The Fall (appropriate on many levels)

First of all, I've had some questions about the "GREAT VANILLA EXPERIMENT" from my first blog...or second, I don't remember. The vanilla has been a resounding success. The first batch was started with Grey Goose Vodka and some very fine Madagascar vanilla beans, so the very best ingredients. The second batch was brewed with Smirnoff and some Mexican beans. I admit that the first is better BUT I know that the ingredients are better AND the first batch has brewed a good six weeks longer than the first. So today, with the first batch getting close to the halfway point, I added some vanilla from the second batch to fill up the bottle and and added new vodka to the second bottle. I think I'll continue to do it this way, using the second bottle as the brewing batch and the first bottle as the bottle to use. I think the Madagascar beans will finish the brew off nicely while it waits in the dark cabinet to be used in some secret concoction.
We've been fighting off some evil flu monster here. H1N1? No clue, don't care. The kids go for flu shots this Friday since Annie's diabetes and DJ's asthma put them at much higher risk. Greg's battling bronchitis and a painful back. I hate to see him out working on farm stuff in that condition but he's so hopeful that he can get the whole project done by the time snow flies....again.
I'm so busy nesting and getting ready for my surgery that I'm not actually getting anything done. I sit and worry about how to take care of everyone while I recuperate and what things I need to get to make life easier on Greg while I'm gone.
The tomato canning season is officially over. The plants have all been pulled up and the jars are all put away and my thoughts turn to next year's garden. I've already got the seeds I need and the plans whirl through my head for better, easier ways to harvest melons and zucchini while still maintaining my wondrous tomato yields.
I sold the extra turkeys. It was a tough decision but Byron just didn't fit my dreams for the perfect breeding Tom for my Midget White flock and Drummer turned out to be a Tom so my dreams of keeping Byron to breed to Drummer for meat turkeys evaporated. The lady who bought them plans to breed them though so at least they'll still be pets. She was amazed at how friendly and tame they both were. She actually walked Byron to the car. So the plan now is that we'll put the geese and Rosie and Jefferson and the Buff Orps in one house. The White turks and the Rhode Island Red chickens will go in the second house and my Easter Egger flock will be in the big house where we'll also put overflow baby turks and chicks next spring. Did I mention that I absolutely love those stupid geese? I so hope that I have a breeding trio of some kind. I'd love to sell some baby goslings next spring. Geese are strange because you get them and they're SOOOO cute for about a minute and they start to grow and they're gorky looking, messy and very noisy. When they finally mature, if you haven't gotten tired of them and given them away, they're magnificently protective, still noisy and messy but with such a cool personality that you just can't help but like them. They like to suddenly take off flapping eight foot of wing span and honking to the heavens like they're being chased by a wolverine and then they gather in the corner and giggle together like a bunch of school girls and wander back to the rest of the panicked flock.
The horses are doing very well. The lady who bought the turkeys asked me to please breed Fiona again and she would foot the bill as deposit on the foal. Hmmmm, something to consider I guess. We'll see how the winter goes.
So, I'm off to try a new recipe for red beans and rice. Gotta have it with cornbread of course and I made rice krispie bars so life is good here.