Seasonal change-up

Today, much more time was spent outside getting caught up on seasonal chores than inside staring at a screen. Psychologically and emotionally I feel better for it. Physically, I feel it in most of my muscles. Several folks have recently been  pushing the idea that queen bumblebees overwinter in leaf piles. We took that into account as we collected leaves from parts of the yard, and left small windrows and piles elsewhere. Other  folks have noted that some bees need bare ground to build their winter quarters. We’ll have plenty of bare patches once we’ve dragged a tine harrow over the pocket gopher mounds to help level them. Then we’ll scatter wildflower seeds on them for next spring’s meadow flowers, unless the pocket gophers eat the roots first.

November 2020 flying squirrel visitors

Photo by J. Harrington

Since we’re half way through  the first week of November, it’s time to wonder if the  flying squirrels that visited us last winter will return. We’ll fill a different feeder, one they seemed to like last year, to make the deck more inviting. Perhaps that feeder will prompt a cardinal or two to visit. We haven’t seen any cardinals for weeks. The “squirrel-proof” feeder we’ve been using all summer and fall has a cardinal ring on it, and a cardinal or two showed up for a while after the changeover, but none have been around since late summer, early autumn. Bright red feathers look so festive against a snowy background.

where have all our cardinals gone

Photo by J. Harrington

We’re more than a little grateful for the intermittent warm spells we’ve been enjoying. Running behind on prepping for a North Country winter provokes a little anxiety. If the snow holds off and the weather cooperates for the next week or so, we’ll have the grass cutter put away, the snow blower ready, and the mower deck off the tractor and the snow blade on. If all of this goes with minimal problems and aggravations, we’ll have even more to add to our Thanksgiving gratitude list.

Autumn's Way

By Charles Ghigna

In their yellow-most goings,

leaves of maple

ride breezes to the ground.

You can hear their sound

each autumn afternoon

as the crisp air cuts

through the trees

and hurries us along

the golden sidewalks

home.

 

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