Moving Toward Autumn

I had just finished cleaning the barn floor, hauling multiple loads of sodden bedding and manure out to the compost pile with the tractor bucket. I decided that it was time to re-dig the drainage ditch, which tends to fill in over a few years. I used the tractor bucket, starting at the barn and working my way downhill:

I had to move to the opposite side of the ditch and move my way back up toward the barn before I was finished. I hope that I am now prepared for big rainstorms and snow melts:

I've been calling this the Carefree Delight, but I began to doubt when I looked at the website and saw what it was supposed to look like. I emailed the nursery owner and he identified it instantly. This is a Carefree Beauty and it is grown right next to the Carefree Delight. The similarity in location and names caused the workers to pull the wrong plant. He said he'd send the correct rose immediately but I asked him to wait until springtime, when I will probably add a couple more rose varieties. I did notice that both Carefree roses grow quite large, so I'll probably move this one and plant both new roses together in the middle of the lawn somewhere:

When all the other varieties of Daylily were almost done for the year, the Frans Hals variety burst into bloom and hasn't quit yet. It is by far my favorite:

This is a tall mass of weeds which I mow around whenever I cut the lawn. It consisted mostly of Goldenrod and Wild Cucumber in bloom, and Wild Grapevine not in bloom:

And I've kept bringing flowers to church on Sunday. This was multiple colors of Yarrow plus my Frans Hals Daylilies:

Another vase contained purple (wild) Joe-Pye-Weed, yellow (wild) Goldenrod and various colors of Sunflowers:

The Amish farm down the road had Sunflower also, but apparently a variety grown for its edible seed. The sweet corn was growing right next to them:

I was driving past my own place on the county road one day when I stopped and snapped a picture of my cows, filing past the horse corral on their way to the stock tank for a drink of cool, clean water:

And in many places along my road, the field corn was ripening. Spring rains meant late planting, but short season varieties and good drainage in some fields allowed them to ripen almost on schedule:

I used my zoom lens for a closeup of the ripening ears of corn. Yes, winter is on the way - but beautiful autumn will arrive first:

Martin Road, Town Of Bangor, New York

I was touring Brockway Road in the town of Bangor (see yesterday's post), and saw a shorter side road, Martin Road, which I turned onto just to see what I could see. There were old farm houses:

And old barns:

There appeared to be apple trees in front of this barn:

Corn fields:

Grain bins and multiple farm buildings:

A closeup view of the above farm, showing dirt piled all along one barn wall. I could only guess that they were installing a water and/or drainage line:

Several old barns, with what looked to me like an old milk room sticking off to one side:

I neared the end of the Martin Road but was taken with this structure they had build to support and display their vines. They'd put a lot of effort into making it attractive and interesting - and indeed I admired it and wanted a closer look:

I enlarged the photo when I got home to see what they had on the top. It looks to me like six of the seven Disney's dwarfs:

This was the last house on my driving tour, and I was happy to spend a few moments admiring this fancy arbor with its Disney theme:

McCarthy Road, Stockholm/Winthrop, New York - Part 2

McCarthy Road had begun rather heavily settled, at least for this rural area, but I saw more farms as I continued along, including this field full of recently baled hay:

There were long stretches of forest along the road:

And stone walls:

Old farm houses:

This place looked historic and I wasn't sure anyone even lived here until I saw lights on inside:

This old barn had been put to use as a garage for a modern vehicle:

This small barn was so old that I don't think it was used anymore at all:

I could see a large body of water, probably a beaver marsh, behind the trees and grape vines:

I passed through more forest:

This place looked too small to be a house and it was rather far off the road. But then I noticed the bicycle and the groomed lawn. Maybe it was a house:

An old farm house and barn:

Another old farmstead:

This square house had a welcoming look to it with its outdoor lights on because of the rain. It made a fitting end to my driving tour of McCarthy Road. I put my camera away and continued on to the Agway store to buy feed: