Happy fall to all!

Happy fall to all of you, my wonderful readers. You can just feel the cool days of fall in the air even tho it was nice an sunny today. The little breeze blowing made it kinda chilly at times. But I did get out an piddle around a get a few things done. My buddy Gene had given me a chair/step stool/ironing board and I took it out on the porch an cleaned it up and got the dust off it. It looks hand made and is an ingenious idea to save space.

Ironing board

                                                              

The chair

                                                          

The step stool I ain't allowed to have

                                                      
It has had some repair work done, but the design is still really neat I think. But he knew I collect old ironing boards so he picked it up for me.Think I will bring it in a use it and give my old new model ironing board to someone else. Gene had given me another old ironing board a few years ago an I use it to display a quilt. This one I think will be near the kitchen so if I need to reach something up high, well it ain't too tall to fall off of.
Later this evening I went out an picked cotton, yeah I grew some cotton to see what it looked like growing. Not sure what I will do with some lil natural organic cotton balls but I got some. See!

Cotton that is ripe an ready to pick.

Cotton plant with ripe cotton and still blooming.

 The cotton is a really pretty plant to grow. It can have different colors of flowers on one plant. Would make a nice border planting as well. Now to find a funky use for cotton balls.

Red Roselle

 This is my first year growing the red Roselle. My friend Deb sent the seeds to me and I started them in the greenhouse an transplanted them to the herb bed. Talk about big beautiful plants. These would make a hedge plant. The stems are somewhat woody. The part used to make tea and a lemonade type drink are the calyx. I picked a bunch of the buds off this evening an proceeded to remove the calyx from the seed pod. I just took a sharp knife an made a ring around the end that was attached to the plant an squeeze the calyx a lil bit an the seed pod will pop out and ya keep the dark red calyx to dry or freeze. Here is some good info on the Roselle if someone is inclined to grow it. I have been told I will try anything once.

Removing the seed pods

The Thai Red Roselle calyx ready to use , dry or freeze.

I really need a hobby, don't I? I might try making the cranberry sauce with the Roselle and see how it turns out. I rinsed the Roselle an have then draining and tomorrow I might freeze some in a single layer on cookie sheets to make drinks with. IF my tomorrow don't get too busy. We plan to butcher off the young roosters we have. I am sure my older laying hens will appreciate that as they are a nuisance to them. My friend Lori wants to come help an learn how to butcher chickens. She is a self proclaimed city girl the lives in the country and is willing to learn. So we shall see tomorrow.

Not much else happening here, so till next time, blessings from the McGuire homestead.

Stella