Saying goodbye to the colours, or are we? …November
Mike tapped me on the shoulder and said “Look!” The sun had peaked out just before setting and was hitting the treetops! Magical! The late light makes it look like there are so many leaves left, there aren’t! Just the glow of the sun.
But no snow yet! Ha! I should bite my tongue! It’s been cloudy skies and lots of bailing out the canoe. I need to take the swim ladder out…soon! When it warms up, a bit, if it does!
It’s hard getting motivated unless I see some colour! Hats are out, mittens are out, socks are being worn…sigh…time to get the Winter boots out as well! Well, maybe not quite yet!
Watching the the Mewberries is an amusement and adventure of colour in itself! Lot’s of orange and light orange and white and orange, and pink noses! There are still a few chipmunks circling, looking for seed as well as the LBB’s that are fun to stalk and chase! Mostly it’s just sitting, and watching, maybe I learned that from them, or them from me!
The Blue Jays are SO careful! Every time I put out a new dish or something different there is a great deal of studying and speculating as to what my latest invention is for? A bluejay death trap? Never! They don’t believe a word I say and have to always check for themselves! Ha!
When the coast is clear the word goes out! Special Forces have checked it over, all clear! Proceed to Project Clean Out the peanuts and knock over all the dishes! Every time! The chickadees, never! In for a seed, or drink, no hesitation!
I’m trying to get a photo of our one sad lonely grackle with no tail. He may be spending the Winter. He can’t fly far! Lot’s of short jumps! Hopefully the blue jays will teach him the ropes! The Doves are not very much help, poking about on the ground, chasing each other way! The Nuthatches are just busy posing…and eating, the Purple Finches and Goldfinches may not be much help either!
I am glad we have these feathered friends here to keep me busy! Way more fun than cleaning, or vacuuming, or tearing down the old deck that is rotting…Ha!
Now Rocket says he can help out…;) NOT! Ha! They do enjoy the game of chase!
They keep wandering off into the tall grass, finding ticks, and bringing them back. They need better friends I keep telling them! It’s been an awful Fall for the ticks. I’ve lost count of my bites, just casually feeling like something is on you and reaching over your shoulder and pulling off one of these creatures sours ones day, or evening!…and the itch…ARGH!!!! Not to mention what can go with those bites, Lyme, Anaplasmosis, Babesiosis to name a few….Mike and I can testify that you don’t want to get any of these! Did you know there are around 40 species of ticks in Canada which range in size from a pinhead to a dime. Ticks are present across Canada, living in wooded areas, tall grasses, and under leaf litter. They become active at 4⁰C and above, year-round, and their full life-cycle can last up to three years. NOOOOOO! Here are some of the ticks in Ontario.
It’s not often I await with happiness hard freezes and cold weather…just saying….
Back to colour!
Now to think of more pleasant things! Flat calm evenings with the incoming earth shadow. Just before sunset, a low, flat, dark blueish purpley pink (that covers it right?) band rises up from the eastern horizon. This is the earth’s shadow and it stretches for nearly 180°. The sky’s strong color and brightness near sunset begin with small particles in the relatively thick lower atmosphere being illuminated by direct sunlight. Very cool!
…and these Fall mornings are so beautiful. You never know how the clouds will be lit, or contrails from planes, if it will fade, or become more intense…you have to go look, and sit and watch the mists move!
I think I found the cover shot for the “Little Red Canoe 2026″…Ha! There was chilly, slippery frost on the steps! So why we may be saying goodbye to our leaf colour and the trees will go gray, we will still have these amazing colours to reflect on as the days grow shorter.
Time get another paddle in before hunting season has everything scrambling with the sound of gunshots. I may resort to the RV airhorn if we see orange too close to the house;) One must do what one has to do;) It’s time to work on Canoe and Bird calendars! Better late than never;)
I’ll catch up after the haute couture season of camouflage and pumpkin orange comes to an end and I can walk our road without being in danger of being mistaken for a deer by 80+ year old hunters who don’t hear well, or see either perhaps? I think I will leave that Halloween antler or turkey feather hat at home;)
Saludos amigos!
