Busy day....Halloween decorations, pig waters, and home made wine!

Yep....that is how my day went. It started like any other day.....full of expectations of the many things I wanted to get finished. It ended, like many other days....with a sigh. First thing every day is opening coops...feeding and watering the critters...making sure everyone is healthy and happy for the day. The FIRST thing I needed to do was get the push mower and mow the small front yard, before I could put the decorations out. After mowing... I went to get the lawn tractor from the shop, to move the hay bales I needed for decorations. Both of the back tires on the lawn tractor were almost completely flat. So, I get the tire tool and unwind the hose and get the tires aired up. After I put the tools away, open the big doors on the shop, I back the tractor out and bring it around to where the wagon is waiting with 3 bales of hay in it. I went to hook up the wagon, only to find that hubby left the hitch ball on the tractor. So, I walk back to the shop to get a pipe wrench, to remove the ball. After I get that off, and put away, I hooked up the wagon and brought it over to the front yard, by the flag pole. That is where I set up the Halloween/fall decorations. Dropped off the 3 bales, then head back to the shop with the tractor and wagon. Now I need to get the pig water barrel out of their yard and get the nipples off of it. The old barrel has a crack in it..so I needed to rebuild a different one. The new one is a LOT bigger which means I will not have to worry with watering them but once a week or so. I drag the 2 barrels to the shop so I can drill the holes in the new one and get the nipples in it. Here is the old one ( the smaller one) and the new one, and of course...Penny Polkadot watching to make sure I do it right. :)

I have a metal ring for the top and I plan to add screening over it to keep the leaves and bigger bugs out. After getting it set in the place I need it, I drag the hoses over, then go back to the house and turn the water on. The pigs were so thirsty. Poor babies. I filled a few water bowls for them to drink while I filled the barrel. #fatandhappypigs. Drag the hoses back to the house, stopping at the garden to water the beets along the way then get the hose wrapped back up. *sigh* After finishing with the pigs, I turn my interest to the decorations. In the garage I had 2 boxes of Halloween decorations. Some of these are home made, our daughter and I made the Head stones about 10 years ago. Once Halloween is over....I can pull down the ghosts and witches, add a few pumpkins and gourds, and be ready for Thanksgiving! I think it turned out pretty good...what do YOU think?

I also have a light on the flag...this stays on all night.

I forgot to get pics of the front porch...there are ghosts hanging between the posts. While I was finishing up...I looked up to see the UPS guy backing down the driveway. Hmmm, I wonder what is coming in today? I am expecting 3 packages. I was so excited to see that it was my new wine bottles, corks, and corker. WHOOT! It was so hard to finish up the decorations, I wanted to go rack my wine! I stayed true..and finished up..then rush inside with my bounty. After sterilizing everything...I bottle the wine and get the corks set in. This is my first tie making wine...and there were no instructions on exactly how to get the corks in the bottles. The first few I struggled with...then I remembered a video I watched the other day....I didn't soak the corks. Well, the wine was already being siphoned into the bottles so I didn't have time to let them soak too long. After wetting the corks, they went in MUCH easier. Here are my first 6 bottles of home made wine.

I guess I could have strained it a few more times...to make it a bit more "sparkling" But after letting a friend taste test it...she said...."This is your first time making wine? You did GREAT"

After cleaning the kitchen up...I put the wine in the basement where it is cool and dark. Next week I will start designing the labels. That will be fun. I want to try to design something with Heavens Door Acres on it. After cleaning up..time for a break. Hubby came in from work and we went to dinner. Today we celebrated our anniversary. 35 years. When hubby and I were young, we met at Frisch's Big Boy restaurant in Hamilton Ohio. This is where we go every year for our anniversary dinner. Not the same one, in Ohio, but one closer to us. We enjoy the food....and the memories. Now I am sitting here with my coffee...contemplating what I need to do tomorrow. Pick Brussels Sprouts, pull and pickle the beets, pull and can the carrots....I wonder what I will actually get done tomorrow. For now...it is time for bed.