With the onset of cooler weather, the prototypical fall activities have begun to make their way into our weekend agendas.

Like, for example, Burtt’s Orchard…which is one of our favorite places up here.

Okay sure it was 68°, which isn’t exactly autumnal (certainly not for northern Vermont, anyway…) and as you can see Daphne was in shorts all day…but the first round of Macintosh apples are ripe over there, so that’s worth a trip in its own rite.

Among other early ripeners were the “Wolf River” apples which had to be picked because of their name alone.

Oh, that wolves bears a little explanation I guess.

So it has become apparent that I have a thing about wolves. Honestly I have no idea when or why that happened, but the wolf has become a thing in my life. I just like ’em. Moreso when I can talk about them using Carl’s, New England 2 GPC packs-a-day smoker’s voice.

It was enough for Santa to bring me a “badass wolf puzzle…” for Christmas last year which has since been shellacked and framed and hung in the burgeoning Festival of Kitsch that is our mudroom.

Anyway, so there you go.
Wolves.
They’re a thing. Thus the discussion about the apples which, if I’m being totally honest, were actually a little dry.

On Sunday we were homebodies throughout most of the day, although we did go for a walk around the property since we were all getting a little stir-crazy just sitting in the house. Daphne enjoyed yanking the tree branches and smelling the pines along the way.

And finally, let’s do a Quicky Chicky Check-In.

All still accounted for and doing well.
And If you define “doing well” by the sheer enormity of caca they’re depositing all over the brooder, then they rank among the healthiest chickens that have ever existed. They’ll fit right in with our other girls, who turn our small porch into a poopapalooza after just a few days.

That said, the grumpiest chicken in the world there in the back is still giving me the stink eye every time I take her picture.

Okay, that’s all the time I’ve got for today. See everyone tomorrow.

j.s.