I replied to the "October" thread as the fall here in my part of =
KY has=20
been
the most beautiful I can remember in a long time. Brilliant =
foliage.=20
The
woods surrounding my house are all hardwood. No/few conifers. =
So, as=20
the
leaves drop, I feel exposed. Sometime, I have to get out and =
blow=20
leaves.
Not for the next couple of days, however. Raining cats and =
dogs=20
today. Can't
blow wet leaves. But soon!
I'm about to start =
mulching=20
my very few flower beds - my rhodies, mountain
laurel, some shade=20
perennials. I also want to plant a few bulbs but will
stick to =
daffodils=20
due to my rather large deer population. Of course, I make
that =
problem=20
worse because I feed them.....but they are beautiful and hungry
and =
I can't=20
resist. I always have a feeding block and a salt block out for
them =
and put=20
out shelled corn as often as possible. This is the time in the
fall =
they go=20
away, for the most part for awhile. Rutting season -- but there
are =
also=20
plenty of acorns and hickory nuts to eat in the woods and they=20
love
those!
I'm still teaching - about 7 more years until I =
can=20
retire from the
university. But, I've sort of morphed into another =
career.=20
I've become, over
the past couple of years, a freelance writer in =
finance=20
and business, though
occasionally in other things. I write for one =
of the=20
online brokerages on
the 'net as a regular columnist. I freelance =
for other=20
online and print
publications. I've always been a frustrated writer =
:) so=20
this is very
satisfying though it's tough trying to maintain 2 =
rather=20
demanding careers.
I HOPE, eventually, to do some garden writing. =
But, I'm=20
keeping pretty busy
with the business/finance stuff. I'm also =
working on an=20
e-book (actually a
series of e-books in personal finance) and =
writing a=20
nonfiction personal
finance book for single women (popular press - =
not=20
academic). On top of
that, I'm writing a textbook. Life is busy. My =
woods=20
is a wonderful place
for inspiration. After retirement from =
teaching, I=20
hope to write full time
and develop that in to a full-time career =
-- which=20
it sort of already is!
We've had 2 frosts here already but no =
killing=20
freezes. Supposedly, that
will change this week. It's time. This is =
about=20
the time of year in zone 6a,
KY, when the end of the gardening =
season=20
arrives.
I put in some foundation plants this year - hydrangeas =
that=20
are actually
staying blue! A lacecap hydrangea. Pussywillows. A =
birch tree=20
(which did not
survive the heavy clay soil). I already had 3 year =
old=20
rhodies and mountain
laurel - doing well. My azaleas are NOT doing =
well. I=20
think there is too
much shade for them. Next spring, I'll probably =
take=20
them out and just
finish that flower bed with shade perennials. I =
also=20
tried an oakleaf
hydrangea. No dice. It never did well and ended up =
dying=20
only a few weeks
after I planted it despite TLC. NO idea why =
although the=20
spot it was in
seemed a little wet.
One gardening question. =
I've now=20
begun to giggle when people in the city
complain about their =
squirrel=20
problem. I have a SERIOUS raccoon problem.
They are smart - and =
they are=20
equally destructive. I can't KEEP birdfeeders
up - not only do they =
raid=20
them but they physically carry them off. Once,
they even brought =
BACK one=20
of the suet feeders. Any bright ideas on how to
handle the little =
devils?=20
They don't bother the plants - but I have MANY
species of birds =
here and I=20
don't want the raccoons stealing food and
feeders all the time. I =
see=20
pileated woodpeckers ALL the time -- and really
every species of=20
woodpecker. I love the woodpeckers but I'll have to admit
the =
nuthatches=20
are my favorite. I use nut feeders for them and=20
they're
hilarious!
Although I don't post much, I read all =
your email=20
and really enjoy it. Love
to read about your gardens since my =
gardening is=20
limited due to heavy shade
and a heavy deer population! Recently, =
we've=20
become infested here with lady
bugs. They are all over the outside =
of the=20
house - and on houses over the
entire area! No one can figure it =
out. I=20
also have zillions of granddaddy
longlegs and moths. A bald eagle =
(the=20
first seen in this area for years)
resides very close by (off my =
road!) and=20
they say we'll have elk this fall.
I would be thrilled if I saw an =
elk at=20
the salt block! There are also some
small black bears -- but I've =
never=20
seen one. I have seen my wood piles
after they knock them down, =
however!=20
I'd LIKE to see one -- from a distance.
There is also a bobcat. =
I've seen=20
him pretty up close and personal as he
came walking up my driveway =
one day.=20
I went outside as I thought it was just
a regular =
cat.......well......I=20
knew it wasn't instantly. He lives in trees
in my backyard (it's an =
acre)=20
and screams occasionally at night. I'm used to
it but it scares =
visitors to=20
death!
Along with my beloved corgis (Zach who is the old guy at =
14 and=20
Eliza at 2),
I have a new dog. It became obvious I needed a watch =
dog. I=20
rescued (from a
shelter who doesn't kill) a wonderful (WONDERFUL) =
rough=20
collie/German
Shepherd mix. Dad was a GS and Mom a collie. His name =
is=20
Murphy and he's
about 3. He is the BEST dog in America! He lives on =
my=20
screened porch where
he has a dog door that allows him to go in and =
out=20
into the fenced back yard
at will. He has a wonderful "house" in =
the=20
screened porch with fuzzy
blankets and all manner things to keep =
him warm.=20
He wanders inside some --
but not much. He prefers being out and I =
(and the=20
corgis) spend time with
him outside. A TERRIFIC watch dog who =
appears to=20
have been guard trained in
his previous life. I feel safe here =
always --=20
but safer with Murphy on duty!
:) He and Eliza AND he and Abby (my =
Maine=20
Coon cat) are best buds. He and
Zach are less friendly - they have =
the=20
macho male dog thing going on though
both are =
neutered!
Enjoy=20
reading your posts and I hope everyone is =
well!
Rosemary
Zone 6a on=20
a mountain in Eastern KY
Rosemary Carlson
Freelance=20
Financial/Business Writer and Columnist
P.O. Box 1278
Morehead, =
KY =20
40351
Email:
rcarlson@mis.netwww.thewritescribe.com =
(under heavy=20
construction)