Finished for Fall

The bird garden is open for business! All the transplants are in. I’ve hung and filled the feeders. It feels finished enough for this season. These pics are really dark the sun sets so early these days!

Just in time for the first frosts to start killing the leaves.
An hour after the feeders were up the birds showed up. So far I’ve seen all the usual suspects chickadees, titmice, nuthatches, blue jays, morning doves and one fat grey squirrel that I’m sure I will be cursing before too long. I will have to put some thistle seed out to get the finches. It is really pleasant to sit out there for an autumn afternoon and stitch in the sun.

This picture was taken at the height of the fall color a week ago (I am remiss in posting) This season is one of the prettier ones we’ve had for a few years. I’m a tough judge after living here for so many years. It seems we have had enough rain in the summer, not too much wind in the fall and enough of a proper cold snap to set the maples off properly. (If the leaves dry up before it gets cold the maples perform no better than down in the south, disappointing)
This year the maples have been a brilliant combination of yellow, orange, scarlet and crimson against bright blue skies. Now we will enter the second more muted stage of fall the oaks will turn tarnished gold, bronze and mahogany. A few holdouts of the maples will carry brilliant yellows but most will show silvery branches and the pines will remain steadfast. Lovely and rich a last lingering taste.