October Already?

Temps 40-50's, 3" rain, firewood covered, apple-pickin' done, hummer feeder brought in, boat fleet pulled out of the pond, stormwindows cleaned and going on, rare inside cabin cleaning top-to-bottom, in stages ... WHERE DID SUMMER GO???

"We miss Summer already"

Second and final bushel of our own apples ... Good eatin'
... Apple Crisp & Applesauce for the freezer!

What!!! More stacking!!!

Juicy!

Emma, Willow & Mya in a "three-way-tug"

Agility Practice ... 3 girls "Wait" while 1 girl runs!!!

Fall Color is coming!

Mya has learned to pick up dropped kindling
sticks when woodstove is fired up ... she's sooo
proud of her new job and then runs to the cookie jar ;o)

Moving Right in to September

As we're thinking of a Fall roadtrip, whether camping or trip to the ocean, the girls have started some new training to allow all 4 to walk together ... we've had one lesson: heading out, everyone tried to go their own seperate way ... then on the way back, everyone was tired/hot and started to get the idea ... PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE before adding the distraction of people!!!

Tandum leash-walking

One handler, two leashes and four dogs
(each pair coupled together at collars, with spare coupler
 to connect the 2 pairs if they get too rambunctious!)

Woodstacking  Crew ... one more cord to go!!!

Resting Up under Computer work station ;o

Labor Day Cruise ... gorgeous day!

Four happy girls after a great Agility practice  ;o)

They like to reach up and pick their own ...
family pole bean picking!!!

Mya has swelling under her tongue & now has a lump between her
lower jaw bones ... ? cause, but getting it checked out
 ... she was a very good girl at the Vets ... on antibiotic/antihistamine!

Road trip adventure to Connecticut to visit Gracie & family ...
wonderful time visiting and exploring their yard!

Wonderful pickin' of our own Cortland apples!

August ... Summer's Going Way Too Fast!!!

Now that it is August, the first sun illuminates the tree tops across the pond from the East at 6:30am, hits the "Breakfast Nook" at pondside about 8am and then starts deminishing behind the tall trees to the West around the yard about 3:30pm ... the Hummers (? 4) are constantly drinking at the nector feeder preparing for their Fall migration, the apple tree has lots of apples this year (no peaches this year) ... the various bees are flitting from flower to beautiful flower around the yard, the girls are enjoying their Blackberry/Black Respberry grazing, the tomatoes, cukes, bush & pole beans are starting and firewood stacking has begun!

Sutter is a hard task-master ... her crew is off on a project!

Watchin' the tomatoes ripen ;o)

The prickly cucumber "bit" Mya!!!

First harvest ... not abundant but it's "OURS"

Named our last duck to leave the pond "Jane"

Box garden (made with old picnic table) has green bush beans,
 daisies (from Judy) and pole beans behind ... waiting!

Emma's Muddy boots ... time for a swim!

Second harvest ;o)

Watermelons getting bigger!

Yummy berry grazing ;o)

Emma, Sutter, Willow & Mya 

Some of the beautiful Day Lillies :o)

Willow has on her "mud" boots ... one swim and they'll be gone!!!

Tart Cortland apples soon!

Ready for this year's wood delivery (green & seasoned cords)
last year's cord of wood stacked ... "and we helped!"

Says it all :

Summer Shots at "Our Place"

The Queen oversees all  ;o)
(Sutter 13 1/2yrs)

How can sooo much hair be groomed from one girl
every 2-4 weeks?

Tomatoes like pond view!

Trying "Sweet Baby" watermelons!
(girls love watermelon)

"Summer Kitchen" in 90 degree temps!

Girls at Tuesday Training Center in Westminster Vt

Purple Clamatus

Beautiful

"Birdie Furrr"
(to the birds from Sutter)

This photo of pup Sutter finding a glove on her first trip to Maine
will forever be etched in my memory ... still has that glove, although
a little chewed around the edges!

3 Black Ducklings all grown up!

Magenta Clamatus

 Father Hairy Woodpecker feeds suet to youngin'
(Peterson's Guide says males have red spot on head)

Start of wild blueberries
(last year was a skimpy 1 Qt)

Seasonal Blue Heron

Emma the "clean-up" girl (2 bumpers retrieved)  ;o)

Willow on a leisurly swim to retrieve ...
her ears and tail are the last to submerge and get wet!

(L) Mya & (R) Emma berry pickin' across the pond!

Emma like retrieving two at a time!!!