The Visitors

Just passing through this morning

A rest before heading further south.

A Day on the Guitner Road - Friday, October 18

I had my camera in hand throughout the lovely day Friday:

Golden sunrise shining on the October woods. 

Sheep grazing/browsing in the morning sunlight.

Hubby's new truck.

Coleus still blooming bright by the Adirondack chairs.

Self sowing Lady in Red salvia.

Gorgeous dogwood berries.

New Beautyberry .

What can I say? She likes playing in the water.

Seashell cosmos.

Moss between the flagstones.

It's all locally grown.

Future applesauce.

Sheep and donkey at sunset.

Sweet Cherries and Birds

Many years ago, Brad planted a pair of sweet cherry trees. They were two different varieties. Both of them have grown well but one of them gets beautiful red cherries. We used to try netting it so the birds would let US pick ripe cherries. We've given that up. It bloomed especially lovely this year, without being bothered by frost. There were a lot of bees busy pollinating. Bumblebees, not honeybees.

This week is cherry picking week for the birds. What a delight to watch them flying in and out of that tree. Everyone is looking for the perfect fruit. Cardinals, robins, blackbirds and mockingbirds  all noisily chasing the next bird away from the treasure.

Yesterday morning, Woodrow was perched in his cat-bird seat enjoying the show when he alerted me of something out of the ordinary. I stood up and looked out the window in time to see a bird I've waited for many years. A Cedar Waxwing was in the rhododendron. He stayed long enough for me to call Brad to see him. I'm waiting this morning with my camera nearby but so far he's a no show. They're like that I read. I guess that's how I got to be this old before I saw one. He was a beauty.

One more note about birds: last Sunday morning, I heard a Bob White - a quail.  When I was a kid we often heard them and also an occasional Whip-or-will. Now, hearing a quail in our neighborhood is rare. The last time I heard a Whip-or-will was in Bedford County, decades ago. I'm hearing the quail again this morning. Stay safe, Bob White.
Shortly after we moved here, one Sunday morning we observed Mr. and Mrs. Quail and their young hatchlings strolling through our yard. What a delight it was to see them.

I Found a Box Turtle.

It's been a long time since I've seen a box turtle. Hayley and I went for a walk this evening and I spied him in a muddy roadside ditch. I put him safely in the pasture so he didn't get run over. I think he was just waking from his winter nap. Live long and prosper, little guy.

Ten months since my last post....

I cannot believe the terrible time waster I have become. I am hanging my head in shame. I cannot brag of any great feats of late. I go to work, I come home. I feed sheep. I feed myself, I go to bed. I go to work.
Lazy is how I call it. Fat and lazy.

 Hayley has grown up. She likes to torment Gus and Woodrow.
We're into spring now and it's snowed a few inches this day.

I've done a bit of knitting this winter. Having 2 projects completed by March is a good start for me. I knitted socks in January and a hat in February. I wear the socks to bed. My feet are always cold at night. The hat has pretty brown ewes all around it and some curly horned rams on the top of it. I love them both. For those of you who knit, the hat is a Kate Davies design. The socks are Kirsten Kapur's design.

That's all for now folks, I'm off to waste a bit more time. Later....