It is September...

🍁 Autumn approaches, despite 30+ C. temperatures. Another day of this heat.

 

🦨 I think I've found the skunk den. It is likely an old Fred groundhog burrow. I don't know where Fred has gone, but he did this last year, as well. This one was built into the soft sand of the built up area around the septic bed. 

You may wonder how I found it, but the nose knows! I was cleaning and filling the fountain, and that whiff told me something was up. Beyond the flower sculpture, down the hill in the gully.

I was suspicious, and cautiously waded through the bracken down in the gully, to find the hole I could see from above. It is really well-hidden.

Here is an aarchive photo

I went down to the trailcam, having put bug spray on my lower legs. It didn't do much good! You can see three mosquitos on my leg. The point of the photo was the white fungus, but as I looked down, I was a bit surprised.

Both cameras are slightly tipped. I had high hopes for critters.

There was a doe and she seemed spooked by coyotes.

DOE AND COYOTES from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

I put out the garbage Monday morning, and spotted these two. Cinnamon doesn't like the heat, and has been indoors for a few days.

Another invention I dearly love.  This is a tool meant for particular BBQ cooking, when you want the lid open for slower cooking. I realized it would help me. I have a problem BBQing. I am too short to lift the lid, then let it gently go back. I risk singing armpit hairs. It is a BBQ too big for the two of us, but it was a COVID purchase. Need I say more?! 

I can flip the meat, and close the lid easily, now. JB thinks it look like a Klingon tool. Mebbe so.

🐭 Mice friends

I noticed both Cinnamon and Nutmeg giving much attention to the guest room. Hmmmm. 

It was in a corner in the bathroom, shaking miserably. I scooped it up in the butterfly net, and took it outside. It is a young one. 

🕷️ I found myself a tick, Sept. 3. It was on my foot. We don't have too many this year. One year Daisy brought home 200, this was prior to the invention of the cat goop to prevent them from staying on cats. 

Tick bites get itchy, and itchy painful. It'll soon heal. You can see the bandage on my foot on the right. My tenosynovitis acted up, too. Ain't old age grand?! I stabbed my finger with a needle. I'm working on a felting project for Christmas.

I heard two barred owls hooting to each other Saturday night, Sept. 2nd. "Who-cooks-for-you?" I hope we have a pair next year. I haven't seen one in a dog's age. These are from my archives.

With Autumn comes season-end chores. I spotted Percy goldfish. It is a chore getting him inside for winter. My little, mostly hand-dug pond, isn't deep enough and it will freeze. Not good for a tropical fish.

In the meantime, enjoy the shoulder season. I think it is a great time of year.