After the unseasonably warm weather of early October, a cold front moved through the area, bringing more than seven inches of rain in 36 hours beginning late Monday afternoon and ending Wednesday morning. We had more rain than we had had in June, July, August and September combined! The temperatures also dropped to a more seasonable high in the 50's and low 60's.
Wednesday afternoon I decided it was time to pull out a 'cold weather' project.
I had the squares completed for Noah's 'ABC' quilt. Wednesday, I cut the strips that would be sewn between the squares. Thursday, I fired up my Singer and sewed away.
The strips for between the rows are completed. They will be sewn in next ... then the borders.
This posting is a 'trial'. Normally, I post using the 'edit Html' tab. This time I used the 'compose' tab. What'd'a think?
Jan and Jim dropped the 'little people' off for a visit on their way to participate in the Columbus Marathon. Jim hadn't seen the new Morton building or the new toy therein...
Noah thinks his legs are long enough to reach the pedals on the Oliver. One day, Noah! 
We visited and had a bite to eat. K.K. built Noah's Ark with the blocks and put all the animals aboard.
Before going to Niederman Family Farm for JOHN DEERE "Git-R-Done" Days, we found a preying mantis minding its own business. Of course, we had to catch it to watch it up close...
It was a big 'un with very prickly feet... Only a true 'bug catcher' would be brave enough to hold a preying mantis!
K.K. and Noah, trying out some of the 'demonstration' materials at "Git-R-Done" Days. Then off to the corn maze... 
K.K. figured out the pattern for navigating the 'Lil' Sprout Route' right away! 
Then we were off to the 'playground' with a pirate ship. "AAARRRRGH," says Noah before whirling around to see what is happening. 
Then on to an 'L' shaped pile of dirt with huge pipes perpendicular to each end. How simple and an unending source of fun for the children! We visited the animals; sheep, goats, ducks, turkeys, piglets, rabbits. We watched the guinea hens lay eggs at random throughout the pen. 
We waited in line for a hay ride; some of us were hoping our wagon would be pulled by these horses; some of us were hoping for the JD. We got the JD. 
We stopped at the pumpkin patch. "You have to carry your pumpkin to the car," we said. The Columbus Marathon began Sunday morning at 8:00 a.m. Jan finished in 4:06:47; Jim, in 4:23:33. Way to go!
Four Chicago electric halogen vehicle work lights purchased from Harbor Frieght for under thirty two dollars. 
Use of new Craftsman roll-around utility table, purchased on sale, plus the use of assorted tools needed for necessary modifications. 
Lights on the fenders of the John Deere: priceless!
Sunday was the first-ever Frontier Ohio River Bicycle Tour (FORBT) sponsored by the Cincinnati Cycle Club. There were three hilly routes on the Ohio side of the river (23, 42 and 61 miles) and three hilly routes on the Kentucky side of the river (25, 39 and 62 miles). Then there was the really hilly 98 mile route!
We arrived at Georgetown High School at 5:30 in the a.m. with our load of supplies. We unloaded and reloaded in the dark. John is holding his flashlight so that we can get the supplies organized! Walt, the mastermind of FORBT, and Dan, a SAG driver, are going over routes. 
Our food stop was at the Germantown, Kentucky, Community Center. It was the last stop for the 62 mile riders and the mid-point stop, going both south and then north, for the 98 mile riders. 
The food was ready for our first customer. We had many more customers throughout the day.
Riders were happy to take advantage of the air-conditioned comfort of the community center... especially those headed back north. We closed up about 3:00 to return our supplies to Georgetown High School. A busy day for all!
The Anderson Circle Farm is composed of eight farm areas. It is located just north of Harrodsburg, Kentucky in Mercer County. 
Just inside the showbarn, Ralph Anderson greeted his guests. 
We took a walk around the showbarn and found just the right bus for our tour!
Go Kentucky Wildcats! 
The first stop was Walnut Hall, the ACF residence of Ralph and Ruth Anderson. Walnut Hall is a Greek Revival house constructed during the 1840's. Termites have done some damage to the back of the house. 
Wildwood was the second major historical restoration by the Andersons and along with Walnut Hall is listed on the National Register of Historic Homes. Wildwood is the family residence of ACF's general manager. It is also the headquarters for most of the farm's cattle confinement feeding, health and medical care and feed making operations. 
The last stop was the Chapline Cemetery. Abraham Chapline came to present-day Mercer County with James Harrod in 1774. On June 16, 1774, the men began laying out Harrodsburg, originally called Harrodstown. Buried in the family graveyard are Captain Abraham Chaplin, his first and second wives and several of their seven children. 
Then we rode a hay wagon to parts of the farm that the bus couldn't go. Both wagons were full when the tour started. 
The Schuller Log House was originally constructed in Metcalf County, roughly 75 miles south west of Mercer County. In 1994 it was relocated near Shawnee Springs. 
The day was concluded with a 'cattleman's dinner'; steak cooked on this grill. Yum, yum!
Anderson Circle Farm, by the numbers: 7,000 total acres; 2,167 commercial cattle; 433 purebred cattle; 120 miles of four board fence; 85 barns; 15 cattle working facilities and 15 houses; 13 professional staff members; 12 miles of hard surface roads; 3 confinement feeding facilities and 1 show and sale barn.
