It is officially meteorological autumn and things are doing what they do. Every living thing in this part of the world is either getting ready to go dormant, hibernate, or migrate. Most of these activities require fattening up. If I wanted to do all three, and there are many days that I do, I would need to eat a lot and practice sleeping. And there are many days that I do. Practice filling a suitcase would be another useful task, but alas, I am not able to accomplish any migratory desires. Sometimes living vicariously through other species will have to do. Take for instance this enterprising spider. It is a very nice web, but with morning dew it loses it's invisibility and effectiveness. Until the dew dries up.
Another species that fattens up and flies south is the hummingbird. The ones that nested here are already gone. I suspect these are young Canadian bred (I could swear I saw a few with little hockey sticks) hummers on their first trip to the Gulf of Mexico. Most will probably fly over the gulf to Central America where they hang out on beaches sipping little nectar umbrella drinks for a good six months before returning to the north country to
have orgies create little hummingbird families.
We had some company last week when a young woman from central Minnesota came up here with her horse and met her trainers from Ohio who brought another horse back to her. Several days of riding on our local trails with the Cooker as their guide was last weekend's big fun. Here are the trainers holding up their local newspaper (apparently some kind of tradition in Ohio) and the Cooker sitting on our mule, "The Colonel", who is probably the awesomest mule in the whole county. A good time was had by all.
The skies are losing their summer appearance as the weather does it's seasonal change. The days are noticeably shorter, the leaves are changing color here and there, and it is a bit chilly some mornings, but still above freezing. Here is a little rain shower out on the lake.
The sky last night was showing us some "mares tails" and this morning I had to put on a light jacket when I fed the horses.
So before I start seriously tackling the weekend chores I think I might start to prepare for the coming winter. I will have a piece of pie and a nap. Winter! Bring it on!
I always like this time of year. It's like a fresh start after summer. It's Nov/Dec I hate!
ReplyDeleteI found a lot of leaves on the lawn under the fruit trees. And yesterday I said to somebody: It’s only August, much too early to start transplanting.
ReplyDeleteWrong, it’s September and definitely autumn. Ah well, I’ll try to enjoy it but I won’t prepare for winter just yet. It’s long enough when it comes.
We were 31f here this morning, and forecasted lows are in the upper 20's. Our mountains have already had their first snow the 27th of Aug.
ReplyDeleteI tend to think of the Ezra Pound poem when I anticipate the upcoming cold.
Nice pictures, the mule looks quite regal.
Our daytime temperatures in Nova Scotia have been hovering around 26C (80F) for the past week, somewhat above normal but not too much so. I had no idea we were warmer here than some places in the US, until I started reading blogs. (Geography was never my strong suit.) I suppose it's partly the moderating effect of the surrounding ocean and being at sea-level. But I still marvel at it! The photos of the sky are beautiful.
ReplyDeleteJust beautiful photos. Our hummers are also gone but we're getting a few still passing through. And wasn't it just last week when you blogged about the late wet spring?
ReplyDeleteI am so looking forward to some cooler temperatures. It probably will be another two months before we can turn off the air and open the windows at night, though.
ReplyDeleteVery cool clouds - never knew these were called "mares tales," but that's a great description.
In San Francisco autumn is the most beautiful season. It means NO FOG, just sunshine and mild temps. Amazing pics, Jono.
ReplyDeleteFall is here. It will be a long cold winter in Ukraine, heated only by bombs and guns
ReplyDeleteGreat photos! Love the webs in particular.
ReplyDeleteNot such a fan of fall here, only because it means winter is close behind. And I hate that.
I like your approach to winter ... although I myself migrate (only for 3 weeks, wish I could do more). Also, I like your cobweb photos, except we seem to have a bumper crop of the things this year. Is it something about the weather?
ReplyDeleteIt is a beautiful time of year, to be sure. If only it wasn't a harbinger of that which follows....
ReplyDeleteirbii, it really is mostly nice this time of year, but the darkness comes too quickly.
ReplyDeleteFriko, when all else fails you can always rely on denial. :)
SFM, I loved looking at those early mountain snows on a crisp morning.
jenny-o, this far from a moderating ocean we can get extremes on both ends of the thermometer.
AT, that was the shortest summer in recent memory.
PP, just a nickname for that type of cirrus cloud.
Donna, I think you probably have one of the better year round climates in the country. But those earthquakes...
Blog Fodder, I am sorry there is so little we can do to help.
aitbr, We are almost done with highway construction season, though!
Tom, It is ALWAYS something with the weather. Or climate.
Geezers, I am beginning to not like harbingers any more.
I like your spider photos. I tried to take some spiders but the photos never turned out well. Did you see this video of spiders being shocked by loud noises? They recoiled back and forth. My mother used to sing to spiders – she said it was lucky….
ReplyDeleteFall is just starting, a bit, around here. This week the warmest day will be 82 degree F and at night the coolest 59 I think; the humidity is finally down. Apart from the mosquitoes which are still very busy, it is a nice time to be out. Colors are not changing yet, the fall color season here is around the first week of November, but it is earlier in the North Georgia Mountains – and it is glorious there.
Fattening up and resting sounds like a pleasant way to spend the cold months of the year. I think I'll do so.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed the hummingbird and sky photos. Remarkable!
Love the Colonel! He looks so proud and true.
ReplyDeleteJono, I am personally ready to eat and sleep more. How about you?
My hummers left a couple of weeks back! I miss them.
ReplyDeleteI love spider webs and your photos are great. Little works of art!
Fall is definitely here. A piece of pie sounds like an excellent idea.