Seedtime and harvest...................

Genesis :Then God said, "Let the earth sprout vegetation: plants yielding seed, and fruit trees on the earth bearing fruit after their kind with seed in them"; and it was so. The earth brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed after their kind, and trees bearing fruit with seed in them, after their kind; and God saw that it was good.

I love to walk this time of year, I love to see the seeds, the pods, the fruit all making ready for next year. God made the vegetation and trees and fruits to bear after their own kind. So harvest time, is a promice that next year we will see everything new again.

Apart from that, the seed pods are artistic, beautiful.


Some things are still blooming. I got a few pictures of things still trying to thrive, to put out one more lot of seeds by blooming as long as possible to beat the weather and reproduce.

The berries, bright to show off to the birds who will eat them. They too contain a seed within and as the birds fly away and poop somewhere else another fruit tree will have the opportunity to grow.


It is wonderful to be in the woods on a sunny October day. Later we stopped by the farm market. I paid 10 dollars for a cabbage. Can you believe it? Wow most expensive cabbage I ever bought. It was organic, I hope to find a gold bead at its core. We will be eating cabbage for awhile. I think I will go out and get a corned beef tomorrow and maybe also make and freeze some stuffed cabbage.
Anyway, they had a corn maze. There were still some cobs on the stalks that I am sure some critters will enjoy

I love sunflowers and they give and give. They give their beauty as the worship the sun and the seeds upon their death. The birds all love them and even dried up like this they have a special beauty.

Poodle time............

The girls are really not outdoors people, I am talking about the poodles. They will go out if I go with them but are reluctant. It's either too hot or too cold I suppose. Maybe it's just that they like being inside where they feel safe. Other poodles we had went everywhere with us. This batch do not like being on a leash or leaving the garden. I suppose because it's all they have known. They are not adventuresome.
I have made my garden to be full of little paths for them to venture on. They will go out and yell at anyone who passes by.

We do hope to put up a higher fence some day, but that would spoil their fun. There are little paths to and fro from that spot where they "greet" people.


I was out there and chasing Brea around she will play for awhile but not for long. Both small poodles have knee problems and I am sure that has a lot to do with the reluctance to walk and play a lot.

Bodi could use some exercize, she is getting bigger by the day. She is just so cuddly and everyone loves her.

Bella much prefers snuggling under her blankets.


There were two under there until I got the camera, but did manage to capture Bella.


The poodles are always a big part of our lives and so I love taking pictures of them. As there is not a lot going on in the garden it seemed like a good time to share some poodle moments.

Its coming.........

Woke up to a dusting of snow on the roof. It was gone with the sun but was a reminder. It was a cold day today, not freezing, but cold. It was also sunny, so very pretty. This cold spell will help the leaves to change. If its sunny tomorrow maybe we will go for a ride and check them out.
Also maybe one more walk on the beach at Leland.
We were lucky to have not got the snow they did in Kalkaska area, they got real snow.

Pretty leaves in the garden on the ground, look sweet when the birds are there too.

The Junco's are back. They were as usual hanging out with the Chickadees and finches

Do you see the one jumping?

So far the bright yellow finches have not showed up but I probably just missed them. They will be around.

I like the little house finches too, so much like Sparrows but not. We never get Sparrows and I wish we did. Nothing like squarreling squabbling Sparrows


Then we have spuddy the Mourning Dove. Look at the head, haha...........new growth. Looks funny, this one was fiesty too, was chasing off the Junco's

Today would have been nice to take a ride. Can't really walk in the woods in peace as it's bow hunting, although with kids along its not that we wont be heard. I remember last year going on a hike and when we got back some guys were heading in with guns. Thats legal too, said we should wear orange or stay out, well it was a national park and we never expected to have to worry about that. We went but there were still people hiking. The park ranger just shrugged so I know they were within their rights. Does not seem right to me.

Clean up begins....................

This time of year is just so beautiful. but the garden is not. Gerry started to pack away my garden ornaments today. It's looking sad out there. Such a sunny day and no chairs to sit on. The fish have the chicken wire over them to keep the leaves from going in the pond. Still it is October and not too many leaves are down just yet. So the pond should stay rather clean until Spring. Goodnight fishies, I hope you live to enjoy another year, I will look for you in the SPring.

I love to look at the seed pods, they are art work at its finest. They are the future, they are hope.

The apples on our tree are for the birds, insects and any animals who want them. We do not eat them, they are not good eating apples. I suppose I could try making some apple sause but I prefer to leave them so the birds can gleen the bugs that live on them and everyone gets something. I get pretty blossoms in the Spring.
Now if only the squirrels would hibernate and quit stealing all the food, go eat some apples for goodness sake

The Blue Jays are still noisy and demand food. I have not seen the Crows since the babies left the nest. I hope they come back this winter. I am seeing the small birds come back again. I set up my spot by the bathroom window so I can watch and take pictures

Maybe some day someone different will come along. I have has some Finches come in a couple of times as well as the usual gang

Boots sets herself up to watch but usually dozes off, or cant be bothered to move unless its a Chipmunk, she seems to have a thing about Chipmunks

My little friend Brea was giving off some advice while I was out there this evening

This is one of the Finches

I will have to go to the grain store and see what I can find that may attract some different birds. We used to get a lot birds that we don't see anymore. I wonder what happens, do they send out scouts? I know the Blue Jays and Crows do. I suppose if they are getting what they need they don't bother looking. Its funny that we don't get pidgeons because there is a flock of them that hangs out one street over yet they never come here. I would not mind if they did.

A few goings on today...........................

Today was raining but we need it very badly. We did get a few visitors. Some more welcome than others. This squirrel was not about to give up. He emptied the whole feeder just about. He jumped from the feeder to the tree when Bijou went out but was soon back
.
He had a beautiful tail. Well I was a little put out that he ate the whole thing, so I went and yelled at him from the bathroom window. I take a lot of my pictures from there, its like my blind. I can open the window for good shots. I had to laugh as he took the leap to the tree like before but missed and fell in the rose bush. Ouch, its a prickly rose. Here is Boots laughing at him

Today among the birds who came calling was a lovely little Tuffted Titmouse

The inevitable Chickadee

Yesterday we had a bit more variety. Some yellow finches came in but I only got this one.

The Mourning Dove is recovering from moulting and was looking frazzled

So was Mr Cardinal


Not a lot to see but I think this lot deserve a showing. It will be nice to see them when they are done with the moult and wearing their winter clothes.

October.........

Its October, the sun is still shining. It's still warm although the nights are nippy. In some places we have had frost but not a killing frost so far. I have sprayed and brought most of my plants in that are coming in. I have pretty much given up on the garden. Today I did go have a look around. If its still nice at the weekend I will try a clean up. I do have to bring in ornaments. I have found that the ornaments I have made will need ongoing repairs, the glue does not hold forever apparently. That's Ok, I can recycle. I will remake them next year. The ones I really liked I can redo, clean and reapply the glue. A few got broken. With a (now) 6 year old around its not worth putting a lot of money into things.
I am also thinking of digging up the gardens one by one in the Spring and redoing them. I want to bunch things together and make a better display. I have been putting things in hither and yon and now they are sparse. So.......as I was looking around I saw Mr and Mrs Cardinal. I got this picture of Mr

I saw some pretty leaves and it reminded me of childhood. I remember one class in what we call Kindergarden here, we had to collect leaves and press them for a school project.


It made me think of the village back when I was a kid the old farm across the road from school that was covered in beautiful vines that were reds and oranges in Autumn. I love things that take me back, is that a sign of old age when we start to remember the past.?
I also love to look at the shapes of seed pods. I always take a picture of this one.

Also the Bee Balm

The Michaelmas Daisies are doing so well out the front. I have to move the back ones. The bees are still loving them and they have spread really well to make a nice display of colour. I love the bee's wings.


One thing for certain, next year I really must find out what is eating my plants and flowers. They are all full of small holes. I suspect a gnat type of thing. I did get rid of slugs early on and its not that. So maybe when I take things out I can spray them before putting them back. By doing this I wont need to buy a bunch of stuff next year. If I do, it will be small shrubs that flower. By the road I tried a wild flower garden. What a mess that is. That's going. I will pull all that and put in a couple of knockout roses. They will get plenty of sun. I will have some roses and it will look pretty.

The Pine trees are going to get trimmed back and under those I will plant shrubs and hosta. I would love a fence but......well I don't think that's going to happen.