Summer in October

Yesterday and today, the temperatures were summer-like. It was such a beautiful day yesterday, husband suggested we take advantage of the weather and go out for one last drive in his convertible which will be taken off road at the end of this month. We "toodled" around north and west and gaped at the trees which are still putting on a magnificent show. 

We ended up at this set of falls. We've been here before, but this time, being as it was late October, there weren't as many people. Many of these spots have become such tourist traps, with people driving for a few hours to spend a weekend, or even a day. It was nice to have the peace and tranquility and watch the water. There were a number of fly fishermen, which was nice in itself. 

 

Today, I took a couple of pictures of our maple trees which are gently shedding their leaves.

I don't think I could live contentedly in a place where the four seasons are not defined and distinct. I was reflecting to my husband, as we were driving around, that I was very happy that I had time at my grandmother's / uncle's dairy farm as a child because there was always something to do, something to look at, something to help with. I never sat inside and watched tv when there were new calves to look at, or a ride on the tractor to be had. He mentioned how there must have been a real rhythm of the seasons on the farm, and yes, he was right. Maybe that's why seasons are so important to me. Each one has its characteristics that I would miss if I lived elsewhere.

Today I sat on the back porch and watched my bird feeders. The chickadees were flitting around, back and forth between other trees and the feeder. They were content to have more than one chickadee at the feeder at once. Then I witnessed how territorial nuthatches could be. I love nuthatches and how they come down the tree head first, grasping the bark in their little clawed feet. These two nuthatches chased each other from tree to tree and in amongst the branches of the huge blue spruce in which the birdfeeders hang. A junco showed up and fed mostly from the ground. It was the wrong time of the day for the loud bluejays. The squirrels are out in full force. We have mostly black squirrels, bouncing along the grass. I can hear them rustle the leaves as they move. I know they are burying walnuts everywhere. I will find them in the late spring as I dig in my gardens and window boxes. 

I have to come to grips with not being able to clear up my perennial beds this fall. I'm still healing, and it is coming along, but I don't want to push things. I know it will all be waiting for me in the spring when the snow melts, but I always like to be able to cut back my peonies, and any tall perennials, and even do some shrub trimming. I look at the sea of uncontrollable black-eyed Susans and shudder to think of all the seeds that are falling into the soil, to then make more uncontrollable black-eyed Susans. But sometimes you just have to put things on the back burner. 

My husband was taking advantage of the weather today and cleared away some firewood that had been piled close to the chicken run, from a tree that had come down last year. He uncovered some cat nip. Murphy kind of lost his little cat mind and rolled, chewed, rolled, chewed some more. Then he came in for a snack and went back out again, no doubt to do some more rolling. 

It's Sunday night, and for me that means watching the newest episode of "Island of Bryan" (called Renovation Island in the States) and the newest episode of "The Secret of Skinwalker Ranch". To me, Skinwalker Ranch is just the American UFO version of  Oak Island. That series starts up again in November. Husband and I keep joking that THIS will be the year they find the treasure! 

Hope you all enjoyed your weekend and weather was lovely where you are.