The days work begins and ends in the pitch dark now, though yesterday was warm, the day was gray. I know winter is coming, the light is dimming, but these last few warm days have been a delightful respite. 
L’il Puss The Scrapper’s bottom is kept comfy. He has very generously offered to keep the pump warm for me after the milking. He is good like that.
The days have taken a definite turn towards the sepia though. The colour is leaching out of our shorter daylight hours with nebulous baby steps in the wrong direction.
I climbed up into the tree house to see what I could see and discovered that there was even less to see from there now. 
The crops are gone, the grass is dying back.
Though Sheila (and Charlotte) are still hard at work, excavating the grass roots before the freeze. Little grubbers… well not so little now!
She is not going to be pleased when this is field is turned over, and resown next spring, and she will not be allowed in here for another five years. How long does a pig live anyway?
Daisy has recovered her long strong productive stride and is giving 40 to 50 pounds of milk per day again. Ten pounds is about a gallon. Everyone is getting a good share again on our little (almost) self sustaining farm. I made yoghurt yesterday for all the animals, especially me, it is a while since we had enough milk to do that. So today I will make a lovely fresh rosemary cheese.
Although the day was still and dreary, Kupa swanned in and brightened it up again. The Kupa Way is awesome. How his feathers have grown!
Can you spot the difference in the Daily View? 
Though the temperatures have not changed very much. 
I think today might be warm too.
Good morning. I hope you all have a lovely day.
Here is my thanksgiving tip. When you are prepping all those vegetables, pop the peelings, stalks, onion skins, garlic skins, apple cores and the sticks of thyme and rosemary – anything that is even remotely vegetable and edible – into a container and store in the freezer. Keep adding to the container as you work.
When things are quiet again – tip it all into a big pot, cover with water, add a tiny dash of cider vinegar and make your vege stock. It only takes an hour or so and homemade vegetable stock is a MUST. I make stock once a week, on the woodstove, using the weeks collected off-cuts. And the pigs (or chickens) LOVE the cooked vegetables that are strained out at the end. And it is free and Good.
Thank you so much for all your fantastic comments yesterday, it was a very productive session for me. I am, quite literally, feeling my way through this novel writing process and your words are greatly appreciated.
Have a lovely day.
celi
The Kitchen's Garden 
62 responses to “From Gray to Kupa’s Way”
That field looks as though the piggies have dug fox holes! Great stock tip. Morning, Miss c 🙂
Yes i sometimes wonder if they were actually subterranean animals and are trying to dig their way back home.. Morning Miss T.. c
Kupa is certainly looking impressive with his tail feathers splayed out.
Morning Alison, that is your kind of shot really! c
I’m so glad that Daisy is producing again!
So am I. I guess she has adjusted to the mainly dry feed diet now.. c
Kupa is looking splendid now his feathers have grown and he can now show and tell properly without getting stuck. Peacocks always remind me of India, not that I’ve seen millions when I’ve been there – it’s just that they are depicted in the art – and when I see Kupa I’m transported.
I was a bit wary of commenting or critiquing – it is after all your book, written in your style and I felt very conscious of not stepping on your writerly tootsy toes.
My toes can take it! And I think it is a good idea for me to bring things into the light sometimes .. it helps me with clarity.. c
that bird’s feathers are even more then than the word gorgeous can say. i wonder if we are going to have a bad winter, or a mild one like last winter. have you heard anything about it?
I think we will find out when it gets here, i am just crossing my gloved fingers.. morning terry.. c
morning!! have a great Thanksgiving!
Now keeping all the peels and off-cut veggies is such a good idea, your own veg stock… how clever…. your 50 000 plus is going to be a winner… I need to know whats going to happen… tell me the ending please…
OK, her first husband died when she was very, very young and pregnant with Alfie, he was being blackmailed (he had a new technology that he had hidden, may have been a rebel) , the second husband (not a good man, who was actually one of the blackmailers but loved her in a way and was the father of Mikey and Baby) turns up dead and in Jennifer’s freezer that was in the delivery van. She is oblivious to ALL this until she is blamed for the death of her second husband and goes on the run. She is helped by her first husband’s Dad and his hired man. Both have things to hide. In the end and much to our surprise, Paul, the hired man (who had been a friend to the first husband and knows stuff), confesses to Jennifer that he was the one that killed the second husband. There is a big reveal .. etc etc but did he actually do it? The reader will not be so sure not so sure.
Gosh in a strange way that all makes sense. Writing it down was a good exercise.
As you can see there are holes everywhere and there will be more discovery as I go along. But that is the jist.. thank you for asking..It really was useful to me c
Well I’m ecstatic at the synopsis… there is an author hidden in you, it sounds a magnificent story with all sorts of possible twists and turns… I’m really impressed…. gob smacked actually, you have a real talent at this…
Oh thank you.. that is awesome of you .. i don’t know what to say.. thank you.. I am thoroughly enjoying myself! c
I agree with Bulldog!
OK i give in!!! See above! c
We have similar weather here: the colours are fading. We wake to frost with a temp between -7 and -3 degrees Celsius, then the sun comes out and it warms to about plus 8 to 10. We’re just happy we haven’t had rain for about a week.
I’m new to your blog and I’m wondering what that structure is in the third picture, off to the right of the sheep. Is it a cellar? I have a small farm in Nova Scotia and I’m always looking for idea.
That is indeed a root cellar, here they also call it a storm shelter. I have not used it for storing roots in the winter yet but it is made with concrete blocks, and is at least ten degrees cooler in there in the summer, the sheep won’t give it back though, they love it. and welcome welcome to the farmy diane, now I shall pop back and look at your wee farm too! c
Thanks, Cecilia. A root cellar is in our plans, eventually, but for now, we use a cold room built into the foundation of the house. It’s small and fills up quickly.
Such hard working pigs! Kupa looks amazing and I bet there aren’t many farms where the animals get fed homemade yoghurt – wow 🙂
Good for their tum tums! And ours.. I loved your latest post Mad! Such good food.. c
Thanks 🙂
Lovely, lovely post from Scrappa to Kupa and beyond.
“The colour is leaching out of our shorter daylight hours…” Love that phrase. It’s so fitting.
I tried to resist reading your “spoiler” but in the end, I caved. I hope we will get to read more — I’m not sure how long I can wait!
Oh there are plenty of surprises and like I say I am not convinced Paul did it anyway.. and now the story will go back into deep writing mode again, and I did not want to be cruel.. c
Pigs live about 10 years, although they will often develop health problems related to the weight they carry. Most pigs are not bred/built to carry that body frame around past slaughter age. 😦
Thank you, In that case I will keep mine on the slim side, they have a diet low in grains and high in forage, (plus milk and eggs) so I hope they will live a wee while, excellent info thank you. c
My God Girl – you are awesome!
I keep thinking of doing something crazy like painting a peacock sitting on the door frame in the dining room. Think I’d like to “borrow” one of your photos of Kupa’s awesomeness, if that’s alright. 🙂
OF Course that is alright Veronica, I am happy for you to have any of the images.. let me know if you want me to send you a hi res one. A painting. kupe will be thrilled! c