Central NY Farm Progress Days

We went over yesterday morning. Pretty spot....lots of shiny metal. Only saw a couple of people that we knew though.

Odd

Funny little beaver dam at the outlet of Weaver Lake near Richfield Springs. Usually one would expect at least a good-sized stick or two in such a structure. Maybe even a real log. However, this beaver, evidently an amateur, chose to find.....a shrubbery....or several. I see some Red Osier Dogwood in there and some other odds and ends from the stream bank.

There was quite a well-defined path to this tiny structure, whether made by beaver or fisherman I do not know. I will be most surprised if this is still here the next time we visit.

Venison Stew

We are between beeves right now. Just a couple of packages left from the last one. Next one still out on the hill eating grass. 

However, everyone is working outside today and will want a hearty meal....so...

Venison stew. This is how I do it....

Toss some cubed venison into melted butter, in the right sized pot for the mob. Five-quart today. Or into oil. Or your choice of fat du jour. Venison is lean; it needs the enhancement of some fat or oil.

Next mince some garlic and toss it in there too. Or garlic powder if you don't have fresh. Onion if you want it.

Summer time-pick some thyme, oregano, orange mint, top onions, etc. ...whatever is out in the garden. Chop and add.

Winter time-Italian seasoning works fine. I also have a big jar of basil, thyme, oregano and orange mint that I grew and dried a couple of years ago. That goes good too.

Saute slowly until the meat is good and brown. This is an all day dish.

Add a couple tablespoons of vinegar and cook a bit longer. Vinegar tenderizes and smooths out the potentially gamy flavor of wild meat. I am lucky enough to cook after a  talented butcher, so gaminess is rarely an issue but.....

Add water enough to cook some carrots and potatoes, cubed the way you like them. Toss in a couple of beef bouillon cubes if you need a little saltiness. Add a little of whatever is in the garden or freezer if you wish. This batch will get some mature green beans, as the garden is full of them. Even a couple of diced tomatoes can be good. 

Simmer slowly for a couple of ages, hours or so until everything is tender. If you are a dairy farm mom like I used to be, you can cover the pot and do this in the oven on moderate heat...say 325 or 350. I even made soup in the oven back when the house was where we came when the work was done. 

There are a lot of ways to thicken this. I generally add a large can of cream of mushroom soup. Not exactly gourmet, but, hey, we like it. Then if when nearly ready to serve it is still not thick enough I add some instant mashed potatoes. Or flour and water. Or Bisquick and water. Adaptable. Yep.

Beef is done in pretty much the same way....when we have beef. With it already feeling so much like fall, I expect this will make a pretty popular supper for 7 tonight. Or maybe 6 if Peggy wants chicken tenders instead. 

Owling at the Moon

Ren, baby sitter, ratter, and owl hound

I wake up like a mother, quick and worried. Thus when the soft, scratchy, tap-tapping came at the bedroom door last night at about half past midnight, it didn't take me long to find out what was up.

Turned out the kids' dog, Ren, had been growling and waking them up for a while downstairs where their place is. When they finally woke up enough to realize what was going on they heard an owl right outside their window. 

I have left instructions to awaken me if ever an owl is heard.....

So, once downstairs I went to their room, where of course not a sound could be heard.

Figures.

However, I went outside to watch and listen....maybe....just maybe....

The moon was silvering up the place, shiny and bright as day almost. I would have been happy to be awakened just to go outside to enjoy it.

However, there it was....from up in the old apple orchard came a distant, Hoo Hoo, Hoo, hoo, hoo...

I hooted back. From in front of the house came a much louder response and then another call from the backyard where the first bird had flown. 

I stood and listened for a bit, reveling in the wildness and smelling their probable target species all around.

Not one, but TWO, Great Horned Owls right in the house yard. We knew we had them....feathers almost every year up in the Heifer Woods. But hearing them was amazing. Probably if I had wanted to stay out in the gleaming midnight I could have seen them too, but I really didn't want to disturb their hunt. 

Plus....I am not exactly a night owl myself....

We all Remember

A few days after 9-11 I was on the floor, dragging things out from under Alan's bed to pack or toss.
I found this shirt in my hands. It is stored now in my top dresser drawer, with bringing the baby home from the hospital outfits and a bag left to me by a best friend who is gone.

What we were doing when our world was torn apart. My mother remembers Pearl Harbor and how she and her cousins overheard the adults downstairs expressing their horror.....

I remember being in class, 1963, mid-afternoon on a Friday late in November, when suddenly our teacher hurried out into the hall, and trotted away, simply leaving the class alone and unattended. We could see other teachers hustling down the hall toward the office, classes abandoned, lessons forgotten.

Something big was happening. Something bad. We sat in our seats, whispering, rustling papers, and looking around outside....what was going on?

 It was scary.

Then came an announcement over the loudspeaker. Our president had been assassinated. In those days we didn't have social media to foment flavor-of-the-week outrages...he was pretty much beloved. We were sent home early, but didn't feel that usual sense of magical freedom that an early dismissal usually provided. We were too stunned.

I remember even better sixteen years ago today. At exactly this moment in the morning one of the planes took off from Logan Airport. I had shifted the kids out to the school bus and was packing, an endless job for a family of five pack rats, who had had fifteen years in a huge house to accumulate stuff. 

The boss's mom had passed away on my birthday in July and we were slowly moving into her house...this house...here on the farm. The boss was milking and feeding alone that day.

I had the radio in the kitchen tuned to BUG country, listening to Frank Alford's morning show as was my habit. Something in his voice made me leave the front of the house where I was working to go back to the kitchen where the radio was, only to hear that the first plane had hit the World Trade Center. I trotted back to the living room to turn on the TV.

At first no one knew what was going on. It seemed as if it might be accidental. Then came the second plane.... I hurried to the farm, helped the boss finish milking, then we went and got the kids from school, and to the store to buy emergency supplies.

Today people take the latter for granted. Stores empty of bread, water, milk and TP whenever there is a threat, be it weather or otherwise. That day everyone thought we were nuts.

Later my boss at the paper told me that one of the planes made its fateful turn toward NYC right over the city where the paper is based. 

It was eerie in following days with no planes left in the sky.

We were missing the boss's mom, Grandma Peggy, something fierce, but we were almost glad she missed the horror of that day and those that followed.

And today, we will all remember again. What we were doing. What we thought and how we feared. How our country pulled together for a while, somewhat like it is doing now with all the disasters coast-to-coast.

 What were you doing when the world stopped turning?

Dog and Pony Show

I would be lost without dogs to care for and in fact they are my first task of the day. Mack out. Finn out. Fresh water if anyone needs it. Clean Finn's run if it needs it. Often do it all with my binoculars hanging around my neck...just in case, you know.

This morning I didn't bother with the bins, so of course the yard was full of warblers. Most of them moved along before I got back outside after my little chores, but I did see two Tennessee Warblers later in the morning...new ones for me and species number 100 for the annual farm count, a record! Lots of time left to chase warblers too and with the new binoculars Alan got me I can actually get pretty good looks at them.

Anyhow, since I am already out and about and I can hear them banging around wanting breakfast, feeding the ponies their first hay has been added to the doggy part of the morning show.

I like it....nothing like a barn early in the morning and I sure do like ponies.

Up in the Cedar River Flow

These peeps visited last weekend and despite the terrible weather,
a good time was had by all

First Day of School

Waiting for LIght

This is Becky's photo of the doll she crocheted for the fair,
which she gave to Peggy when it came home.

Oh, the sun is up and all...and for a change there is some sun....but it is too foggy to tell a House Sparrow from a rooster, except that the latter is crowing his head off. So I'm waiting.

The fog will burn off soon enough as the sun creeps over the trees to the east. Then it's out for a little hide-and-seek with warblers.

I thought of my dear friend from Ohio yesterday as a little Wilson's Warbler came cheerfully out of the brush to inspect me..... thoroughly. What a delightful little fellow, yellow as a buttercup with a small black cap on the very top of his head. He didn't leave until I tried to raise the camera.

Warblers are about the most elusive birds you could imagine, except for Wilson's, Yellow-rumped (sometimes) and Common Yellowthroats. Those three will come right out of the bushes and hang around looking at you while you look at them. It is so companionable. Every fall some Wilson's or other will pop out and check me over, for all the world like an emissary from my dear friend. So, Cathy, if you sent him...thank you....

Meanwhile, it is impossible not to worry...a lot...over dear friends and close family who are in harms way with the terrible storms and fires. I feel kind of guilty planning a walk out on the land while people I love are racing for safety or battening down for the big wind, or gasping for air out west. Indeed even here in Eastern NY we are all sneezing and wheezing, I believe from the smoke from those Hell fires out west. 

Peggy's first day of pre-school today at Mom's Morning Out in Fonda is today. Becky and Alan both attended there and had a wonderful experience and lots of fun. We are all wondering if they still have the big wooden barn Ralph and I built and Liz donated....we built her another one, of course. That one is in the living room right now, full of horses and such....

I Hope

Yellow-rumped Warbler from Cape May...photo by Alan

You aren't getting tired of birds. I'm sure not!

I was just getting ready to take some laundry upstairs to hang it up when I glanced outside.

The yard was full of warblers. I have been seeing a few, but these were everywhere. Quickly saw the first two Wilson's of the year and a Magnolia, and then all these other ones that wouldn't hold still while I tried to ID them. A fat green one. A brown one with a cap...probably a Palm, but darting in and out among the dead vines on the barn too fast for me to follow. Probably another Blue-winged, but too far away to be sure. And lots that were just blurs behind leaves, too far, too fast, too dark out.....

It was like Cape May, only with more than one kind of warbler. I sure like this. Now if only I knew what the fat green one was....

American Redstart from earlier this year

For Ellie

My friend Ellie in Florida has asked me to ask you to include her state in your prayers. No problem with that. I love Florida. We have tons of  blog friends there and lots of dear family as well. Here's hoping Irma goes back out to sea or sends her waters where they are most needed... to put out the horrific fires.

Sanderling

From Ellie, "I am waiting to see if Irma gives us a direct hit or turns to the east. It is a cat 5 now and should be here by the week end. If it gets into the gulf it can turn all ways from Texas to Florida. Please add Florida to your prayer list. So many farmers here that stand to lose every thing if we get hit by a cat 5. I am on the highest elevation if the area so probably no flooding. If I flood the whole town will be under water by then. Prays please and asks your blogging friends for prayers for Florida."

Photos from our most recent trip to a state that I love

Not a Ford

I asked him to stand next to this Cottonwood for size reference....

Falcon that is, but rather TWO Peregrine Falcons at the Amsterdam Gateway Overlook Bridge. They were seen Saturday on a bird walk that I missed and we went down to see if we could find them this morning.

The light was questionable, the air heavy and full of a sense of the storms this afternoon may bring. The boss is good to me though, and joined me in a walk all the way from the Port Jackson boat launch to the east end of the park.

It was fun and we saw some birds here and there, but nothing special. Still a good morning walking out for birds is a good morning and that is all there is to it. By the band shell thingamabob the boss sat down on a convenient bench. Once I got done running around looking at Song Sparrows I joined him.

We talked and rested from our walk. Suddenly an unfamiliar cry came from just across the river. Two duck-sized birds were racing by, under the bridge and away. Two Peregrines! Just the birds we had come to see. One was carrying a small prey creature, looked kind of fish-like although it was probably a bird. It was grey anyhow.

Don't know why they are visiting Amsterdam, but wouldn't it be great if they nest nearby next year? I saw a pair earlier this summer in NYC, and have even counted them over the farm a couple of times, but it was really neat to find them like that.

I Stepped Out

Into this eerie green and yellow light, hoping to somehow capture it on camera. (Fail) I am supposed to be working on the Farm Side, but some weeks it is a struggle even when I know what I want to say....this is one of those. (Fail again.)

As I opened the back porch door a Ruby-throated Hummingbird paused in mid-flight to inspect me....and stayed....and stayed.....almost within the door opening.

We contemplated each other, her bright fringe of white edges on her tail feathers glowing against the greeny-black of the mulberry trees. How apt to name these tiny birds after jewels. Even without the gleaming red gorget of the males, this little bird fairly burst with colors like diamonds and emeralds and bright obsidian. When she finally flew it was obviously reluctantly. She kept buzzing back at me.

I took down the feeder last week, as the nectar seemed to be spoiling too quickly, and with the plethora of flowers, the birds weren't visiting much anyhow.

She doesn't seem to hold any hard feelings though. Or maybe she just wanted me to go away so she could visit the bright red geranium hanging there by the back door......who knows....

Btw, I see as many hummers up in the fields and in my favorite warbler spot as I do down here near the house...maybe more...they are intrepid little creatures for sure. I'm going to miss them....

Little Brown Birds

Two little brown birds. Two different species

This one is an Indigo Bunting

And the one on the left is a House Sparrpw

They're everywhere, they're everywhere!

Carolina Wren,
This year's hatch I believe,
based on the little bit of yellow at the base of the bill, and its behavior,
 all begging baby flutter and very tame.

Song Sparrow, also a youngster. We seem to have pretty much all the
Song Sparrows in the world, gathered here at the farm,
and almost every one of them has a different feather pattern.
They drive me nuts.

Cold Enough

Common Yellowthroat, a favorite warbler, so confiding and friendly

To charm the feathers off the crickets. If you don't believe me, go out and check your yard. I'll bet not one single cricket has any feathers left. They are quiet too, stilled by the chill, or perhaps just embarrassed to be featherless and all.

First ripe tomato yesterday, with BLTs for the supper the result of that. Second crop of lettuce is ready as well, in a window box on the sitting porch, so that worked out pretty nicely.

Enough string beans to fill a shopping bag to overflowing have been frozen. Hopefully the frost will hold off so I can get a few more. Pulled out all the squash yesterday though. Squash mosaic virus doesn't affect the edibility of the fruit, but, my word they are ugly. It's a disease that is hard to avoid. It comes in on infected seed and lingers long in the soil Oh, well, I didn't really want to freeze squash anyhow.

Cold enough that I am washing and airing blankets for winter....

You should see the Black Walnut tree our friend gave me as a seedling that is planted down below the driveway. Just hanging with enough nuts to fill a hundred squirrels.

Every Box Elder tree is hung with enough samaras to bury a small car. The Winesap apple is burdened down with fruit, small, but in wild quantities. This may be its last year as it is splitting badly. Hey, Mappy, do you want to make cider again this fall? Any time after first frost those apples will be getting juicy.

One of my self-appointed daily tasks is to kick all the fallen fruit down the hill to the lower driveway where the chickens will find it and gobble it up. The hard, green and pink orbs are a menace to old fogies walking down the hill on the walkway under the tree, so I get rid of them. 

The kids did good at the fair with birds and crafts. Liz won both grand and reserve grand champion with the Call Ducks. I do love those silly birds and miss them now that they are over at the show. They are all noisy, Mallardy, splashy in their pool, and bathtub-toy-cute all at the same time. I get a giggle every time I walk past their coop and they announce my presence to the world.

Becky got blues with both the crochet projects she entered, a mermaid and a little Teddy horse, both cute and well done. She has come a long way for a woman who taught herself using YouTube videos. 

Cape May Observatory's migration radar photo. Wow!

Good birds of the week: Common Nighthawk right outside the living room window. Pair of Red-Shouldered Hawks soaring almost beyond reach of the naked eye over the old horse pasture. With binoculars I would see the white crescents in their wing tips that told me what they were. Magnolia Warbler on the feeder arbor eating spiders I think. Gave me a great view as it picked over an old deer skull hanging there. Another first for the farm.