The Pool is Closed

Many thanks to all the family that came and gave a hand with this project.

This is the saddest part of welcoming Fall. The pool toys are cleaned and covered with plastic for the winter. The hum of the sand filter and the clicking of the pool vacuum are replaced by the snap of the pool cover. Of course even the snap will be replaced by the north winds that will roar in over the next month or so.


As we look around the property and note all the projects we weren't able to start this year, it's easy to forget all the ones we were able to accomplish. For example, we are half-way to having our x-mas lights up - nevermind that we never took them down last year. It was low on our to-do list this year.

Hmmm, what else? Ah yes, the fencing! We have lovely new fences and gates that enormously improve on curb appeal. And we are winning the battle of the Bells vs the blackberries thanks to Kubota, Husqvarna, Stihl and Lilly Miller. We've reclaimed an acre of pasture and natural horse shelter. An enormous amount of debris from previous owners has been transported and recycled. The mud pit behind the garage has been replaced with a framed gravel bed. The back pasture has been mowed and tansy has been pulled.

Tomatos and Blackberries have been harvested. Strawberry, Raspberry, and Apricot freezer jam has been put up. And this weekend we hope to dry and preserve tomatos in olive oil from a recipe in the Oregonian that a friend of mine shared with me. School clothes and supplies have been obtained.

Both kids have learned to operate the garden tractor and the youngest has learned to operate both the little tractor and the big tractor. The oldest wouldn't mind learning more, but it would have to be at night (no sun) and as long as she could wear fangs and a dark cape.

We still need to trim the roses, cut back the peonies, RoundUp the tansy, have a contractor install new gutters, cover the barn roof before we get hay, and find good hay for the horses. Then we'll move on to nesting for winter.