Last mow, first snow

I had almost talked myself into waiting until today to pick up dog poop and mow leaves. The winter weather advisory changed my mind. Yesterday was a nice fall day, today a winter wonderland.

After yesterday's chores, I did hobble about a bit, camera in hand. I'm glad I captured this silver grass in its upright position; today it is severely slumped over.

This is the trunk of one of my redbud trees. I assume the damage was caused by the extremely wet spring we had and hope that the tree will recover. This one is next to the deck and quite useful shadewise.

The common milkweed pods are exploding. I'm contemplating just letting it take over one corner of the yard. I didn't notice very many monarchs this summer, but then I wasn't out and about in the yard much.

I am very impressed with how rubust my Triumph elm is. Once the leaves dropped, a nest appeared. I hope this tree continues to thrive.

The still tiny Prairie Fire crabapple insists on fruiting. First year sleep, second year creep, third (next) year leap - I hope. The Perfect Purple crab in the front yard isn't looking very robust, so I'm hoping it takes off soon, too.

Some shrubs still have fruit on them while others have been stripped bare already. The hawthorn tree in the front yard is loaded with orange berries; the robins will find them in late winter. Last year they did not eat all of them, so I plan to harvest some for dyeing yarn.

My SO came over Saturday and cleaned out the poison ivy patch under the gold mop. I've sprayed the poison ivy several times and it looks like it is finally finished off. May it never return!

43 more days

I am counting down the days until my hip replacement surgery. Time can't pass fast enough! I am keeping up with the mowing, and mowing leaves. We finally had a hard freeze, so hopefully I can put the Toro away soon. A little bit of yard cleanup has occurred - very little, enough to allow the trick-or-treaters to reach the front porch - otherwise, it is on hold. Even though I fret about the state of my backyard, I have to admit I kind of like how wild it looks, as though I live on the edge of a woodland instead of in suburbia.

At some point, pokeweed became established in my yard. I pick some of the berries (even though they are not a good source for dyeing) and leave plenty for the robins and bluebirds.

And one starling.

I can watch the avian acrobatics from the living room but it is not a great place to take photos. Plus the birds seem to become camera shy once I pick up the Olympus. I am rearranging some rooms in my house - turning the fiber studio into a den (TV, desk, exercise equipment), a bedroom into the fiber studio - so hope to view more wildlife from inside this winter. It's time to plug in the bird bath!