Frost Then Color

Without question we had several consecutive nights featuring heavy frost recently.  Now many of the trees display color that draws visitors from distant states.  We spent more than one hour just driving around while taking in the sights.  Driving while looking at the trees is risky behavior but people driving on country roads around here go slow or are  stopped.   A couple out enjoying the leaves from their recumbent tricycles pulled over so we could pass.  Not far up the road we waved as they passed us.  We were stopped to take another picture.

All of these pictures showcase trees that grow on our property.  The lone Red Maple surrounded by Norway Spruce are ours while the lawn belongs to our neighbor.

Only the foreground trees and pasture belong to us.  The distant ridge is not ours but the view is free.

When this land was farmed many decades ago, stone was dumped in the middle of what could have been a small field.  I could find no possible reason for these stones' location but the spot is now marked by a solitary Red Maple.  The row of pine trees were planted to screen out the view of activities undertaken by the first owner of what had been farm but became a camping outpost.  Both new landowner and farmer's wife feared that the other would shoot them.  That never happened but neither now live in the immediate area.

This is the view from our kame terrace.  It is the highest ground on our parcel and we frequently drive its perimeter while taking in the view.

This is the view looking down from kame terrace.  The bedrock ridge is nearly gone here but seeping water and uneven ground prevent us from mowing to the tree line.  Our many years here have been amazing and we cannot imagine living anywhere else.  

 

Bent But Not Broken

After sitting for a spell, a walk up the hill took me to the last of my transplanted Arbutus plants.  One plant of each gender were placed here and the deeply rotted White pine needle soil has supported impressive growth.  Seeds have formed for several years so new plants may be included in the photo but no disturbance has happened looking for new from seed plants.  A wire cage is needed here to keep animals from eating these evergreen plants when snow melt reveals bright green leaves.  Edge stones prevent marauders from pushing the cage aside with the central stones supporting the cage when animals walk across it.  Today taller stones were needed as the cage was pushed down nearly crushing the desired plants.  No protective gloves nor kneeling pads can be seen as this started out as a walk to simply get the mail.

Today's patch is completed with the cage returned to its intended location.

The White pine has been here for years and this year's cone production was again impressive.  Both chipmunks and red squirrels live among the old stone wall.  At this time they are busy harvesting pine nuts that are likely being hidden in crevices in the wall.  Few intact cone are seen here now while the shredded remains are everywhere. 

 Back up the hill at home six deer were grazing on what I call lawn.  I took a series of pictures as I walked in their direction.  This is as close as I got before the herd moved into the taller weeds.   Before they bolted several tried turf stabs in an attempt to frighten me away.  These mature does and their fawns see this land as their own and they do feed on my garden plants.  In my younger days I would shout and harmlessly shoot my gun in an attempt to drive them away.  Now they spend a great deal of time here and we enjoy watching another generation get ready for the coming winter.