Frosty Morning.

10-7-26 VERMONT: Yesterday’s arrival was on a sunny day, a little cooler than NJ. We unpacked the car, and put the heat on in the houses. The new furnace didn’t work. We called the installers, and they got back to us and sent a serviceman, who fixed it. 

I started a fire and the room went from fifties to the sixties. Outside the temp dropped into the forties and then the thirties. This morning there were scattered patches of frost in the yard.

The painters had finished the house on Monday, it looks great, and one of them came by this morning to pick up the final check. He said they both loved the house and gardens. They’ll be back to do some interior work this winter. They saw an barred owl in the pine tree behind the pond.

Two sets of storm doors are out for repair. With Scott’s help, I put three of eight storm doors in. Scott will be back on Friday to do more of the winterizing.

We had a full rain gauge, which means at least two inches of rain, maybe more, and the upper pond is closer to being full.

We visited Cousin John at DHMC this morning, and had dinner at Red Can tonight.

In Bloom: asters, sedum, fall anemone, cimicfuga.  

Asters in red, pollinators are still active.

Asters in Purple.

Small asters. Notice that the centers are of two different colors. The yellow centers are being pollinated, but turn purple after pollination as an indication of pollinated status for the bugs, buit still contribute to the mass effect to draw the pollinators.

Cimicfuga looks lioke a bottle brush. It is sometimes killed by frost before blooming.

Barred Owl, possibly using the owl box on the next tree.

Game cam pic, too big for a fox, a coyote pair I think, anyone?

This is a fox.

Pumpkin Quest.

10-5-26 SHORT HILLS: Saturday was gorgeous, warm for the date and sunny. Anna, Gardner and Emmett came out in the morning on a pumpkin quest. We all went to the Farm at Green Village, our favorite nursery. They have  acres of pumpkins—traditional orange from golf ball size to massive and other pumpkins in white [ghost], blue, green, red, pale orange, yellow, smooth or warty. The gourds are in all shapes and sizes and colors. Gardner creates a display on their stoop in the West Village of all the pumpkins and gourds. 

They bought three carts worth and loaded them in the back of their car, After feeding the koi in the pond, we went to Creekside Farms where some of us rode the tractor train, feed the farm animals and did more shopping. Judy bought key lime pies. Anna bought cookies and more. Emmett climbed on a huge wooden tractor in the playground.

There were hundreds of kids and parents at both stops. We had an impromptu picnic at Creekside.

Gardner, Anna and Emmett went back to NYC to create the stoop display.

After afternoon naps for us, Judy, Reggie and I went to Bruce’s home for an elaborate  dinner he prepared.  

A large selection, many choices.

Three carts full.

So many pumpkins.

Witch's brew.

The pond with koi.

Colored corn.

Train ride.

Pumpkin art.