Back in VT.

10-7-22 VERMONT: We drove up in the remnants of Ian in heavy rain until we got out of the Metro area when most of the rain let up. We got here in time for me to look around and check the gardens, which are well into fall. 

I have been doing chores and more chores. There is so much stuff to put away for the winter. Judy put the porch rockers down the basement, and together we put most of the deck chairs away. I picked all the green tomatoes and bagged them to see if they ripen off the vine. The rosemary plant looks good so I brought it inside to winter here. I started putting hoses away, there were many hoses out because of the dry summer. I pulled more plant support hardware out of the beds. 

We needed a repair to the pasture fence that the horses’ Mom and Dad took care of. 

The color locally is OK, but not at peak as yet. The two red maples that we planted two summer ago will be good in a few more days. In the two days we’ve been here, the color has noticeably improved. 

There will be a memorial service for friend and neighbor Bruce Nelson tomorrow. 

New blooms: witch hazel, toad lily. 

Mazie debating whether to do an early morning swim.

Moosilauke in the diatance from our pasture with pretty good color.

One of the local bears near the upper pond at the end of August, caught on a game cam.

Same spot in September, one of several pix of a fox.

On the wildlife theme, a Great Blue Heron dropped in for a brief visit.

This is aster season, here are red ones.

Violet asters.

Asters hosting a monarch butterfly. Shortly after this pic, the butterfly flew off in a straight line toward the southwest. Next stop-Mexico.

Witch hazel, a cluster of delicate flowers.

This complex flower is a toad lily. The pollinator must head for the yellow spot to get the nectar deep in that scrotal-like sac on the bottome of the flower. While the bug is in the flower, the upper umbrella-like organ coats it with pollen. Any questions?

The color is getting richer today.