. This is not one of those times. The panels are severely warped and some of the screw I tried to use just stripped out right away and some even broke. Nik has named the poor thing Frankenstein's Cottage. And so it is. But the end result will still work and will do it's job quite well, I'm sure of it :)

Now if I can just figure out how to straighten the roof panel. The main problem there is that the only place to put the ladder is on slanted ground. I knew that and was prepared, Nik could hold the ladder while I climb up, but that won't work now because I need Nik to be on the step ladder inside and help me wrangle the whole thing straight so I can get a few screws in. I'll figure something out.

For the last several days we've gotten at least 3 eggs a day and once got 6 ! I'm sooo happy. The egg cartons are like treasure chests being filled with precious pearls. I'm not positive which chickens are laying white but I'm thinking it must be the Reds. I'm positive the Rocks lay brown and I know for sure the Aracuanas lay green. I chose the Buffs after much research because they lay brown and are good for meat (not that we'll eat them ... yet) The only ones I'm not sure of are the Reds. Anyway, I find I don't care at all. The eggs are beautiful no matter the color and when the greens start to lay we'll have cartons of rainbows :)

Oddly I'm almost as excited to soon be able to give them to our neighbors again as I am to have them for us.

Today we'll have BBQ burgers on bakery bread with baked potatoes and corn. Baked apples for desert.

Nik hasn't Trick or Treated since he was around 10 years old. I feel very abandoned by the thought and have visions of myself with a bag on my head (to protect Nik's identity) dragging myself along the sidewalks from house to house, writhing and begging for candies.

We still have Samhain feast each year with our beloved folk who aren't in shell bodies. But now instead of forcing my poor son to beg for candies in a disguise, we buy a bunch and watch Ghost Hunters. I do indeed love it but I miss all those beautiful little candies that all the people give and their finely decorated houses and all the costumed kids running amuck from yard to yard. What I don't miss are the very scary and horrible things, Samhain should never be about fear or horror, only remembering, joy, feasting and mystery.

I hope everyone's day is most excellent!

3 comments:

oldcrow61 said...

You remind me of myself when you talk about the building of the chicken house. I usually do things like that myself as well. As my grandmother use to say "She can turn her hand at anything." An old saying I guess. I too will be celebrating Samhain. A straw man will be made to welcome winter. Friends will arrive, we will be outside with candles and have a ceremony, bury some apples for the souls passing through. Etc. It's one of my favorite nights.

Phill said...

Frankenstein's Cottage - Very clever, Nik! LOL I'm sure it will serve its purpose nicely, no matter how it looks. Yay for the eggs! I've noticed many of us have Halloween on our minds yesterday and today - must be the month turning.

Granny Sue said...

Your poem is lovely, Gypsy; conveys the right feeling for the season.

I miss trick or treat too. We only get a few kids here so rather than buying stacks of candy that we'd end up eating (and don't need the calories!) we just give them a dollar each. In the long run it's cheaper. And the kids who do venture down our long scary driveway love getting the money. Of course, if word gets out we;ll go broke!