Mushrooms and fungus

 It's the season for it! A bit cooler, and lots of moisture overnight. September brings them to life. Funnily enough, just like the leaves, there isn't much diversity of colour.

I found some puffballs in the forest!

Hurricane Season

Hurricane Helene made its way up from Mexico, to Florida, then Tropical Storm Helene kept on going. Once it hit land, its power was reduced, but the tornados and rainfall caused much damage, and much flooding. They estimate 3 million without power.

I looked to NOAA to see what was going on. These fabulous scientists, researchers, and pilots have planes filled with equipment to measure and track the storm. I went to Flight Radar to check on them.  

They are right in the storm here!

This is a video of them in the cockpit of the plane. 

Ride through the eyewall of Hurricane #Helene aboard @NOAA WP-3D Orion #NOAA42 "Kermit" during our evening mission on Sept. 26, 2024. This mission gathered crucial data of a large hurricane intensifying before landfall. Find NOAA resources on continuing impacts and post storm… pic.twitter.com/qv0QxLzjp2

— NOAA Aircraft Operations Center (@NOAA_HurrHunter) September 27, 2024

And another!

Join us in the flight station to see what it's like flying into a hurricane!
This morning @NOAA WP-3D Orion #NOAA43 "Miss Piggy" flew a critical mission into Hurricane #Helene ahead of its landfall later today. Data collected will help improve intensity forecasts and support… pic.twitter.com/WSVnCSZH4X

— NOAA Aircraft Operations Center (@NOAA_HurrHunter) September 26, 2024

This use to be a corn field, on corby bridge rd in Chuckey, TN \south central area pic.twitter.com/5sQ69aGa1V

— Scannerfood (@scannerfood) September 27, 2024

I think we've 3 more days of decent weather. For this I am grateful. Soon I won't be outside watching the skies. Not without a blanket! 

I could hear this flying overhead. 

 

I heard the emergency helicopter over head, probably to take someone from Perth Hospital to Brockville Hospital.

There are a few things to do before the warmth is gone. We've a few days of 20⁺ ℃ temperatures. I've some spray painting to do, my teak chair needs a coat of Teak Oil. 

Saturday's Critters

 There is a wee baby ribbon snake in the garage. Joe called me over as it headed into the garage, and I tried to catch it. It slipped away. I don't think it will starve, as there are lots of bugs in there, but it won't be happy in winter. 

I did (at great risk to my back), grab a wood frog who was hell bent to get into the garage. It hopped into the tipped over pot and I got it. FREEDOM!!!

Fisher

   

 Coyote 

   

 Bear came by! 

   

 I put the Birdcam on the sidewalk after skunk visited twice. I was rewarded! I've only ever seen skunk on the cameras at night. They pretty much ignore people, anyway. 

 

Saturday's Critters # 563 <= visit more of Eileen's critters here.

Outdoor play!

I am having fun with Jeremiah. The little froggies, not so much. Can you see the medium sized one in the lower left corner? 

I went outside the other day, and chopped down the dead plants and weeds with the lawn tractor. One leopard frog flew into the goldfish pond! 

Can you see the wee frog in the corner, right near Jeremiah bullfrog?! 

Guinivere is wearing a sweet scarf!

Joe takes Modified Citrus Pectin, to help manage his prostate cancer. It isn't cheap. Thing is, it comes in the large plastic container, but only contains 450 gms. This is ridiculous. This is a newly opened container. Maybe 1/3 full.

We were sitting out back, and Joe thought he'd like to create a sculpture! 

Part of Autumn chores: repainting stuff for winter. I had a helper.

Cinnamon has his morning drink.

Fall is in the air

 We had manager Jamie in from Aussie Tree Care for a quote on taking down our dead elms in the upper meadow (Dutch Elm disease 😑). They are still seeding themselves, but not surviving too long. In the meantime, I worked on trimming this Maple (on the right) on the driveway. The propane delivery people back up the driveway, and I want to make it easier to see. 

I'm not sure one can see a difference! Maybe that is a good thing. I used the reciprocating saw on the branches. It takes ages, since it doesn't hold a charge too long, even with my spare battery. OK, I must be honest, I don't last too long either, with saw dust blowing in my eyes, and holding the heavy tool. 

I threw the branches onto the vacant lot. I am hoping to encourage the sumacs to come back. They are suffering from various periods of drought, on shallow soil. Let's see if this helps. 

Jeremiah seems to be keeping the smaller leopard and green frogs away. Happy dance. I will have to figure out when to move him to the frog pond for winter. 

He is an asset. He'll need time to bury himself in the mud for winter.

It is time for Autumn decor, as many are doing inside and outside their homes. I like the changes in seasons, and changing things up. Maybe it is just that after doing bulletin boards and display cases in school for 25 years, it's in my blood! 

I'm at the point where I forget where I've put things, and find them in a different season. I may run with that some time, just to keep everyone on their toes! 😆 

I took out the Fall flag, and found life imitating art. 

🕷Can you see it?! 

The horse chestnut tree is providing much food for the Dratted Red Squirrel (DRS). They have a little collection under the tree. I've never seen both the black squirrel and red squirrel eating them like they have been this year. 

I've moved Peter to the deck. Last year I put pine cones in his wheelbarrow. 

I thought he could carry the chestnuts in his wheelbarrow until winter, when the critters are desperate. Apparently, they are desperate now! 

All that was left in the wheelbarrow was one chestnut, and a cluster of rose hips. Apparently, they were good eating! Ain't nature grand?!

Gun range update

The Proposed New Gun Range – an update... it's been a journey, since Sept. 2022! 

I was asked about the status of the defunct gun range. They have been remediating the site (getting rid of the heavy metals), although there is no information to local residents about this process. 

Things have been quiet after our township council voted to reject the rezoning required for this new project. That said, the land owner is looking for people to verify the history of the former OPP Recertification Range. There is no one to vouch for this, because it did not exist prior to the OPP and Mel (the land owner, and my hospice client, now deceased) created it in 1986. 

I think he is appealing this ruling to the Ontario Supreme Court. It's his last resort. All of us believe he's not got a leg to stand on. 

It was written, on my private Facebook page, suggested he is trying to rewrite history!  She is the person who looked at historical satellite photos that shows it did not exist prior to the 80's. 

Alternative Facts!

🐛 🐛 🐛 🐛 🐛 

September brings wonderful sights and smells. The caterpillars are heading for hibernation. 

This is what the Jack-in-the-pulpit plant looked like in spring. They are doing well. I'd bought them in May 2015. They've all died down. Their missions accomplished for 2024.

The jack-in-the-pulpit gave me some seeds. I tossed them under the tree in the front garden. (Hope I don't forget!) 

A rainy day, I guess it is indoor play today!