Visit to Martin Gardens Pumpkin Farm~

 After mat makers, Karen suggested lunch & a visit to Martin Gardens Pumpkin Farm outside Randolph, IA.  It was a picture-perfect afternoon. The temperature climbed into the mid-80's, but a nice breeze helped.  A little warm & humid after the rain.  Overnight a thunderstorm had rolled through & most of our area received anywhere from the .65 we had at home, to almost 2" of badly needed moisture.  The amount varied widely, even in town.  A friend just a few blocks away had over 1.5".  It was enough to freshen the air & wash the dust off everything.

Corn cribs, now growing pumpkin vines!

It was impossible to miss the farm!  We could see all the colorful pumpkins from when we turned on to the gravel road!  The two corn cribs were covered with still growing vines!  The cribs were connected by a wire walkway going behind the little gift shop.

Vines & pumpkins everywhere!

The four of us were on a mission!  Ardith wanted something unique & orange.  Juanita was looking for stackable pumpkins, the latest craze.  I wasn't sure what I wanted but decided on unique & soon found a few I couldn't leave without.

Ardith, Connie & Juanita~ (Photo by Karen)

With so many pumpkins to choose from - there were over sixty varieties - it took us a while to look around & be sure we had seen them all.  Small wagons were available, which came in handy for hauling our loot.

A wagon full of pumpkins, gourds, squash etc.!

The old wagon pulled up front, was a perfect way to display the amazing colors & types we had to choose from.

Connie, Juantia, Ardith & Karen~

By the time we felt sure we'd checked out every pumpkin, we all had a wagon with at least 3-5 larger varieties & some small ones too.  Finding pumpkins that stack was not an easy task, but Stephanie had several already made up.

Still on the vine~

We had been the first to arrive, but by the time we were done shopping, several more cars had pulled in.

A beautiful view~

Lights were hanging from the trees & I'm sure it's stunning at night!  It's a good thing Karen has a new car with plenty of cargo room!  I think it was riding a little low in the back on the way home!  Such a fun afternoon & gracious hosts.  If you live in the area, make it a must visit on your calendar!  Now to get busy with our fall decorating!  

Precursor to Fall ~

A cooler day, after a very light rain at home & I decided to go over to ride the trail.  Speaking to Mari Jo, they had received more rain than we did & she expected the trail to be sticky & soft in places.

Smokey by the field of Soy Beans~

It wasn't bad at all leaving Silver City.  Very nice to have the dust gone & such fresh air.  I hadn't gone far at all though, when I realized I was working much harder than usual.  Sticky was certainly the word to describe it & it got worse the closer I was to Malvern.

Soy Beans - turning gold~

Seeing things turn to the gold's in just a matter of days - was amazing.  There's still plenty of green, but it won't be long until the seasonal change becomes more obvious.  The farmers are already starting to take the fields of corn down.

A wild grape vine happily climbing the Walnut tree~

I had to laugh at the happiness displayed by this grape vine climbing the tree!  I'm surprised I don't see this more often - but most of the vines stay within a medium distance of the ground.

Gorgous sky at the Malvern park~

At the park, the cloud cover returned.  For a while I thought I might get sprinkled on, so started back after talking to Butch.

Leaves turing on the trail~

I didn't get far before stopping for another photo.  The color of the day, the sky etc. was just too grand after all the summer heat we've had.  Silver Creek was running clear, even after the rain, which was nice to see.

Beautiful at the trestle too~

The humidity was up.  I'm so used to riding soaked to the skin, it will be a change when the temperatures do finally cool down.  We're due to break records for heat this upcoming week - 96 on Tuesday.  Following that - we're to drop to a daytime high in the 60's.  I'll believe it when I see it!

Walnut Cathedral~

The Walnuts have made quite an obstical course of the trail.  I was walking our woods this evening when I heard a "bonk".  It sounded like someone threw a rock at me :-)  No!  It was just the walnuts dropping nuts!  The trees do make such an impression on the sections of trail they dominate.  I love the feeling of grandeur.

Leaf Fall~

 Stunning - high clouds - mid-50's.  It had already been a week - again - since I'd been on my bike & on the trail...  We had our first freeze last night.  The weatherman said we're about a week or more behind on our fall color.  Nighttime temperatures had been so moderate up to now.

Say Ah...

Mari Jo is back from her vacation, she was walking Gracie as I was leaving.  We're planning on a ride next week.  Rain is supposed to move in over the weekend.  The farmers were out in force, harvesting the fields.  There was just enough wind to take the leaves off the trees.  It was like riding through a rain shower of gold.

Gorgeous golds~

The walnuts are almost done with the short span of yellow color they provide.  Some of the other trees though, still sport their green leaves.  It won't be long, until the trail will look more open than it has during the summer months.  This is my first year riding in the fall & I'm enjoying it so much.

Breezy~

Breezy wanted a fall photo, so we found the most colorful spot on the trail so far.  I was only going to ride to the trestle.  When I got there, I decided to go a little further, it was just too nice, not to.

Can you guess?

Above, is the absolute standout for color right now.  Can you guess what the vine is?  It was striking even from a distance.  I rode out to 305th, just a mile from the Hwy 34 underpass.  I didn't have as much time & the days are getting shorter.  My round-trip was eleven-miles.

Rolling hills of home~

I've been wanting to stop to get this photo my last couple trips.  Now that the fields are coming down, our wide-open spaces are wide open!  The terracing really highlights how rolling the hills actually are in our corner of SW Iowa.  All those gradual grades I work to peddle along, on the trail.  

I hope we see more of these amazing days.  Fall is for sure, one of the best season's of the year.  I don't want it to end~

False Fall~

 The title of this post is new-to-me term, but it proved to be 100% correct.  Our Omaha weatherman gave the name to last weeks stellar weather.  We had some totally beautiful days.  Temperatures in the 70's, a light breeze, blue sky, I marked several as perfect on the calendar.

Edge of the woods~

The problem is, it didn't last through even the weekend. By Saturday we were back to 90 & it's stayed that way so far this week. I was so happy to be spending September at home for a change, but 90 is a full fifteen degrees above our seasonal norm...

Volunteer Marigolds, with my Red Germaniums~

When I didn't get home last fall, Butch left the marigolds in the ground.  I didn't get them pulled until well into this spring.  To my surprise, I had marigolds sprouting everywhere!  Yes!  No complaints from me!  They've done incredibly well all summer!   

Mid-August~

 The hanging basket at the cabin provided months of colorful blooms!  Finally, though it stayed green, flower production came to a halt.  It came down when the fall decorations went up. The beautiful variegated lavender is now planted in the ground.  I can only hope it survives winter.

Flower bed~

I didn't plant the germaniums along the front of this bed, this year.  The trees have grown & there's now too much shade.  They did fine, a little further down the hill.  The first flower bed I planted, it's a reminder of where I started with this property.  

The Cabin, dressed for fall~

Two of the seven emerald green arborvitae we planted, died.  Luckily, Home Depot had received a few more that weren't totally dried out.  We replaced the two & they all now look like they'll survive.  With the heat, I'm back to watering.  Today, I cut down the echinacea & tossed the seed heads in the woods.  The butterflies were a constant visitor all summer.  

Fall is here!  Our sixth in Iowa on the Home Place!  We had one morning where the temperature dropped just below 40.  I loved the brisk feel in the air & look forward to many more.  Even so, we've had snow flurries in October before!  The days, that go on forever in summer, are quickly shortening as dusk arrives earlier & earlier...  One of my favorite times of year.  

Last Days of Summer~

 This is the first September I've been home in three-years.  I'm again, looking forward to enjoying the trails, in the more moderate weather of fall. With today's ride I reached 513-miles year-to-date.  September fourth of last year, (What ended up being my last ride.) riding Speedy, my total mileage was 542.  I'd fully expected to come home the end of the month & continue riding, but that didn't happen.  It's taken a lot more determination - to reach the milestone this year.  Looking back on my first few rides, it's been a long way & not just in miles.

Into the welcome shade!

It had been a week since I'd been on the trail.  As the trees start to drop their leaves, the shade is getting thinner.  Today, was forecast as the coolest for the next several.  Mid-80's didn't seem very cool, with high humidity coming up from the south.  We're supposed to see 90 again over this weekend.  This morning was actually brisk, with a low in the 50's.  A sign fall is around the corner.   

Crops turning gold~

I stopped to chat with Mari Jo.  We're both looking forward to riding, after the shop is closed for the season.  Several riders from out-of-state had visited, just in the last week.  Mari Jo was kept busy fixing flats.

Wild Grapes~

In 2020 my first ride was April first. This year, with early nice weather, we rode around Lake Manawa the first week of March. Even with an earlier start, this summer's heat/humidity didn't provide as many decent days for riding.

Breezy on the Trestle~

May 3rd, was the first ride on the Verve 3.  It took a while to re-adjust to the different pedal position in relation to the seat.  Of the miles I've ridden this year, 434 have been on the Verve.  

Leaving Malvern behind~

I still miss not having Butch waiting for me in Malvern.  It always provided the extra little push that motivated me on this long (for me) ride.  Our new rest break is the picnic table at the little depot.  No one was around today.  The afternoon was only getting warmer & more humid.  I ate a few pumpkin seeds, before starting back.

The golden corn left, soybeans - right~

The Malvern water tower is in the upper right.  The golden crops in the fields are another sure sign fall will be upon us.  Even the smells in the air are changing to drier, more earthy odors.

Creek almost dry, filtered sunshine~

Just a couple other riders were out today, neither took the time to respond to my hello.  Once back at Happy Trails, as I used Breezy' s seat to lift the bike & found myself holding the seat, still attached to the seatpost in my hand!  The entire piece had released from the seat tube.  Upon further inspection, I saw the threads were completely disengaged, under the rubber cover of the shock. 

Threaded ring at the top of the seatpost.  In correct position & tightened down.  The rubber shock cover usually hides this.

 At home, Butch pulled in just as I was unloading Breezy from the rack.  He looked at the seatpost, seat tube etc.  We both thought it strange, so decided to go look at his bike.  His was loose too!  Not completely disengaged, but about half-way.  Since his bike gets less than half the miles mine does, that made sense.  He thinks just the vibration of riding is enough, over time to loosed the cover screw.  I pushed down on my seat, while Butch tightened it back up.  Just an FYI for Verve riders.

Home Sweet Home~

Fall, one of the two most beautiful season's anywhere.  I'd missed the first couple weeks & the changes seemed swift.  The weather these early October days, has been beautiful for the third year in a row.  Mid-60's, a light breeze & only a couple nights when the temperatures have dropped below freezing.

Backyard - 10-4-2018

My first week home, I felt like I was in a daze.  Linus said to expect one day for each hour of time difference.  I found that to be true.  I had to fight my way through the afternoon, when the urge to go to bed hit full force!  About 2 a.m. I'd wake up & be ready for the day :-)  I've decided that moving forward in time is relatively easy. Going back though, seemed difficult for me.

10-9 Mr. Squirrel in his fall colors~

Before leaving, I hadn't even begun decorating for fall.  But now, I was motivated to get it done.  My favorite time of year & I wanted to enjoy it - both inside & out.

10-13 Back Deck~

The deck has become everyone's favorite hangout.  Sitting high over the rest of the yard, we were oh so lucky to get the view & privacy.  Not as much in the winter months, when we can see across to the neighbors on the far side, but enough.

Lights on~

I'd ordered more of my favorite fall lights from Ben Franklin in Monroe last year.  They sent me four boxes & I hope they last a long while.  I can't even find them on-line.  There're a combination of brown, gold & orange.  The plant, lasted one more week before it's leaves started falling off.

Hoot~

Hoot - almost didn't make it.  He was one of the last things to come out of the woods.  He'd just been wrapped in a black bag.  He was also one of the last items to be taken out of storage.  A little the worse for wear, with a broken ear & the tip off his nose.  I used super glue & decided that his days of being out in the weather are over.  The deck is more protected & I can enjoy him from the family room too.

Hoot with Mason & Cassidy, 4-11-2010

Hoot's job was to keep Mason & Cassidy on the correct trail in the Homestead's woods.  :-)  One day the two of them were lost.  Butch & I were hiding to see what they'd do.  Mason to Cassidy;  "Cassidy...  There's Hoot!  We've been this way before!"  Cassidy younger but oh so much wiser than her brother replied;  "I Know Mason!"  Neither of them did - but they weren't in the slightest worried about it.

East end of the deck~

It kept my mind somewhat occupied finishing up the Italy stories.  With this weather, Butch & I are working on the old shed.  Time for the tarp we put over the roof last year to go!  Now, it's a rush to get a new roof on before the rain comes!  I'm already looking forward to February.  My winter visit with those five special Grand-kids, their parents too of course :-) & my special mare!