Cleaning up on Crumbly Acres

 I cleaned out the leaves from the eaves on the shed! It's a fun chore. Satisfying, I guess. I had to wait until the last maple shed its leaves. Last week daytime temperatures went up to 24 ℃ several days in a row. Saturday morning it was 1 deg., with a high of 7 ℃! I am SO GLAD  got this done in the warmth. This morning it is -6 ℃! 

Still waiting for that maple to drop its leaves:

Oct. 26, 2024

It is a sweet little shed, made of old barn board.  Two owners ago, at least, it had electricity somehow. I rather think extension cords were involved, and that isn't particularly safe. It was taken out.

May, 2023
We had trees down from a storm, and deer visiting.

Dec. 2012
Kitten Daisy and Buster were playing.

There is an ivy growing around the shed. I thought I'd looked it up before, but... I forget.

It was a nice view from atop the shed.

I could see Joseph doing his walkies!

BEFORE

AFTER:

I called Joe to bring supplies. Next year, I have to remember gloves, as well as the broom, a long-handled something to dig leaves out. I forgot my gloves. It took several tries, which is why we are laughing over it all. 

This is the ivy growing rampant climbing the dead sumac and nearby trees. I still cannot figure out what it is. I am loathe to cut it all down. 

Any of the recognition apps think it is a tree, when it is simply climbing a tree. 

Barb asked, "I wonder if Mr. Owl eats frogs. Just thinking of all your effort to save them!"

I have a story about that! I let the penultimate bunch go at the top of the rise in the back 40, and set them free to head down the 6' to the water. Joe took down the last of the frogs, as I was weary, and as he headed down he saw the owl on the ground. I presume she was eating a frog or two. Well, she deserves it.

The 'back 40'

Cleaning the eaves of leaves & other fall chores

Fall chores

Hoses are detached. Leaves have been mulched, 4 or 5 times now! (We have a lot of trees!!!) Goldfish in, plants indoors, and the mental checklists are getting crossed off. Next, outdoor furniture into the shed. But in the meantime...

First, I had to bring my canoe home from the lake. It really is the end of the season. I stuff the canoe into the car and haul it back across the street. I do love my canoodles and my neighbours are very kind to permit me to dock it for the summer on a remote part of their property! I have so many photos of wildlife from my canoe trips! There were still geese and ducks on the lake, as well as a mysterious conflagration of debris. I waved goodbye.



This is the poem I wrote for my neighbours. I will give them this, as well as a nature calendar I created with my photos.

Next, cleaning out the eaves

So, I'm climbing up the ladder, and hubby, holding the ladder, suggests we could hire someone to do this. There's a vote of confidence! Seriously, that's another item on my list, if I can't do it myself, perhaps it's time for a smaller place! It's a serious concern about being a homeowner.

Last year, I took the camera off of my neck, rested it on the roof to do the other, lower part of the roof. I have troubles getting my butt back up to the higher roof (see the 2nd photo), as I'm only 5'4". But I made it! I accidentally left it up there last year and had to haul out the ladder again.

It's a great view, and we still have some yellow. The pine trees have dumped their needles, leaving a lovely circles of fragrance under the tree line. Aside from hubby, the ladder holder, Dorah and Annabelle were quite curious about the large squirrel on the roof!

 

I was very careful!

I spotted this guy on his roof with the leaf blower.
What was he thinking?!
"Falls account for 85% of seniors' injury-related hospitalizations,
and falls are the cause of most hip fractures among seniors."