Thanksgiving Day 11.28.13

Thanksgiving Day

November 28, 2013

A year in review...

...with a multitude of blessings
here at Ramsay!! 

Mid November

Peak Fall 

Farm Dinner late September

"You had me at Veritas!!"

Final hay harvest - September

Farm House - Summer

Guest Cottage - Late Summer

Hilltop Majesty - Summer

Parterre Garden Panel

The new Milton Grigg Barn Group

Studio addition complete

Potting Shed Face Lift

Winter - major snow!

First snowfall November 2012

11.20.2013

The transition from  vivid Fall to

 muted Winter is nearing completion... 

a few leaves are still holding on for dear life!

November 03

November 19

View from Cottage Lane looking toward Tiverton

Sunday morning this week found

 us surrounded with fog...

And we trust that the Lord understands that fences must be mended, even on Sunday!

Rambunctious livestock Saturday night?!

Our good friend Heidi didn't let the dreary

weather stop her from exercising Toby...

Bright, clear weather resumed the first of the week, and Jess and Frank

have made great progress building a temporary wall to support the South

Portico while major restoration work gets underway.

Our first major work on the Main Residence

On site this week:

Sherry & Stephen

Kevin Kennedy

Jess and Frank - carpenters at the Main Residence

Chris & Todd - electricians burying cable

Heidi & Wilson - horse wranglers

Jim Bailey - our electronics wizard from SC

Thursday 11.14.2013

So it looks like the 2nd week of November will mark 

the end of a beautiful Fall for 2013.

We have had 3 good frosts to date--

last night the coldest--22 degrees!!

And the famous Ramsay view clearly reveals that 

winter is just around the corner...

November 13, 2013

Ramsay is a small estate by a number of standards, but there are still multiple dwellings, buildings, livestock, fences, trees,  and numerous operating systems that can provide unexpected excitement at any given time. We woke up Monday morning to low water pressure at the Farm House. A quick check of the well house revealed no apparent problems there, and then we determined that the Main Residence had very low water pressure as well. As I (SY) exited the mud room to continue my investigation, I saw morning sunlight reflecting off a small pond around the water trough in the south pasture, and realized the water trough was overflowing!!! Apparently Beulah or Bessie--our two Belted Galloways-- got carried away taking a drink, and broke the float valve that automatically shuts off the water supply to the trough. So, for most of the night, we had been watering the pasture--unintentionally! Paul Vencil, our able and loyal plumber was onsite by late morning, and soon had everything under control. Many thanks, Paul and Chris!!

Curb (pasture) service from Albemarle Repair Services

Another system that bit the dust recently was the furnace in the Farm House. Installed in 1998, the unit gave all it had to offer and was replaced earlier this week. D.J. and Curt from Curtis Heating and Cooling put in a full days work making the swap. Everything is toasty and warm at the Farm House once again.

Out with the old...

and in with the new!!

Sunday 11.10.2013

Yesterday--11.09.13 --was the one-year anniversary of

Stephen and Susan moving into the Farm House at Ramsay.

What a joy and blessing it has been!!

Farm House photo from 11.09.2012 -- move in day!!!

Summer 2013 - Full exterior paint job!!

This coming week, with forecasts of wind,  rain, and snow on 

Tuesday,  much of the beautiful fall colors will disappear. 

The color was late this year...but still just a glorious as always.

 We had three delightful guests visiting from Northern Virginia on Friday.

Their mission must remain a secret for now, but evidence 

may surface on this blog in the months to come!!!

 Toby--the cute blond guy on the left--never misses a photo op!!

With shades...

...and without!!

The predicted cold front began moving in this afternoon--

forecast to bring our coldest weather of the season to date. 

There is even mention of the "S" word for Tuesday night!!!

Wednesday 11.06.2013

Our first, full fall here at Ramsay is winding down now...

lots of leaves have fallen, and the time change

has tricked our minds again and the light seems different.

Every day has brought us new and beautiful pictures...

And although most of the summer green has drained away,

the Parterre Garden still sparkles with verdant splendor!

Today after mowing.

Mud Room porch steps last week...

...today, ready for paint!

 

 

South Portico scaffolding for renovation work

 

On site today:

Sherry and SY

Kevin Kennedy

Patsy Wallenborn

Chris & Todd - electricians

Sunday 11.03.2013

It's pretty hard to beat the beauty of our beloved  Ramsay...

especially at this time of the year!

But Susan & Stephen tore themselves away this morning to attend the 

20th Annual Oak Ridge Fox Hunt Club Opening Hunt

 at the Oak Ridge Estate in Arrington.

Riders called to assemble on the front lawn...

 

...enter the hounds!

                                          Our dear friend Page Turner was our personal hostess.

Master of the Hunt - David Wheeler

Master of the Hounds - Rita Mae Brown. ORFHC Founder

Hunt Club Carriage House Cupola

"You want us to chase what?!!!"

"Did anyone see which way they went?"

Saturday 11.02.2013

Mother Nature has been teasing us this fall--
seeming to be holding back on the explosion of color!
But it happened these last few days--glorious as ever! 

 

Wednesday - this week.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This morning!!! (1)

This morning!!! (2)

View from Farm House Lane