Fall is falling!

We are hanging in, getting ready for winter. Joe took himself into the opthalmologist and his pink eye is good, but he has dry eye. There are drops for that, as well using eye pads for relief. There is always something. 

The goldfish pond is cold, 2 ℃., which is the air temperature this morning. I think the froggies are on their own. The leopard frogs have to move from the grass, where they've spent the summer eating bugs, to water for hibernation. This one croaked at me as I was carrying it down to the frog pond. It's a brighter green than the ones that are cold. It was happy to jump into the pond. That's 26 that I moved. 

We are so close to the end of the leaves. 

I used the lawn tractor to mulch the driveway. I thought it was going to rain. It didn't! Nothing like trying to mulch soggy leaves. 

This is a non-mental note to get up on the ladder and clean out the eaves. Once they've all fallen. Also, the shed. There is no sense dragging the ladder around until the trees are done.

The bird feeder is up. The birds laugh at Cinnamon. 

Tuesday I roared up and down the driveway to mulch leaves. I enjoyed it! When I finished... looking to the skies. My first photo was with the video camera. B

y the time I fetched the phone, the double was much less exciting.

Bees on the Basil

 Tuesday I watered in the morning. It was lovely. I've got the front garden into shape for fall. The leaves rattle in the wind. Their crinkly selves are ready to let go. 

We've been having 30 ℃. days, and 14 ℃. nights. It's perfect. Once the sun goes down, we open up the windows. It won't last, so one must revel in the last warm days. We would like some rain. Everything is getting crunchy. There was 140mm+ rain in August, and very little this month (37 mm). (No rain since Sept. 9th!)

We haven't had many clouds, we're fairly dry , but this set... 

The bumble bees are well, bumbling around on the basil. They bounce on the flowers, carrying heavy loads.

A little, teeny, new Wood Frog. I did the lawn and found two snakes, plus a billion frogs. They mostly jump straight ahead, so I have to veer. Then they hunker down in the grass again. That's why I keep the settings at the highest level.  

In Autumn, I usually put some chestnuts in Peter's wheel barrow. I've shown video of the Red Squirrel harvesting them. They stole it out of the barrel! 

Ta da! Just one pumpkin.

I was using the grater, slicing up some carrots for a stir fry. It did not go well. I suggested no one buy me a Mandolin. That's just asking for trouble! We taped up the thumb and carried on. 

I took myself off for a pedicure. The new colour has a fabulous name, but I cannot remember it! You just have to laugh. My scars... 

Goldfish pond, phlox, Fred

 Here is my goldfish pond in happier times. That is, prior to the people putting in the eavestrough [see: Our eavestrough replacement]! The pink phlox was so pretty!

I managed to find the missing piece to the pump, but it fills with pond muck so much it requires cleaning every couple of days. What do I have to do, though?! I am retired. 

I spent an afternoon pulling out dead branches, and cleaning this garden, as well. I had forgotten about the workers who installed the eaves, and wondered if that's why my phlox have died. I hope the phlox come back next year. The rose bush seems to have died, as well.

Lots of critters liked the phlox: tree frog, dragonfly, swallowtail, sphinx moth.

We've several leopard frogs in the pond. 

The backyard looks crisp. The Viper's Bugloss has gone to seed. The goldfinches love it.

Fred groundhog is a hoot! 

Fred groundhog from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo

I captured me doing the lawn! I avoided about 15 leopard frogs, sitting in the longer, moist grass, as well as a wee garter snake. 

The beautiful, aromatic Asiatic Lily attracted the hummingbird. You'll have to use your imagination, again! 

We are desperate for rain, as is the way in August. I was hopeful yesterday, but it was an unusual front coming in from the east. Normally we get it from the west or north west.