We Need A Little Help

 Seven years ago, two little lambs came to live on the farm.  One was white.

One was black.

Both were almost too cute for words. We were smitten.  Their Mama, Gracie, was the sweetest old sheep and she came as part of a package deal.

Years passed and, sadly, so did Gracie.

And now we are left in a quandary.  We are hoping that maybe you can help.  Could you help us find our black sheep?  We just don't know where she could have gone.

We look out across the pasture, and all we see are two dirty-brown sheep. 

It's certainly puzzling.

At least her nose is still black!

We had another lovely, cooler, cloudy day again yesterday.  

I spent much of the day scouring my favorite briar patches for blackberries.  They are large and luscious this year... the biggest berries ever!

I spent way more time searching for berries that I had intended, but, I found so many that I hated to have them shrivel up on the plants.  And so, I risked limb and skin (those jaggers are nasty) to harvest as many berries as I could.  They'll make the best pies and jam this winter!

You might notice behind the berries is a jar of gladiolas.  They are lovely at this time of year, but they always fall over... so they become indoor arrangements.

Photo credit - Hubbs

Yesterday was also baking day.  I had mixed up some multi-grain, seeded sourdough on Tuesday and let it out on the counter to rise overnight.  As you can see... rise, it did!  It started out at the level of my finger and rose like crazy!

It made the most beautiful loaf....chewy crust, soft, airy crumb.  A perfect loaf -  (They don't always turn out  quite this nice.)

While the oven was already hot, I also roasted a bunch of tomatoes.  I will freeze these for use in recipes this winter.

Guinea update:  Quite unbelievably, our guinea teens return to the duck house to roost each night. 

 I had thought perhaps they would begin to roost in the tree next to the barn, but it seems they prefer the duck house.  Now that they are almost full grown, the single roosting rail that is in that house has gotten too small for all of the birds.  Hubbs added another roost, perpendicular to and higher than the first roost.

It took them no time to find it and figure it out.

I must also add that this group of birds is now free-ranging all over the farm.

  And still, each night, they return home to roost.  What good guineas!