Crunchy Leaves, Oysters, and Unlikely Friends

After spending yesterday morning in my sewing room, I decided to spend the afternoon out-of-doors.  Autumn weather will not be with us forever, and these lovely days will soon be a memory.

The dogs and I took a walk through the woods in search of autumn mushrooms.  

Always up for a hike, Bobby trotted along with us.

If you've been around here for a while, you know that I have a fascination for mushrooms.  I love foraging for the mushrooms that grow on our land that I know (beyond the shadow of a doubt) are edible.  In the spring there are always morel mushrooms and in the autumn I find hen of the woods.  However, yesterday, I was lucky to find what I think are oyster mushrooms.  

They were growing on a rotting logs... as oysters do.  They have all of the characteristics that I have read about.  Without someone who is an expert at mushroom identification to help me, though, I am going to forgo eating these.  (Which makes me a little sad, because they are supposed to be wonderfully delicious... but there's that old saying... "There are no OLD mushroom hunters."  Supposedly because they are all dead from eating the wrong mushrooms!)

Still, it's fun to "know" what type they are and to appreciate them in their natural state, right?

I spent quite a bit of time planting spring bulbs yesterday as well.  Between the stepping stones to Maven Haven  I planted 70 crocus bulbs. 

 That should make for a magical path this spring when they all bloom.  I also planted seventy daffodil bulbs around the base of the trees and around the perimeter of the shed.  I hope to forget about these bulbs until the day next spring when they burst into color... what a wonderful "surprise" that will be. (Even though I won't actually forget.)

I stopped to check on Chloe's neck.  Dr. Becky had warned us that she might have a reaction to the medication that was injected yesterday.  So far, so good, though - as she has had no untoward effects.

While we were having a moment, nosey Ollie came from behind me... sending the donkey gals scattering. 

Bobby had been rubbing himself against my legs, so I picked him up and put him on Ollie's back.

Ollie stayed perfectly still for several minutes, until Bobby decided it was time to move on and hopped off his back.

I then walked over to the pasture fence to pet MaryAnne who had come running when she saw me in the dry lot.  And of course, nosey Ollie had to follow me.  "Hello Pig."

The pigs are much less scary to the horses when they are on the other side of the fence.

I am happy to report that the teenage ducks are finally getting the hang of getting themselves back into their house in the evening.  Although they do get back in by themselves, it's not a very graceful procedure.

Look what came in yesterday's mail....

It looks like I am going to have lots of things to keep me busy this winter!