Autumn goings-on

I put the calf in the stall last night so I'd have lots of milk this morning; I'm having a good time experimenting with cheese and making butter.  When I got up this morning, I wondered why Bonnie wasn't bawling and bellowing for Clyde; normally when she's separated from her calf overnight, she gets quite vocal.  
When I got to the barn lot, I noticed the sliding door to the stall I'd put Clyde in was open about three inches.  I peeked in and realized the calf wasn't there.  Obviously, Bonnie managed to push the door back a little with her head (I've seen her trying this) and the calf managed to push out through the small opening.  
I called them up again, got the calf in the stall again, and this time, shut Bonnie out of the small lot so she can't get near the sliding door.  I'll milk this evening.  
I'm trying my hand at making ricotta cheese today.  I had no idea you could make something out of the whey that is left after making cheese; it's practically clear.  You wouldn't think there was anything there of substance.  But when it's heated to almost boiling, it looks like... wallpaper paste!  Yeah, that's it.  Don't ask me what I'll do with the ricotta cheese if it turns out; I read that it's highly perishable.  
I gave in and ordered a dairy thermometer, a much cheaper version that I had originally looked at.  My candy thermometer just isn't accurate enough to suit me.
Cliff and I went out in the pasture and picked up black walnuts yesterday, and I got a few more this morning.  I'm in this hunter-gatherer mode lately.  So are the mosquitoes hiding in tall grass where the walnuts had fallen.  They were ecstatic to have a warm-blooded creature actually show up where they're living.  
My son-in-law came in last night and showed me how to remove my mini-blinds.  Of course, now I'm totally out of the mood to clean blinds; I'm busy hunting, gathering, and cheese-making.  However, it's good he took one down for me and showed me how it's done, because now I am forced to do this task that desperately needs to be done.  
Iris has decided that I should go outside any time she goes, and almost refuses to go alone... I practically have to push her out the door.  I guess she got used to me going outside for my coffee when dawn was coming so early and thinks she requires my companionship.  
This is the first house dog I've ever owned that will not potty on command; she goes when she's ready, and not before.  Also, like many dogs, if the grass is wet or if it's storming, she doesn't want to "go".  I finally got her to the point that she will pee in the nice, dry barn if it's been over twelve hours since she last relieved herself.   Crazy mutt.