Pirates and Pumpkins with Auntie Lauren

Lauren has a fall break from teaching at her new high school in Denver. 

And because we miss her so much, she came and stayed 9 days with us! 

Highlights of her trip included a hike on the Muir Beach coast and a few pumpkin patch trips.

Harvesting popping corn at Ardenwood Farms.

Astrid and William came with us. They both rolled down the giant hay pyramid post-picture.

Kermit De Frog.

Left to right: Zeal, Avery, Astrid, William, and friend Erika.

The Wildwood Pumpkin Path a few days later.

Yes, she actually got on top of the guess-my-weight pumpkin.

Ducklings!

Four weeks ago, we started a fun process: hatching ducklings. The parent ducks live in our backyard coop, but they have not been reliable brooders, so we took matters into our own hands.

Almost one month later, 3 of the 7 eggs hatched. 

Neighbors Astrid and William came over to make a duckling maze. 

We learned that they liked to be together and will climb up maze walls to get to their sibs.

Full Belly, Hoes Down

About every year, we head to Full Belly Farm for their annual harvest festival called Hoes Down.

Chris and Zeal stayed home this time because Chris had been sick the day before. The Savilles and Half the Hansons went to the farm (all in one car).

Painting station

Jude cards wool.

The hay pyramid

And there is always Circus Bella.

A sheep shearing demo

Avery loved trying the de-kerneling corn tool

                                        

Good ole farm fun!

                                      

Mama's feet

Tula, Jude, and Avery giving Adam some farmdirt hugs

The nifty collapsible wagon we borrowed for the day

Happy Harvest!

Fall Into Gardening

Our garden had been untouched for several months due to taking care of Chris's mom, traveling over the summer, and then being responsible residents during the drought (i.e., not irrigating). So this fall, after a few early rains, we decided it's time to amend our soil and get ready for what may (hopefully!) be an el nino winter.

Here is an early weekend morning rich 'amendment' soil delivery. 3 cubic yards. 

Chris made around 20 wheelbarrow loads over two days and lay it all over the garden beds. Then he will mix the new soil into the old and lay straw over it. 

Soon we'll plant kale, chard, beets, and garlic for the winter.  

A side project (during nap time, of course) was transplanting Chris's mom's succulents. 

She also had a bird bath we added to our succulent patch. 

(Pictures of the final scene will follow in another post.)