Saturday's Critters

 We are preparing for Thanksgiving dinner Sunday! We've had scattered rain over a few days. The critters are getting prepared for winter. You can't really be prepared, you don't know when it will happen. There are years when snow fall has messed with my shutting down of the garden. In October, 2024, we had 2.5 cm of snow. 

I've seen evidence of Barry Beaver. Beavers are mostly nocturnal, although not always. He has avoided the cameras.

The July 1st storm knocked down his partly felled Aspens. They prefer Aspen and Willow trees, I have read. He's worked on a small and a large oak tree.

This is the large oak. I may have to wrap this one. 

The fox has slowed down, but continues to patrol. I expect that when the snow falls, she'll be a less frequent flyer! 

   

 She is out mostly after dark. 

   

 The porcupine has a den somewhere. It'll settle in, and in winter hang out closer to the den.

   

 We seem to have one doe hanging around.

   

 Butch has been cruising on by. They like grubs, and bugs, and are voracious. Like Fred, they bulk up for winter. 

   

 The lady beetles are looking for shelter for winter. 

   

 I am struggling with spiders. They like the camera lights, which draws bugs. I have to clean it, now that the tree frogs have gone to ground.

 

Saturday's Critters # 669 <= Join up, join in, or visit the other critter lovers.

Kids, pumpkins, blue skies

 I know my long-term readers ca appreciate where the years have gone. Aster (gr. 11) had a PD day last week, and went to visit Jordan at Queen's University. They had a blast. Jordan is on the Dean's list for high marks in year two of Astrophysics. He's working and playing hard. 

Jordan took Aster to classes. Aster liked the Timbits!

"The Present and Future of High-energy Neutrino Astronomy."

A healthy food bowl for dinner! Aster took the bus there and back, and had a grand time.

I visited our local farm, and bought some gourds and pumpkins. This swan gourd is quite something!

I had to go into town, and on my way home...

Crumbly Acres settles in

Those cats! Cinnamon likes to wake early and sing the songs of his clan. Sometimes he is let out, and I sleep through it. They have been catching mice, bless them. There was one in the clothes closet, and Cinn tried for it. He is way to gentle, playing with it. 

 The white pine trees have shed a ton of needles. I used the lawn tractor to mulch them.

"Typically, white pines will retain needles for three years, but in autumn, 2-or-3-year-old needles will change colour and drop, leaving only the current season's needles"

I tend to throw kitchen peelings out into the daffodil garden. I must have thrown a gourd there! It took its own time. We are so close to first frost.

It's getting cooler, as it does. Nutmeg will sleep anywhere!

The Muskoka Room is a good spot for her! She slept here for hours Wednesday. 

I continue to shut things down outside. I have my winter bird bath on the go. Cinnamon approves.

I sat in the warm sun and put saddle soap on my boots.

Fall chores, fall colours

 Sunday morning sunrise!

Sunday afternoon, this is the view out the bathroom window. It really brightens the room.

I sat out in the refreshing cold, reading my book. 

The covered water fountain was uncovered. I had work to do. I retied it, and put on the lights. That'll anchor it! 

 

Yes, it is soon, but we like lights in the cold and the dark!

I put the garbage out Monday morning at 6:45, there was a pretty cloud. 

Last of the primrose, and pretty yellow leaves from the hibiscus.

Maggie Magnolia did well this year! Lots of seed pods. 

The bird feeders are up!

Winter, bring it on!