October Snow

We’re tucked in at the homestead for a bit of a stretch now hopefully. 
We made a trip to town on Friday to look after business and stock up on supplies. 

We awoke to snow Saturday morning and discovered with delight from the kitchen window, half a dozen Canadian Geese just the other side of the zig-zag fence.  A few were up and grooming themselves, the others were still snuggled into the grass with their wings tucked tightly against themselves.

Soon they are all up and at it

Even the straggler

They stayed all day, and Sunday too.  They followed David and the tractor around the fields as he collected up the round bales to a central spot for transport.  

 

 

 The snow really tried to get serious over the weekend stealing our sunshine and our power ...

 It's a lovely thing though... I look forward to the first snow.

No complaints; just a bit of a scramble getting those winterizing jobs finished up before the season really settles in. One never knows ... we might get another months reprieve, and it might just keep on coming.  Hard to say.  It is that time of year.

Along with the weather system this weekend came a young Evening Grosbeak male who we sure hope finds his way back to his flock.  He was very wet and looking a bit bedraggled as he arrived at our feeder  ~ no doubt blown off course.  We can only offer him sustenance (LOTS of sunflower seeds) and wish him well.  And we are hopeful that the five Red Winged Blackbirds who also arrived with the storm will take him under their wing(s) so that he has some grown ups to look out for him. 

He's very tame and is quite comfy with either of us just a few feet away ~ he seems to enjoy the conversation and the company. 

A junco has been staying close to the house too these last few days.  As unlikely as it seems; the Junco and the Grosbeak appear to be quite friendly with each other.  They arrive at the feeder at the same time and take their meals together.

 

Oh... our Grosbeak is looking much better in the sunshine this afternoon. Our first sunshine in five days.  

We humans brighten up considerably to see the sunshine and we can only imagine how wonderful it must feel to our winter chilled feathered friends.

Yes, that's much better!

autumn munks

Especially for Marcos and Nicole ~ our new friends from Brasil
'Chipmunk'
caught on camera by David

  

 

 

 

September on the meadow

 

We enjoyed a bit of a flower garden this summer, thanks to Vincent.  

The poppies especially were so lovely.

And so many Sunflowers this year ... planted by accidental Gardeners ;
Chipmunks stashing their hijacked (bird) seeds ...

  

 

 

So blessed we are.  It is a beautiful place where we work and play; this place we call home and 

 

where Touch Wood Rings are created.

We've seen about a decade of autumns turn to winter here and it never ceases to surprise and delight us! We still can't go for a walk without being jaw dropped at the beauty of this Cariboo Chilcotin area.

 Thanks for dropping by.

 

August on the Meadow

 

Summertime. 

The dog days of August are busy days for the birds 

(and the bees) with little ones learning to perch and fly and forage. And speaking of bees ...

“Bees do have a smell, you know, and if they don't they should,
for their feet are dusted with spices from a million flowers.”
― Ray Bradbury, Dandelion Wine

Our current feathered visitors include a late and motley crew of evening grosbeaks.  

A family of three. Mom and Dad and one young 'un. 

 

Two finches at the breakfast bar enjoying a bit of chatter about the weather perhaps . . .

And our beautiful hummingbirds are gone now. They leave in mid August with just one or two coming through in the final few weeks of August.  We leave our hummingbird feeders well tended till the frost is on the pumpkin ~ just in case a hungry little flyer drops by for a fuel stop. 

Once the swallows give up the clothes line it's time to hang a load of laundry on a summer's breeze.

 

Sweet sweet swallows.

A Sand hill Crane lifts his lankiness seemingly without effort and balances way up there : )

The end of summer is in the air.

I do not know this author or her book but I do love this quote attributed to Ms Babbitt.

“The first week of August hangs at the very top of summer, the top of the live-long year, like the highest seat of a Ferris wheel when it pauses in its turning. The weeks that come before are only a climb from balmy spring, and those that follow a drop to the chill of autumn, but the first week of August is motionless, and hot. It is curiously silent, too, with blank white dawns and glaring noons, and sunsets smeared with too much color.”

― Natalie Babbitt, Tuck Everlasting

 

Blessed we are and ever thankful.