RhinebeckFarm.com

We have in fact skipped autumn and headed straight into winter, with bare branches and stormy skies.

However, our burning bush is making a late appearance.  Could it be trying to tell us something?

The phragmites surrounding the pond are in perfect health as they prepare for winter.

We seem to be bypassing autumn entirely: on Saturday we could see ice forming on the pond.  We put the garden to bed, installed storm windows, stacked firewood, and generally tried to be as ready as the phragmites.

This is about as close to peak foliage as we are going to get this year.  A warm, dry, fall has left us without the vivid colors we have had in other years.

Some of our star performers did pretty well, nevertheless.  You’ve seen this one before.

On Saturday, Sarah participated in the horse Halloween pageant at Southlands.  She and Hero (the Wonder Horse) took “Most Creative” honors for their matching panda costumes.

Today we visited the NYS Sheep & Wool Family Fun Festival at the Dutchess County Fairgrounds.  It is knitting ladies’ nirvana.

Not straying far from the ovine theme, Sarah found a litter of border collies for sale.

Back at home, Daisy took advantage of the continued warm weather.  It was in the mid-seventies both days this weekend.

Sarah participated in her first horse show at Southlands on Sunday.  Riding Owen, she won a third place and a fourth place ribbon.  She hopes to do even better next time!

Sarah showed nice form today aboard Owen at Southlands.  Next weekend she has her first show.

Jen rooted for them both.

Today we enjoyed Porchfest, Rhinebeck’s second annual effort to bring musicians to the porches of the village of Rhinebeck.  (Back at the farm, we have Porchfest every weekend, weather permitting.)

A highlight was seeing Al Wolcott perform with his jazz trio on Maya & Guy’s porch.  They had a party afterward.

Here is Jen at that party.

‘

This ghostly presence arrived at midnight Saturday.  Daisy seems not to approve.

In June, we talked to local haymaker Herbie Stickle about haying our fields.  He showed up today, having finishing up haying at Burger Hill.  We were very glad to see him — it’s about three full days’ work to clear the fields with our little tractor.

While the farm brooded like Heathcliff, we ourselves had a happy Labor Day weekend.  Erica & Geoff visited, and John Harris flew in from Los Angeles to join me at Pete Townshend’s Classic Quadrophenia at Tanglewood.  On Sunday, Geoff and I squared off for an amiable Iron Chef-style pizza-making challenge.

Today we climbed the fire tower at Ferncliff.

John wore his new Rhinebeck Farmers Market T-shirt.

Before we returned to New York this afternoon, John took a spin in the kayak.  Daisy waited patiently for him to return to shore.

We attended the Dutchess C0unty Fair on Saturday — my first and only visit this year; Sarah’s fifth.  Jen won a blue ribbon for her Rhu-Berry jam.  She also took two second place ribbons, including, yet again, a grudging one for her peach-lemon marmalade with no first place ribbon given.  The judges — whom Jen refers to as the “jam biddies” — are quite strict.  Sarah took a third place ribbon for her photograph of Daisy’s nose.

Julie and Stacey enjoyed the Ferris wheel.

Sarah declined our annual hostility-sublimating bumper car session.  Julie was kind enough to fill in.

We saw goats, bunnies, and cows — and even a livestock costume show where we saw a cow dressed as the wife in American Gothic, led by a boy in overalls holding a pitchfork.

Back at the farm, our ever-agitated hawks circled overhead.  On Sunday we scattered my father’s ashes beneath the hickory tree where, seven years ago, we scattered my mother’s.  Dad loved the farm, and he loved the Dutchess County Fair.  We were missing him.