In spite of the unusually warm autumn we’ve had, we know that winter will still be coming, so we’ve been spending time this month getting ready! There are a few more chores to do now that we have the farm, but it’s not too bad. There’s the usual garden clean-up, and this year the Dadz is working extra hard to prepare us a much larger vegetable garden area for next year.


One thing is for sure – when we’re working out in the yard we are never alone, and we even get help sometimes!

Other times, it’s simply supervision and inspection:

Most of the firewood for the winter is stacked in the barn, but since we’ve cleared a lot of trees this year, there are still some wood piles around the yard. Cricket will be looking forward to putting that to good use this winter!


We usually see at least some snow flurries here before the end of October, but I’m not sure how likely that will be this year. Samantha will continue to enjoy some outdoor time, and come back this week to see a bit more about her second big adventure lately.

Even though we’ll get outside a lot in the winter, we’re still going to need some indoor activities for those frigid days. Thanks to the Trick or Treat Giveaway Hop, we’ll be able to compile a whole list of new tricks for Luke to learn. Have you seen Luke’s “Open and Close Doors” game yet? If not, check it out by clicking here, enter to win 5 different prizes (over $850 worth!), and be sure to visit each of the other 19 blogs to learn more tricks and get more chances to win!

There are so many things to do before the winter comes.
When it comes to gardening, help is always helpful whether it’s in the form of paws, claws, or wings. Winter is making a drive by but then back to nice. Yesterday we set a record at 84. Today, it’s in the 40’s. 😆
I’m glad we’re not the only ones with those crazy up and down temperatures! We might be settling into normal fall weather now, but we’ll see….
I guess you do have a lot to get ready! Don’t worry, we had a huge wake up call this morning with the weather, our first walk wearing a coat and gloves with temps in the 30s. You’ll get it soon! Sandra and Dolly
Oh boy…lucky you (not)! I at least haven’t had to get the gloves out yet, but I did have my coat out a couple of times. But most days all that’s been needed is a sweatshirt at most.
Such great helpers! Gotta keep cricket warm, love that picture. Sams outside pic is very nice.
I love that Sam is still getting some nice outside time. We’ve still got some beautiful fall days in the forecast, so I don’t think we’ll get pre-Halloween snow here, either, and even though I could use a snow day, I am far more content with 70 degrees and sun!
Our weather is finally starting to feel more like autumn than late summer now! While I’m not thrilled about the coming winter, I really do love the cool, sunny days of fall. I think the dogs do too.
It hardly gets very cold down here so we haven’t lit our fireplace in years. To be fair, Sam is kinda next to the pumpkins. Haha!
Yes, she figured that was good enough too. 🙂 Having a fire is one of our favorite things about winter, it makes it so cozy. But it can get overly warm in our house sometimes too!
I love all your “helpers!” It’s bad enough with two … I can’t even imagine more. Sam is such a pretty girl … does she spend any time with the chickens?!? I wonder if they smell the same – for her to recognize – as when they were younger. She cooperated for the picture just about as much as mine do!
Sam does see the chickens sometimes when she ventures outside. She doesn’t really seem to pay much attention to them though, they seem far more interested in her than vice-versa! 🙂
Looks like you have your work cut out for you, so it’s a good thing you have so many helpers!! 😉
I’m not too worried about winter – we don’t usually see our first week of cold temps until at least Thanksgiving. Sometimes it’s almost New Year’s Eve.
Ooohh…lucky you! We’re starting to see some 50’s now, much more fall like, but as long as the sun is out, it’s still beautiful.
We like how the chickens are “helping!” It’s a big job…you have a lotta property to take care of. 🙂
We sure do! But we love it so much more than our old, smaller place, even if it is more work. 🙂
I love how comfortable and happy the chickens look with their home and property. I can’t wait to see your big new garden next year! You guys are naturals at this! 🙂
Thank you! I’m already excited thinking about what we’ll plant next year. This year was rough weather-wise, and the harvest wasn’t so great from our small garden. We’ll hope for better…and we’ll be much more prepared than we were this year too.
We are ready for the cold to hit and hit is on the way. They are talking about some snow Thursday night. Of course, it won’t stick around, but it would be fun to get the first snow of the season under our furs. Enjoy the fire, Cricket. We love gathering around our gas fireplace on winter evenings.
We wonder if you ended up seeing snow? We have finally started cooling down to more normal fall weather, but we haven’t heard any predictions of snow – yet. Of course we all know, it can sneak up on us suddenly!
I hear ya… our backyard is a woodland somehow… I wonder that we have so much warm fall days but suddenly it gets cold… there is no junction nor a slow change… it happens over night… and we are in a hurry to get prepared for winter… sigh…
Mother Nature just likes to mess with us, doesn’t she? 🙂