Summer Idyl, But Certainly Not Idle

Yes indeed, it was a beautiful and busy summer. The apples began to redden quite early in August:

I had plenty of apples of various varieties. I really have no use for them now, but plan to feed them to the cattle when they arrive. I tried cutting them up for the chicks, but they weren't interested. This week, however, several neighbors (including the young Amish couple who harvested my cherries) have asked to pick all my excess fruit and I agreed:

And the pears were lovely. I plan to eat as many of these as possible:

The house, as seen through the apple trees:

The dogs on the ramp in their fenced yard. They loved to sit out there in the sun and watch me work. This photo was taken before PeeWee's arrival, which is why you don't see him:

I spent many long, hard days clearing the grass from beneath the electric fence:

This is what the final stretch looked like when I started. Weedkillers had killed the grass and weeds but they were still standing, shorting out the fence:

And this is what it looked like when I was done. I'd cleared just past that elm tree when this photo was taken:

The baby chicks were growing like weeds:

They were beginning to act like chickens and lose their cuteness:

I kept lights on for them at night and provided a lean-to where they could huddle if cold:

I often find birds trapped inside my barn. Apparently, they get in but can't figure out to get back out. This little sparrow was so panicked that he kept banging into windows. So I caught him and carried him outside: