Thursday 1 October 2015

Here are are: October!

There are so many things to do.
First up, trying to get the pump working on the aquarium. It's leaking. It's done that before. I gave up last night in frustration after trying to reset it twice. After breakfast and coffee it is on my To Do List.

 I cut my thumb working on the fake plant in the centre, yesterday. I bought it from Big Al's, but the slate it was connected to wasn't heavy enough to stop it from floating. Glueing it to a piece of thick bathroom tile last year, it gave away this year. Removing the slate (hammer!), I tied it to a brick. Simple solution! There is height in the tank.
Goldfish pond full
catch me if you can!
Just have to get the pump seal working, then I have to catch the goldfish! This is a production. The ones who didn't want to come in last year died. I have to drain the pond somewhat, sad since we just had 25mm (1") of rain over Sept. 28/29.

fuschia
I have to remember, once all the above is taken care of, to drain and store the hoses. (Non-mental note!) One of the taps is broken and won't turn off. I have to remove the hose and turn it off inside the house, as there is another tap.

Next thing, was dragging the plants in. My problem is my green thumb. They grow so big I cannot lift them. This one is close to being too big, but the hummingbirds love it.

I once had a 15-year jade plant I simply had to leave outside. It was 3' wide. I gave away another tall plant to my hair dresser for her new studio. She gave me a free haircut in return!

My beekeeper friends have been writing about preparing their hives for winter. 

I'm still watching my outdoor aquarium, with the cocoons.
This one is still in its cocoon.



The silly Hypercompe scribonia Great Leopard Moth,keeps on visiting the others. It was moving pretty slowly this morning, though, as it was only about 3 C. on the back deck, where the aquarium sits.




I found a cut worm of some sort. I popped that in, too.  Wooly bear #3 hasn't cocooned yet. One of the lady beetles morphed into its adulthood. It was beginning to attack the cocoon (seen above) and I released it.


Pickles is back around, haven't seen him for a few weeks. I don't know if he is with a cottager or what. It's very unusual to see a male cat that hasn't been fixed.

The cats are irritable.
Buster was having a drink at the cat fountain, Annabelle was watching him from behind the garbage can. She peeked behind it, peeked on the other side, reached out a paw to play, and then stood on her two hind feet and pushed the plastic can over onto him. They both ran!

What do you have to do to prepare for winter?

6 comments:

Karen said...

The first fire of the season was lit this morning! The front lawn and the car were white with frost. Now the upper roof is dripping on the lower roof as the sun hits it.
The beans and morning glory are pretty limp and dead looking. I'll yank it all down after I come back from a weekend away with my sister.
We have to get the wood into the basement and the snow tires on the car (when I get back).
On my way into town yesterday, I noticed the big plow trucks have been pulled out of storage at the roads works yard!

Nancy J said...

Winter here is not too severe, we might put in the hose tap timers, as they tend to burst in hard frosts,put the outside wood box, which is large, next to the door, and have the huge trolley on wheels full of cut kindling. We still mow the lawn right through the year, just not so often. Our goldfish survive in the ponds, as even in severe frosts, they just get a thick ice cap of several inches, and the water is liquid underneath. Sounds like we have it very easy compared to those up North, or the bees. I have a friend who has bees, and she has a lot of pre-winter preparation, the hives all get moved to shelter.

Yamini MacLean said...

Hari Om
...hibernate... YAM xx

William Kendall said...

I can just imagine the cats bolting after that!

Red said...

Having all the insects set up to watch their development would give a good idea for the preparation for winter. I'd have to stop to think about what I do. I get my yard and garden ready. I take all the liquids out of the shed so they don't freeze. I take my bike speedometer in.

Christine said...

yes time to prepare for winter!