brown county bounty

Forget peak leaf week...I think we hit peak leaf DAY when we went to Brown County State Park this past week!

Colors were amazing.

Others were haunting the trails, too.

red-tailed hawk

"woolly bear" caterpillar

painted turtles

And why not?  It was almost 80 degrees!  At home, I continue to see insects everywhere...and it was so warm the other night that I heard tree frogs singing...kind of unusual for late October.  

spotted cucumber beetle

milkweed bug nymph

oleander aphids

But I don't think I'll be seeing them for long.  In the span of a few days, we're going from 80 to 23 degrees, and the hard frost will kill everything in the garden and send these bugs into hibernation.  It's amazing that we've had flowers for this long!  I gathered up a big armful today for the last bouquets of the season.

The kittens have been loving the sunshine...

...but they will like curling up by a warm fire, too.  We'll see what happens over the next few days.  Have a great week!  

tangled webs

 Lots to see this time of year, and not just kitten cuteness.

Even before the leaves started changing, they were thinning out, leaving space for dramatic rays of sun to burst through.

But now we've got real change!  Just a few days ago, our hiking trail was barely touched with color...

...and now the trees around are property are fully ablaze!

Because it's been so warm, there are still plenty of insects around.  Hornets still active in their nests...

...and I'm seeing lots of spiders around.  Look away if you're spider-averse!

spiny-backed orb weaver

tiny crab spider on celosia

bright-eyed daring jumping spider

They leave their prey wound up in webs around the porch, like tiny mummies...pretty appropriate for the season.  

I was so inspired that I bought a couple yards of spider web fabric to make a skirt for next fall. No spiders, but lots of insects caught in the sticky strands...reminds me so much of late autumn!

We might have a frost next week, and we'll lose the spiders until next spring.  Well, except for the chipboard spider that I've taped to the inside of a living room lamp.  That guy will probably be around until December!  :)

We've been checking the trail cams and getting lots of deer...raccoons...possums...and, of course, our chogs.

We have SO MANY tracks in the snow here...it will be exciting to see to whom they belong!

Snow seems pretty far away, though.  It's been so mild, and it will be close to 80 this week. Unbelievably, the flower garden is rallying and putting on a lot of new growth! 

 

new yarrow getting ready to bloom

only a few dead patches of bachelor buttons

So lots of bouquets...more baking...

healthy pumpkin bread recipe from Well Plated

...and as usual, more kittens.

Blue skies, moderate temperatures, beautiful colors...have a great week!

apple ciders and horses, no riders

 It's almost time!

The house is decorated and we've watched 16 scary movies...15 to go.  The house is decorated, and I finally got around to decorating the porch.  It's pretty grim.  Our pumpkin harvest this year was abysmal...I'm just not sure what happened!

Compared to last year...sigh.  Next year I'll plant my pumpkin seeds in plastic cells, instead of directly into the ground, to ensure 100% germination.  

2022 pumpkin display

At least we have basically enough to go around...sparingly!

I got several ears of glass gem corn...

...but wasn't quite sure what to do with it.  I probably should've left the husks on, but stripped back, so that they could be tied together and hung.  Next time!  

We're starting to get some chilly days, and more leaves changing.

...and we hike every...single...day.  Either with friends...

...or alone...rain or shine.

Although...it's nice to have other pups around.

It's also the perfect weather for baking.

apple cider caramels from Smitten Kitchen

pumpkin pie pop tarts from Joy the Baker

half cookie cake for Todd's half birthday on 10/15 from Desserts For Two

classic apple pie from Smitten Kitchen

These dark, rainy days are perfect for puzzles...

2000 pieces, completed last week

...knitting...

a "keyhole" scarf, which fits snugly against the neck and keeps the cold out, knitted for a friend's birthday...but I think I'm going to knit one for myself, too.  I don't like baggy cowls so this is perfect!

...and cat naps.

We finally set trail cams up around the property and have caught quite a few visitors!

large coyote

raccoon

white-tailed deer

Looking forward to spotting all sorts of wildlife as the season changes!  Meanwhile, enjoying the creatures that we see every day.

horses across the road

Have a great week!