Mid October, Apple Picking, and Harriet Hollister Park

           Driveway, October 19

 

I have so many pictures of Rusty in this exact spot, it almost hurts to see it.

 

Five hours after blowing away most of the leaves.

 

See the old iron fencing in the middle? I really, really, want to go back, Didn't want to walk through it with the dog.

 

Road with the sweet apples. There's state land here, but it's turkey season so we were too worried about getting shot. I had to jump out of the car and grab the apples while he watched for nuts with guns.

 

Our house is in the left-middle, way way back there...I can see a white speck, that's the neighbor.

 

These tasted extra sweet, softer than ours, and smelled strongly of roses.

 

Harriet Hollister park

 

All the leaves in this spot were ghostly white

 

I think this park is used mainly for snowmobiles and cross country skiing, the trails were long and didn't circle back easily, so I was nervous about getting lost.

 

Ghosty ferns

October Beginnings

 

Did I ever show this to you, Mother? It reminds me of you.

 

Hello, from Sharon

 

 

I tried to get him to crawl inside this Yeti home, but this is all he'd do.

 

Actually, I think it's a Yeti duplex, one of the largest I've seen.

 

Cockscomb, determined to grow, just took all summer.

 

These past couple weeks of above average( like 10-20 degrees) weather have made things want to bloom again

 

Dried fish skin. It is NOT long lasting as advertised.

Old Houses and a Peeper

This is the oldest house in the county, 1797. We found it by accident, just driving around aimlessly.

  Greek revival outside of Bath. Look at those windows, 12 and 20 pane glass! I told Ken to just stop and let me stare, there is something about this old farm that mesmerizes me. I've been thinking about it for 3 days now, fantasizing how I'd buy it and fix it up. I can hearing it calling me.

He watched us while I ogled the house

 The barn across the road from the home. There's a really cool, creepy tiny shed( chickens?), and one of those rocket-shaped corn cribs I've always wanted, plus another barn. Oh, and 2 crappy mobile homes in the weeds,don't think they've been lived in for decades, but there's bound to be someone up here who'd haul them away for me!

She found this peeper on the front porch, and obviously nudged it a while before I saw it and put her indoors, as it was covered with her fur.

Fall Flowers, Leaves, and Parks

Cool building on the Alfred campus, where Walt took his Math GRE

Ready for picking, the recent colder nights seemed to sweeten them up.

Due to the weird summer weather, this was the only gladiola out of 30+ that bloomed

Hurry up, Pappy! This is the East rim trail  at Stoneybrook, we've never hiked this side before.

End of the East trail, near the campgrounds. Post Labor Day, the park is free, and free of people. Just a couple young hikers and old people with dogs.

Back yard, October 3, trees are finally turning. It looks like ours are the earliest, it's still fairly green around town and towards Bath.

By the mailbox, October 4. I picked a bunch of apples across the road yesterday, looks like they're smaller than normal, but plentiful.

Can you see the woodpecker on the trunk? He was huge. Time to put out the pecker feeders.

These turkeys spent the better part of 3 days wandering around the back yard. It was driving Buffy nuts. We finally let her out, and she happily chased them. They'd make a horrible racket, fly up to the trees, then come back. Either they are a fan of dogs or incredibly dumb.

All she could retrieve were a couple feathers, which she proudly carried around and then spent a long time licking.

Catching Up, Summer's End

Early Morning Annoying

Checking out the butterfly-bush

Skinny Legs

The boat has a nasty name and two Confederate flags, but it's just Southern pride, you know

Very little water this summer

From the dragonfly sun-catcher

It makes me happy to think he lives in my porch flowerbed

Last flowers to bloom, zinnia seeds from Sharon

Last of the tomatoes

Getting more purple-er

Post Labor Day is the best time to visit the parks, mainly old people with dogs or vacationers who also shun crowds. We've had the river to ourselves both times; pack a picnic, take a hike and let her swim, drive home in time for a long nap before dinner.

Make America Goat Again

Watching the train

Passing an extra potent barn!

First purple tinge