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