Happy Hallowe'en

Pin It

And blessed Samhain (pronounced sow-ain) to all!

Mystery Fruit

Pin It

I first saw this fruit on the New England seacoast a few weeks ago. Finding it intriguing, and completely clueless as to what it was, I took a photo, determined to look it up as soon as possible. Imagine my surprise, on arriving home, to find the exact same fruit (in photo above) on a tree growing in my garden! Had I looked at the entire tree, back there in New England, I could have figured out its identity. At any rate, now I know what it is. Do you?

More Spooky Spiders

Pin It

This one was in the bathroom sink.

I love the leggy shadows being cast on the porcelain.

Last Wednesday Night Beach Night ...

Pin It

... for this year anyway. Daylight savings will roll the clock back one hour this coming Sunday morning, taking our after-work beach light away, until next year. As Mark, says, "There's always weekends", but it won't be the same.

There's something special about making the effort to put food, drink, firewood, grills, tablecloths, paper plates and cups together in the middle of the week and schlepp it all down to the beach to have dinner with friends.

Beach Night won't cease altogether until next summer, though. At the end of last summer we all vowed to keep the tradition going through the winter by having our weekly gatherings at one another's houses, doing it just a bit less often than weekly. These turned out so well last year that we're going to continue doing them. Much to my delight.

So here's to the end of Beach Night on the beach

and here's to the beginning of Beach Night, Winter-Style. I'll be keeping you posted.

Apples

Pin It

Quick, before the bears get them! Our neighbors have already reported that bears have been visiting their apple trees, breaking branches and making a mess. This year our apple trees have put out a particularly good harvest of fruit, so I'm bringing them in as fast as I can.

Before the bears get them.

Does A Bear Sh#%! In The ...?

Pin It

I truly do not wish to gross anyone out with this photo, but it's a slice of life where we live, this slice being just a bit close for comfort. Yes, people, this is bear poop. Filled with huckleberries. Roughly 8 feet from our front door. How I wish I'd caught the offending Ursus americanus with my camera instead of having to settle for its rather rude leftovers. At one o'clock in the morning we did wonder what the dogs were going on about, rolled over and went back to sleep.

Getting Ready For Halloween?

Pin It

The ubiquitous Daddy Long Legs, a perfectly ghoolish find for this time of year.

Nature's Pallette

Pin It

Who says green and purple don't go together? Trying to hide in the fuzzy purple blossoms of a Mexican Sage, this cucumber beetle, a scourge of the garden if ever there was one, makes quite a nice splash of contrasting color. For a moment, anyway.

Blackberries In October

Pin It

I may not be able to successfully grow tomatoes in our rather chilly garden but, as Sher has pointed out to me, I've got blackberries. It's October 19th and there are still blackberries on the numerous vines around our yard.

Some are a bit mis-shapen and some are growing mold and fungus, but the shiny black ones are still sweet and very edible. I'm told to stop complaining - so I will. Thank you, Sher, for bringing me to my senses. I appreciate you.