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!