What's going on at Myrtlewood

Since several of you are coming home for the Thanksgiving holidays (except Sam & Heather - we will MISS YOU!!), thought I'd let you know what's going on at the homestead.  Might be boring, but when I was in DC, I always wanted to know what was going on at home, so this is a good way to let everyone know.

The leaves are starting to fall, which means every day the pool gets full and have to sweep off the back porch.  We did get an inch of rain last week, which was nice.  Hearing we may get some more rain in the next few days.  The pond in front is still bone dry - it dried up in July and hasn't had water in it for more than a day or two since then.  We'll know the drought is over when it becomes full again.

The citrus trees are in full production phase now.  The crop wasn't as big as it could have been - due to the drought - but there's still more than I can handle by myself.  The satsuma's are ready to eat!  I need all the help I can get eating them, since they don't last too long on the tree (some varieties will last for months on the tree, so I have more time to harvest those).  The kumquats are turning orange and by Christmas they'll look like a southern version of a Christmas tree (actually, that's what they used in Louisiana before firs were transported from the north). 

I sowed some winter rye in the back and it's starting to come up, so Topper's field is starting to look green for the first time since last spring.  The donkey's are getting FAT!  I expect they'll be dropping babies any day now.   The chickens are all doing well - laying about 10 eggs a day (also impossible to keep up with!).  Once I plugged the hole that a skunk made in the wall (when it got the colored silkie), I haven't had any more problems.

Since I'm off work this week, I am putting up Christmas decorations.  But...I"m not the first in the neighborhood!  Somebody down the street got theirs up last week!  The inside decorations are up already...maybe in the next day or two I'll get the outside  ones up.  99.1 FM is already playing Xmas music.

Mom is filling up the icebox with all kinds of goodies, so I'm anticipating alot of good food will be cooked over the next few days.  Come home hungry!!!  Love, Dad