BS: Signs of Autumn

Subject: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Cats
Date: 04 Sep 10 - 06:03 PM

This week the last swallows and swifts left. For the last week they have been sitting on the telephone wires and yesterday there were none. A sure and final sign that autumn has arrived at last

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: gnu
Date: 04 Sep 10 - 06:28 PM

My buddy told me yesterday that some maples near his house have some red leaves (Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada). It has been in the mid 30s all week. How dare they!

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: mauvepink
Date: 04 Sep 10 - 08:28 PM

Leaves are turning, some are falling and the nights are certainly drawing in here in the UK

mp

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: katlaughing
Date: 04 Sep 10 - 09:00 PM

My Rog's grape vine is showing some yellowing of a few leaves here and there, but we were just up on an almost 10,000 elevation plateau today and everything was still quite green, well, except for a lot of the evergreens which are dead from a nasty beetle infestation. Got some nice flower pix [removed - the site no longer hosts blog photos].

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: catspaw49
Date: 04 Sep 10 - 11:32 PM

Sign of Autumn? [Link removed - no longer opened a photo] This is one for sure!


Spaw

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Wolfhound person
Date: 05 Sep 10 - 05:00 AM

My Amelanchier tree is turning red, the parent swallows have left, but not the babies yet, and there's no sign of the geese yet.

Paws

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Cats
Date: 05 Sep 10 - 07:06 AM

Love it Catspaw!

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: gnu
Date: 05 Sep 10 - 07:14 AM

The Bluejays have arrived.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: VirginiaTam
Date: 05 Sep 10 - 08:42 AM

STOP IT!

I haven't had enough summer yet....



wimper

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: JennieG
Date: 05 Sep 10 - 08:42 AM

My Canadian friends ans family living in Toronto, Ont, are all saying that the leaves are starting to change colour, but it's still quite warm.

Cheers
JennieG

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Bobert
Date: 05 Sep 10 - 08:58 AM

Crickets in the house...

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: AllisonA(Animaterra)
Date: 05 Sep 10 - 12:54 PM

Leaves are turning, it was COLD last night (upper 40sF), and I'm wearing a wool sweater and socks!
Also, I made soup stock yesterday for the first time since late Spring.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Bill D
Date: 05 Sep 10 - 01:30 PM

Well...the calendar SAYS Sept....but it has been pretty hot here still.

(I have to admit, early mornings are finally decent enough to go for a walk. 'Twas not so last week)

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: artbrooks
Date: 05 Sep 10 - 01:51 PM

The chili roasters are going all over the Rio Grande valley.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: GUEST,Patsy
Date: 06 Sep 10 - 03:09 AM

Christmas decorations arriving in the shops at the end of August!

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: GUEST,CrazyEddie
Date: 06 Sep 10 - 03:20 AM

Picked Blackberries two weeks ago, hazelnuts will berripe in a week or so...

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 06 Sep 10 - 03:42 AM

400 mile round trip to Dorset and back via various other counties (no, I didn't get lost, I had passengers to pick up) this weekend, the hedgerows are laden with hips, haws and berries, the leaves are starting to change and there are some spectacular shades of gold and rust in Epping Forest. The New Forest is purple with heather, the larches are starting to fade from pine to gold, the oaks are full of the bright green dots of acorns... I miss Dorset almost as much in Autumn as I do in May. Missed my usual drive through to the west of it to see relatives this weekend, so haven't been able to lay the homesick ghosts yet.... :(

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: GUEST,Patsy
Date: 06 Sep 10 - 06:35 AM

Gloucester in the Autumn is chocolate box beautiful with the reds and golds of the leaves, Batsford Aboretum is especially beautiful in the Autumn it without doubt my favourite season. On a warm Sept/Oct day there is nothing better than to see those birds of prey in the Falconery next to the Aboretum soaring and gliding on the wing.

It is great exploring other countries but the West Country through to golden Hereford and the Brecon in Wales is the best battery re-charger for me before the Winter sets in and it is almost right on my doorstep.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Phot
Date: 06 Sep 10 - 09:49 AM

The trees in the Aboretum that is RAF Brampton started to turn last week, the Ninja* squrirrels are stocking up on nuts and fruits that are starting to fall off the trees, and the air conditioning at work has finally been fixed. Which means we will be colder in the office than it will probably be outside!

Wassail!! Chris

* Yes we do have black squirrels at work! Scary little buggers with red eyes!

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: GUEST,Patsy
Date: 06 Sep 10 - 10:38 AM

Black squirrels wow I've seen them on the telly must be strange to look at. I am afraid we only have the common greys where I work still having fun scampering around though, funny enough we have the same problem with the air conditioning here. We have internal buses that keep the heating on all through the summer, crazy.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: jacqui.c
Date: 06 Sep 10 - 12:27 PM

After the heatwave of the last couple of weeks we now have warm days and cool nights. Looking out the window there are very small patches of autumnal colour in the trees, a little more each day can be seen.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Bettynh
Date: 06 Sep 10 - 12:53 PM

Anyone seeing monarchs yet?

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Bee-dubya-ell
Date: 06 Sep 10 - 01:29 PM

Saw the first clump of sulphur tuft mushrooms this morning. Too bad they aren't edible.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Joe_F
Date: 06 Sep 10 - 08:52 PM

Highs in the 70s (F), two days in a row.

"There's a hint of fall in the air."
"Don't talk with your mouth full."

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Rapparee
Date: 06 Sep 10 - 09:42 PM

The aspens are starting to turn yellow and there's now s**w on the mountains in the Bitterroots. We have a freeze warning tonight.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: LadyJean
Date: 06 Sep 10 - 11:19 PM

I have cats on my lap. They've been avoiding me while the weather was hot. But now it's getting chilly, I'm a cat bed again.

That and the Scottish games are this Saturday. That's the end of summer for me.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Bettynh
Date: 07 Sep 10 - 12:38 PM

LOL, Lady, I've called high summer, with its heat and humididty "dead cat weather" for many years. They just lay about in the shade waiting for cool.

Our skunks are beautiful now, with their long silky coats.

Meadow saffron and garlic chives are blooming.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Bill D
Date: 07 Sep 10 - 04:44 PM

I saw Monarchs last week in the DC area...

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: gnu
Date: 07 Sep 10 - 04:47 PM

Last week it was 40 to 45 Humidex. This AM, I had to shut my windows. High of 15C with rain tomorrow. I am gonna write a god damned letter! (Apologies to That Canadian Guy/Glen Foster.)

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Donuel
Date: 07 Sep 10 - 08:29 PM

Signs of Autism can be seen as early as age 2.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Donuel
Date: 07 Sep 10 - 08:49 PM

Being a cat bed is great honor even though a warm TV can also do the trick.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 07 Sep 10 - 11:20 PM

A few hummingbirds appear in our urban yard. They don't appear every year, but when they do, it is this time of year. Earliest fall.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: fat B****rd
Date: 08 Sep 10 - 05:54 AM

It pissed down in sunny Scotland yesterday and the wind flattened my sunflowers.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: GUEST,Patsy
Date: 08 Sep 10 - 06:12 AM

All the kids are back to school, now I can go away for a break somewhere at a cheaper price. I can still enjoy reasonably good weather and take in the Autumn colours in peace.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: gnu
Date: 08 Sep 10 - 08:24 AM

I heard Canada Geese at 7:30AM (Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada).

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Cats
Date: 08 Sep 10 - 03:37 PM

Increasingly heavy dews at night and the hens have stopped laying.....

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Micca
Date: 09 Sep 10 - 04:53 AM

Starting to get my stuff together for the Getaway, charge batteries in cameras, dig out American fitting cables,clear SD photo cards,etc....It Must be Autumn.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: LadyJean
Date: 10 Sep 10 - 12:23 AM

I'm having trouble with a knee. Applying a heated cat works wonders.
There were geese flying over my backyard yesterday. The stores have bulbs.
(I'm buying tulips!)

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Joe_F
Date: 10 Sep 10 - 06:26 PM

Switched from salads to cooked vegetables at dinner.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: gnu
Date: 10 Sep 10 - 08:34 PM

Windows shut and ACs on for over a week... 45 Humidex... now, I REFUSE to close my windows and have sweat pants, a hat and a sweatshirt on. 14C, rain and breezy. We went from high summer to late fall in 24 hours.

Not a sign of fall... a sign of an early and LONG hard winter.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: LadyJean
Date: 11 Sep 10 - 12:12 AM

We have black squirrels in Pittsburgh too, but I never thought of them as ninjas, or as scary. They are found, particularly in a neighborhood called Squirrel Hill.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: ragdall
Date: 11 Sep 10 - 02:07 AM

Wednesday morning ice had to be scraped from the car windows. My Green Ash is quickly becoming a yellow Ash. The Ash down the street has already dropped half its leaves. My lawn was covered with migrating sparrows this morning. Children returned to school this week.

rags

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: GUEST,Shimrod
Date: 11 Sep 10 - 05:01 AM

Last March I found some Cyclamen leaves on the river bank and knew that I'd have to wait until September to see them flower. And last Wednesday they did - 16 blooms! The species was Cyclamen hederifolium, which is probably not native to Britain. Either someone planted them on the bank or they seeded themselves from someone's garden (perhaps ants carried the seeds?). A bit of a bittersweet experience, really; the hoped-for event happened - but it also means that the year is on the wane.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: GUEST,pattyClink
Date: 11 Sep 10 - 10:04 PM

Slim pickin's down south yet. The heat has returned for another whack and the tough damn crape myrtles are still clinging to branches of blooms.

However, there are little flocks of strange birds in town, and hummingbirds passing through on their way to the Yucatan. And I saw a big bird circling high on a thermal, I don't know if that's a fall thing but that's when I see it.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: open mike
Date: 12 Sep 10 - 02:58 AM

i found a large caterpillar 3 - 4 " long and it seems to be from a moth that prefers ceanothus bushes...it has formed a cocoon and may not
emerge til next year...

crickets are singing and Orion is in the sky.
Amaryllis (naked ladies) are blooming and the
night air is cool enough to break out the feather
comforter.

the month name ends in Ember it will be obers or embers for the rest of the year now..

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Cats
Date: 12 Sep 10 - 04:16 AM

Last night we Cried the Neck in our hamlet. A sure sign.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: gnu
Date: 15 Sep 10 - 04:41 PM

JEEPERS! NOT GOOD!

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Mrrzy
Date: 15 Sep 10 - 08:02 PM

Nooooooooooooooooo!

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: keberoxu
Date: 22 Sep 16 - 02:50 PM

Today's the autumnal equinox. What do you observe?

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Senoufou
Date: 22 Sep 16 - 05:47 PM

It's cranefly time once again. Have seen some of those huge ones (Tupila maxima) which are new here. Plus huge spiders coming in from the garden to disport themselves on our bedroom wall. (Brave husband puts them outside again)
No colour change as yet on the trees, except the poor horse-chestnuts have been attacked yet again by the leaf-miner, and their leaves are prematurely orange (ie dead)
The house martins in our village have had a very good summer, with hot weather bringing out the flying insects for them to hoover up.
Our Bramley apple tree has produced a good crop, but rather small fruit due to lack of rain. Picked four large binbags full, for the Harvest Supper this weekend. (apple pies and cream for the dessert)
We draw our curtains now at 7-30pm. As a funny old boy over the road always says with a grin, "Winter drawers on!"
It's my birthday next week (St Michael's Day) so I love this time of year!

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 22 Sep 16 - 05:48 PM

The summer sun is fading as the year grows old,
And darker days are drawing near,
The winter winds will be much colder,

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Senoufou
Date: 23 Sep 16 - 04:07 AM

Oh Nigel, that's one of the saddest songs there is. 'Forever Autumn' by The Moody Blues.
'...now you're not here..." Whenever I lose a cat to old age, I hear those words. Gulp...

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: keberoxu
Date: 26 Sep 16 - 04:27 PM

Dug out the parka with the faux-fur trimming the hood. And wearing socks, rather than sandaled bare feet.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Jim Carroll
Date: 27 Sep 16 - 04:29 AM

Signs of Autumn - around here, the rain gets colder
Jim Carroll

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 27 Sep 16 - 06:31 AM

You may be sending the spiders in your house to their doom by putting them outside. The large, fast-running Tegenarias belong indoors, so (regardless of what I'm promising Mrs Steve I'll be doing with them) I quietly release them under the settee or fridge where they'll do good by scoffing the silverfish and other undesirables. Same goes for those daddy-long-legs spiders with the little bodies and impossibly tangly legs. They would just die outside in this weather. I just wish they wouldn't crap in the mugs on my mug tree, that's all! And the ones in the bath have fallen in, never entered via the plug hole, and flushing them down means certain death.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: CupOfTea
Date: 27 Sep 16 - 10:15 AM

First pot of hot tea after a recordbreaking hot summer of iced-to-the-max tea.

The alarm clock goes off, and its still dark out, dagnabbit.

All the stores are sporting Christmas goods.

The lifeguard stands and swim area buoys are gone from the lakefront beach.

Dance season: Monthly English Country & Contra dances start up again.

Concord grape time is done, and the local apples and cider show up in the grocery stores.

Joanne in Cleveland, where the trees are just starting to show colors

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Senoufou
Date: 27 Sep 16 - 11:28 AM

"...sending spiders to their doom by putting them outside..." GOOD!!!

I don't mind those spindly fragile-looking ones, except their blasted webs are all over the house. But one look at a 'real' spider and it's either me or it. So far my husband has agreed I stay and the spiders go.
I'm a wildlife enthusiast, but the trouble is, with a phobia one can't control the reaction. It's instant and petrifying. I shake for ages afterwards and imagine yet more of the buggers running across the bed or up the walls. I even have a recurring nightmare where one appears on my pillow. One of these days I'll have a heart attack and the spiders will have won.
It's funny though, I have no fear at all of rats, mice or snakes (and I've seen some very venomous ones in W Africa)

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 27 Sep 16 - 12:32 PM

But those spiders are your friends and they're harmless. A vital part of the domestic ecosystem, definitely. In fact, close up they are beautiful in their own way, a lovely synergy of form and function. Good ones to get up close to are the garden orb web ones, which won't run away if you're careful. Get yer magnifying glass out and have a good look, or take a photo on macro setting. They're gorgeous I tell you. Most of my clan are irrationally scared stiff of spiders but they know I won't countenance unwarranted slaughter!

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Jim Carroll
Date: 27 Sep 16 - 12:41 PM

Not an arachnophobe, but I have to admit to having become quite alarmed at the size of the ones here lately - you imagine you hear thm stamping around begfore you see them - I'm sure they'll form a Morris Side when there are enough of them
Jim Carrroll

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Senoufou
Date: 27 Sep 16 - 03:16 PM

Steve, there is no way on this Earth I'd 'get up close' to a spider. I'd rather eat my own leg. I accept what you say, our friends, essential to the ecosystem and all that. But the very nature of a phobia is irrational and overwhelming. I couldn't even go into a pet shop where they had those giant tarantulas in a tank. Not even in the car park. Not even drive past...
I'm ashamed of this, but can do nothing about it.
In Senegal I have been known to emerge screaming from a primitive toilet shed with my trousers round my ankles, having spotted a MONSTER spider on the wall.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Senoufou
Date: 28 Sep 16 - 04:10 AM

Hahahaha Jim! A Morris side of huge spiders! Would they all wear baldricks? I should think they'd be Border, not Cotswold don't you?
Or maybe North West Clog, with eight feet apiece.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: keberoxu
Date: 28 Sep 16 - 05:24 PM

Spiders doing Morris Dance -- where is Terry Pratchett when you want him!

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Charmion
Date: 28 Sep 16 - 07:04 PM

I have a flipping colony of spiders in my cellar, all busy webbing the shelving and the wine. I try not to take it personally.

A week after the Equinox, autumn is now setting in for real, after the hottest summer on record. No frost yet, but night-time temperatures are reaching down low among the single digits.

I saw a southbound skein of Canada geese today. It's early for them to leave, so perhaps they were heading for the marshes of Marlborough Township.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 28 Sep 16 - 07:16 PM

We see squabbling skeins of Canada geese every day here, heading from Bude Marshes to Maer Lake, a distance of half a mile.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Rumncoke
Date: 29 Sep 16 - 11:53 AM

There are some truly enormous spiders coming in this year - either the local ones are mutating, feeding really well, or there are new kinds from the south, moving north - they could easily come across on the ferry, Poole is a busy port.

There is still warmth in the sun, but the air in the morning and evenings is cool.

The poor scabby apples are not yet ripe, but they are golden delicious, grown organically and allowed to become golden most years - some years there is a storm and the whole lot is knocked off the branches whilst still green.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Senoufou
Date: 29 Sep 16 - 12:03 PM

Steatoda nobilis.....that's the False Widow spider. Horrible and ghastly. Gruesome and grizzly. Several have been spotted here in Norfolk (including one in our sitting room, but out it went bundled up in a tea towel bravely clutched by fearless husband.) They're a bit venomous.... The Norfolk Wildlife Trust wanted me to get a photo of it, the fools. I was screaming my head off in the back garden.

I think the house martins have finally left. I wish them Godspeed on their incredibly long journey down to Africa, and hope the wicked 'sportsmen' on the Continent who pick them off as they fly overhead get rust in their rifles.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 29 Sep 16 - 06:16 PM

The false widow's bite is no worse than a wasp sting and there have been very few confirmed incidents in the UK. This particular minibeast has been here for at least 130 years and is a damn sight less dangerous than out-of-control dogs. Don't get me started.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 29 Sep 16 - 10:30 PM

My spiders are also getting set for the seasonal change - a large one that was building a nightly web from the patio cover to a tree has now settled into a silk-covered twig on the tree and seems to be ready to leave an egg sac of some sort soon.

I've worn a couple of long sleeve tops this week, but by afternoon it's a bit warm for long sleeves on the walk back to the car.

I'll get a good rush of growth in the garden for the next six to eight weeks, so with cooler mornings I can pull weeds and liberate the tomato and pepper plants so I can see the fruits. Okra is producing until the frost also.

And I'm thinking it's time to stick my head into my sewing room and plan on some cold-weather projects. There is quite a stack of mending in there also.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Senoufou
Date: 30 Sep 16 - 04:07 AM

Steve, the false widow hasn't been found much at all in Norfolk, it's mainly confined to the south coast and the southern counties. I'm a member of Norfolk Wildlife Trust and they were interested about ours. That's why they wanted a pic.
I expect the relatively mild winters lately have helped it to move north. It can move where it likes, if only it would avoid our bungalow!
When I said it was venomous, I didn't mean you curl up in agony and immediately die. But the bite can be painful and cause a degree of swelling. However I know they aren't aggressive.

I agree about dangerous, out-of-control dogs. We don't have any in our village, but one reads about appalling incidents elsewhere (children being savaged etc) I love dogs, and can see that it's bad owners that produce dangerous dogs.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Donuel
Date: 30 Sep 16 - 10:31 AM

The most remarkable SIGNS OF AUTUMN tHIS YEAR IS THAT THERE ARE NO SIGNS.

No yard signs appear as usual imploring us to vote for tweedle dum or tweedle dee. Not in Maryland or Virginia. I googled other cities and found the same phenome.

Where have all the yard signs gone, long time passing?

I suppose we would prefer to vote for decency but for one reason or another people were not given a decent choice.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: keberoxu
Date: 06 Oct 16 - 01:42 PM

I saw an Everybody Sucks sign, or some such.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: CupOfTea
Date: 07 Oct 16 - 09:46 AM

Perhaps all the yard signs moved to Ohio? We sure have them in plentitude in northern Ohio.

Along with a good crop of presidential preferences - we always get those because Ohio is considered a significant state to carry - we also have many school levy signs. (state school funding here is based on local real estate taxes, so each suburb has it's own levies up for a vote every couple years)

I'm glad that some of the nasty billboards that flourished during the summer because of the Republican convention here have long vanished.

Joanne in Cleveland

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: keberoxu
Date: 22 Oct 16 - 03:38 PM

Returned to New England after ten days in Arizona. In the southern tier of the New England states where I live, fall foliage is peaking, the colors are sensational. Today, also, the wind came back, that withering dry cold wind that showed up earlier this month; it will put paid, as it blows the next several days, to a lot of the leaves, and then it will be bare trees.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Bill D
Date: 22 Oct 16 - 05:14 PM

Twice as many leaves on the ground as there were yesterday.... but to be fair to the leaves, it was 30 degrees F cooler and the wind was blowing...ummm.. energetically. I have 'some' grass that ought to be mowed, but if the leaves cover it first it can wait till Spring.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Senoufou
Date: 22 Oct 16 - 05:46 PM

Got a bit over-excited in Asda, due to huge bins full of gorgeous pumpkins. Huge ones only £1, so bought two. Also got a couple of those large containers of sweets for the visiting village children in their Hallowe'en costumes. And a load of tea-lights to put in the pumpkins. (I light them up every night in the week before the 31st) Husband and I tried on lots of the masks on sale, skulls and witches etc. Can't wait to carve the faces into those fat pumpkins!
I do love Hallowe'en.

Our big apple tree has now been savagely pruned. I felt a bit sad as it's quite small now. And this morning, it had dropped one lovely last apple on the lawn, which made me feel dreadfully guilty and sorry for it. Never mind, it will no doubt grow huge again in no time.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: keberoxu
Date: 18 Sep 17 - 03:10 PM

The maple leaves are just beginning to change color.

Sadly, the storm-force winds scheduled to blow this week will probably take their toll on trees and foliage alike.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: CupOfTea
Date: 19 Sep 17 - 11:42 PM

A whole couple blocks had been planted with the same sort of tree- think it is a honey locust. (Tiny oval leaves) this year, for some reason, they have all chosen the same day to turn color and drop leaves in glorious unison. The smallness of the individual leaves and the uniform color made the sidewalks look like they were paved with gold.

Joanne in Cleveland

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Teribus
Date: 20 Sep 17 - 04:30 AM

I suppose as temperatures fall and as more inclement weather sweeps in, the extent of drooling in Kernow will decrease.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Iains
Date: 22 Sep 17 - 02:36 PM

The last gale dropped most of the hazel nuts and now the berries on the holly trees are turning red. A shame they always get eaten before Xmas.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: keberoxu
Date: 23 Sep 17 - 07:08 PM

Last night, with no heat and dropping temperatures,
I had to throw onto the bed,
the Ohmigod-This-Thing-Is-Heavy quilt.

But tomorrow, temperatures and humidity shoot way up
and the air-conditioning will be called for.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Jim Carroll
Date: 24 Sep 17 - 06:25 AM

Here in the West of Ireland the rain starts to get colder
Jim Carroll

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: keberoxu
Date: 26 Sep 17 - 02:07 PM

The professional landscapers have made their seasonal re-appearance, and their motor vehicles are illegally parked and blocking the streets and the lanes.
While they clean up people's trees and lawns and stuff.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 26 Sep 17 - 05:12 PM

Texas is slow to cool in the fall, though we had a wonderful tease of fall week of temperatures in the 80s from the 4th through the 10th of September. Now we're back into the 90s again and humid. Hoping for rain. The signs are that leaves are beginning to fall even before cool weather would normally loosen their grip. And so many of the leaves that land in my yard are from neighboring properties.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 27 Sep 17 - 08:26 PM

Suffled through fallen leaves on my way down the road tonight.
Hundreds of lovely apples and plums on my daughter's trees.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Mr Red
Date: 28 Sep 17 - 04:47 AM

A swallow made its nest in the bus shelter see pics - some photo are blurred out of deference to the birds.
But if they are the only ones there will be a very small line on the telephone wires, maybe they have already gone!
The GFs farm seems to attract more swallows - all that BS (or should it be cowshit?)

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: keberoxu
Date: 28 Sep 17 - 01:33 PM

Still no heat in my rental apartment --
it will come, just not tonight.
So since tonight is going to be much cooler than it has been of late,
must again grab the
Oh-My-God-This-Thing-Is-Heavy quilt
and
plan on sleeping under it tonight.

All the humidity is blowing away in the breeze.

There's a glorious phrase in the book "Edinburgh"
by Robert Louis Stevenson
when he describes a day going from humid to dry:

"the sky has drunk up all the clouds."

Goodness, that man could write.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 28 Sep 17 - 02:55 PM

It was going in reverse today in Edinburgh, Keberoxu, but at least, no rain!

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: JHW
Date: 01 Oct 17 - 05:34 AM

Lots of leaves in the gutters and on the paths but they're last year's. Council can't afford to clear them away anymore. (Darlington UK)

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Donuel
Date: 01 Oct 17 - 06:12 PM

By day cloud like shadows race across the ground as birds practice for migration. By night loud honking geese V their way in near darkness before sleep.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 01 Oct 17 - 07:45 PM

Well I came back from our holiday in Madeira last Thursday to find that the grass had grown like mad, as it has done all through this wettish summer. Generally I charge round with the mower's mulcher plate in place, but this time it was too long so I had to collect the clippings. At this time of year that's no disaster as I can scoop up tons of fallen leaves and mix them with the grass clippings in heaps. That way you get leaf mould that rots down so fast that you can use it next spring as the grass clippings add nitrogen that's lacking in the fallen leaves alone. That idea came from the estimable Bob Flowerdew, whom God preserve, who dubbed the resulting product "accelerated leaf mould." So tomorrow I'm out there raking up shitloads of fallen leaves, and I'll be repeating the exercise several times until November.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Gallus Moll
Date: 02 Oct 17 - 06:27 PM

I am breaking my heart as my copper beech, planted when the house was built in 1863, is losing her leaves and shedding her beech nuts for the final time. This magnificent tree has quietly been suffering from spiral fractures, caused I think by the increased winds / lack of shelter in the years since the mature pine woods behind my house were cut down by the local authority. Even if I had known and realised, the way the tree has grown would not have allowed for any suitable pruning or support.... and now the end is near and I am so sad, so sorry - - with a tree like this I thought I was a custodian, sharing maybe 50 or 60 years with it till the next guardian took over; instead I am the person who has - reluctantly - had to accept the advice of professionals and the evidence of my own eyes that the time has come.....and I can't bear it.
But neither can I risk the tree falling onto the road, harming someone.
So - what I am hoping is that some of the poor tree's wood can be seasoned and then made into a piece of furniture (there are two or three local craftsmen in this area)for the house or garden.
I have gathered nuts to plant and grow -- there are already different ages of offspring of this tree in the garden.   
Trying to think positively - - but crying inside.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: keberoxu
Date: 02 Oct 17 - 07:31 PM

I'm sorry, Gallus Moll, accept my sympathy.

Where I was raised, a form of chestnut tree,
known locally as a Buckeye tree
because of the nuts' appearance,
was native, and a few old ones still stood.

I often got a close look at an huge thick old Buckeye tree
that was supposed to be several centuries in age.
An enormous trumpet vine grew literally next to the tree roots and
wound itself around the trunk;
the vine was big and thick and covered in its own bark.

If either tree or vine went down, I would feel
the same way that you feel now.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 02 Oct 17 - 08:07 PM

I know that feeling too. Our garden is sheltered mostly by elms. They haven't been dying off for many years, but this last couple of years Dutch Elm Disease has started to take them again. This year I've also lost my favourite apple tree, one which I planted thirty years ago when we first moved in, and I haven't worked out what it was that got it. Nothing to be done. I've just planted some stone pine seeds. That's the umbrella pine that you see all over Italy and the one we get our pine nuts from. At 66 I'm being a little optimistic that I'll ever harvest my own pine nuts, but hey!

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 04 Oct 17 - 02:16 PM

I've spent this afternoon making a massive stack of leaves that I've mixed with loads of fresh grass clippings. They'll rot down nicely for use in the spring. There should be a couple more batches to make if I have the energy.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Gallus Moll
Date: 04 Oct 17 - 07:07 PM

I know that when you plant trees they are for future generations, and I accept that sometimes things go wrong and one might be lost too soon due to wind or lightening or some sort of disease-----I also understand that In a forest the cycle of life requires that as new trees grow, some old ones will die, fall, decay, thus providing habitat for different creatures and funguses, and nutrients to the enrich the ground.
But - when a particular tree has a long association with a special place, is part of your life, has the graves of your pet dogs and cats and various other creatures (red squirrels, birds, a rabbit, chickens) that have passed away over the long years.... it is really hard to come to terms with the impending loss.
If the tree had been out the back, well away from the house, we could just have let nature take her course. - I'm the sort of person who saves worms on the pavement when it rains, or spiders trapped in the bath or upside down beetles; I am finding this so very hard - - never to see the dark copper glow in the sunset, or the bright gold in the mid-day sun, nor hear the rustle of breezes in the leaves, and the scattering sounds of beech nuts falling to the ground through the flurry of Autumn leaf-fall.
Thank you for your sympathy and understanding!

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 04 Oct 17 - 08:35 PM

You may never see it in its full glory, but plant another tree. Make sure that what killed your tree wasn't a soil-borne disease first (I doubt it). Maybe a different species. I love the idea that we plant for generations to come. I know that isn't much consolation.

I bought some stone pine seeds last week. They're stratifying in the fridge at the moment. Stone pines are the trees you see all over Italy, in Rome, Pompei and Sorrento. I'll be at least 95 before I see any pine nuts from them, but I'm having a go anyway. I'm not sure that Mrs Steve can countenance another thirty years...

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Gallus Moll
Date: 05 Oct 17 - 06:41 PM

How in the heck did I write 'funguses'?!    Fungi of course -- must've been too late at night!

My poor tree has succumbed to wind coming down the glen, causing 'spiral fractures' as the wind catches the branches and leaves, twists the trunk.
This has happened over many years and was not something I knew about till the tree surgeon told me and showed me.
But even if we had known way back at the start of the problem I don't think with a huge beast of a hundred and fifty four year old mature Copper Beech that anything could have been done to arrest the problem and stabilise the tree. Perhaps if it had been a spreading oak, or a much smaller /younger tree, there would have been methods (I saw one in St Andrews Square in Edinburgh which had a support and prop..... but it was a relatively little specimen.
My tree - - well, the tree for which I have been custodian for nigh on 40 years --- is very tall, much higher than the Victorian house, and the weight of even one limb must be enormous. It is going to be some operation, involving a large cherry picker, it will have to be taken down in sections. There are also telephone and Hydro Board lines involved, and a road closure -- - and ultimately the trauma of looking at the empty space where The Tree used to be - - -- -

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 05 Oct 17 - 10:14 PM

Here in the US several of the big box stores sell small potted trees as "living xmas trees" at the holiday season. It happens that Italian stone pine works well for this, and they are about $15 for a 1-2 gallon tree. I have five I've planted around the yard because they grown well in xeriscape settings. It takes about 40 years before you get the cones, and I think they're difficult to get out of the cones once you have them. If the trees are still here in another 30 years and anyone knows what they are, someone may enjoy the pine nuts. (I prefer to plant the smaller trees - it's easier to untangle roots wrapping around in the pot, and the hole one digs is much smaller! They grow fast to catch up with the more expensive and slower to get established bigger trees.)

Gallus, there is a spectacular copper beech in the Prospect Park, Brooklyn, New York City that I walked past daily as a ranger. It had a place of honor at the end of a long open field, but hopefully enough forest on one side of it to prevent the wind damage you describe. I can't identify a photo of it online now, but it was so spectacular I feel like it should be famous. Planted by Frederick Law Olmstead when he planned the park.

When autumn arrives my North Texas garden gets it's second wind. There are green tomatoes everywhere and lovely black aubergine. I've dug many pounds of sweet potatoes and left a few more for when my daughter visits next week; she loves to dig them also and sometimes you need an extra incentive to get your adult children to come visit. Whatever it takes!

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 06 Oct 17 - 08:55 AM

Your beech tree has actually achieved around the average lifespan for the species. Beech trees aren’t as long-lived as many other forest trees.

We’ve had two nice days in a row. We get around 17°C by day and around 8° by night. It’s very pleasant sitting outside in the sun (UV3). I have to shift one ton of coal that’s just been delivered then cut up some logs. My Sungold cherry tomatoes are bravely resisting the blight and cropping very well for now. You never see them in the shops on account of their habit of splitting easily, but I reckon they’re the tastiest of the lot. I have summer sprouting broccoli, some nice kale, lots of salad leaves and plenty of spuds to harvest, as well as a spectacularly huge crop of flat-leaf parsley. Some very poor, windy weather last month saw off my French beans and runner beans prematurely. I’m sowing broad beans later. It can be too windy for them in winter but I’m having a go for the first time ever. The purple sprouting and parsnips are looking very promising. And my spring greens are up. My freezer is full of blanched broad beans.

Last week in Madeira, where it never goes below about 10°C, we discovered the delights of pitanga, aka Surinam cherry or Brazilian cherry. I’ve brought some seeds back from the ones I stole and ate raw from the B&B garden. There isn’t much hope for them here, less still any prospect of fruit, but I’ll try anything. They make the most amazing jam with a lovely grown-up flavour. I have a young loquat plant that I grew from a seed I saved from a breakfast in Florence in May. It’ll be big enough to plant out in spring. I have high hopes for it.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 06 Oct 17 - 09:25 AM

Cheers, Acme. I’ve been racking my brain as to what it was that I meant to add to the shopping list. Pine nuts!

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: keberoxu
Date: 08 Oct 17 - 04:42 PM

A Morris Side of huge spiders. This thread has some diamond posts.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Gallus Moll
Date: 08 Oct 17 - 04:58 PM

Acme, there are many amazing Copper Beech trees around here, many of the former 'big houses' have them - also Monkey Puzzle trees, I guess they were fashionable back in Victorian times?
There is a very striking one in the Younger Botanical Gardens in the parkland in front of Benmore house - -very photogenic.
My tree is actually bigger and more beautiful, but in a more cramped setting - a road in front of it, a hill to one side and the slope down the glen to the burn on the other.
I have a magnificent Monkey Puzzle in my garden too -- 40 years ago it was one of those with a long bare stem and a bunch of branches at the top - but about 20 years ago it changed and began sprouting lower branches -- amazing! (tho not when your head brushes against one - -)
then about 15 years a ago it began to produce seed regularly ie every or almost every year!
Not many of them germinate but we have a few babies of different ages growing around the place -- they don't seem to transplant well (or maybe I don't know how to handle them properly)
BUT- - in recent times there has been a disease affecting Monkey Puzzles, airborne I understand - no cure. So my fingers are very tightly crossed that mine stays safe - - I could not bear to lose two beautiful specimens!
Some of my red squirrels have a drey in the Monkey Puzzle, and magpies nest in it too -- they must have evolved techniques for not getting jagged!

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 08 Oct 17 - 08:51 PM

I studied the monkey puzzle and its fossil come-froms at university. I'm not really a monkey puzzle fan when I see it in suburban gardens, though I believe that it's magnificent in its native forests in South America. Wherever I go in slightly warmer European climes than here, I see the Norfolk Island Pine, not a pine at all but a very close relative of the monkey puzzle. That's a very nice architectural tree. I love the stone pines of Italy, as I've said before, and my other favourite iconic tree of Europe is the Mediterranean cypress, Cupressus sempervirens.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: keberoxu
Date: 09 Oct 17 - 01:23 PM

. . . tonight the winter quilt has to come off
because it's too warm. Back to the cotton blanket.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: keberoxu
Date: 13 Oct 17 - 04:38 PM

There are certain retail places --
that includes restaurants not just shops --
that I know to stay out of, about this time of year.
We're just coming up to Samhain / All Hallows / Halloween now;
but in "Retail State Of Mind"
they are already promoting Thanksgiving and Christmas...
so I'll just wait til November maybe...

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 13 Oct 17 - 06:54 PM

I picked about a hundred pounds of apples today. I have to give most of them away but I'm absolutely loving munching my way through Fiestas (aka Red Pippin), Jupiter, Laxton's Fortune and, believe it or not, Golden Delicious which, when you grow it yourself and pick it ripe, is totally unlike the shop-bought version. I also have hundredweights of Bramleys. They were here before us. I give nearly all of those away. I can't stand sloppy apple sauce! The trouble is that scoffing apples with abandon makes me fart like a trooper. I care not a jot. That's everybody else's problem, not mine! I never buy shop apples. I want apples picked ripe between August and November. I have no interest in them beyond those months.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Joe Offer
Date: 13 Oct 17 - 07:20 PM

We're on the eastern edge of the Pacific Flyway in Northern California, so lots of migrating birds fly past us. Many more will spend the winter in the Sacramento River Valley. We've seen flocks of Sandhill cranes, and scads of turkey buzzards, and lots of geese.

-Joe-

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: keberoxu
Date: 21 Oct 17 - 06:13 PM

I know there will be CHRISTMAS crapola all over the Cracker Barrel store,
but I'm hungry,
so I'm going to the restaurant anyhow
for their chicken and rice with mushroom gravy. (I said I was hungry.)

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Gallus Moll
Date: 21 Oct 17 - 06:38 PM

It happened - the decision was taken for me when Storm Ophelia blew over from Ireland.
It has been a traumatic week - the thought of what might have been if she had fallen on a person, amazement that she managed to lay herself along the very line the tree surgeon would have chosen (but thought impossible) and terrible sorrow that this beautiful tree is fallen, dead, just a memory, leaving an huge empty space and a sad jagged stump. (Hope google street view don't return for a long time)

GRIEVING for a COPPER BEECH
My heart is broken, gentle giant, as I see you lying there; tis a
shocking thing that you have fallen, your life cut short by the storm.

I thought I was your custodian, privileged to have your companionship
and beauty, your shade and shelter, for the years I lived beside you,
just as others have done, over more than a century and a half.
I believed you would still be standing tall, guarding the gateway,
sheltering the land, feeding the squirrels, harbouring birds.

Your fresh green leaves of Springtime turning deep copper in Summer,
through all the shades of brown, gold, bronze, yellow then casting
your nuts like a gentle shower as you prepared for Winter sleep.
The hurricane that took you - did you know, and fear the end?
If you had fallen on the road it might have caused great harm;
but it seems to me you twisted round to lay yourself down just so, in
the garden where you had lived so long, beside the aged Monkey Puzzle.

Perhaps the thoughts of past companions who lived in this place
before, reached out with ethereal hands to support and guide you as
you fell? Those long gone who knew and loved you, people just like me.

I'm heartfelt sorry dear old friend, companion of all those years gone by.
I can't believe you are no more - for such a mighty tree now to be
a sawn-up carcase, firewood logs, brashing and sawdust piles is an awful sight to see.
                                 
In a few short months there will be no sign that you had ever lived
But I saved some of your seeds, and I hope that they will sprout when
Springtime comes again, I'll plant some young on your behalf
and hope so very much that a hundred years from now at least one
more magnificent Copper Beech will tower above this home you had - -
that is my fervent wish.

Adieu old friend and thank you - I grieve that you are no more.
                        __________________________

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Donuel
Date: 22 Oct 17 - 09:05 AM

Unrelenting heat has left the leaves unchanged. While the sun shines chlorophyll continues to make sugar. Only the weary leaves do fall brown and dead. There are only four weeks left for the trees to change and drop all their drop their leaves. The canopy is still full with virtually all their original leaves from late March.

Cool mornings and near 80 degrees in the afternoon. may lure the forests into a false security that will bring them low with snow and fracture many unto a deadly fall.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Stanron
Date: 22 Oct 17 - 10:50 AM

Was I dreaming or did I really see a weather forecast promising a heatwave, here in the UK, on Thursday?

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Donuel
Date: 22 Oct 17 - 10:58 AM

Global warming is not a promise we can break.
It is merely a fact.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 22 Oct 17 - 04:10 PM

Generally speaking, deciduous trees don't rely on temperature signals to drop their leaves. It's all daylength and hormones.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: keberoxu
Date: 22 Oct 17 - 07:10 PM

Thinking of you, Gallus Moll. Thanks for your posts and for calling the tree "she."

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Gallus Moll
Date: 23 Oct 17 - 12:25 PM

Thank you keberoxu -- - not sure if Beech trees have separate sexes (I know some do eg Hollies, Hazels) - but I reckon if this living being produces nuts/offspring then 'she' is the correct term!

I have found the whole episode traumatic- from all the 'might have beens' if she had fallen onto the road or even on one of the vans/cars driving in and out of the garden at various points (postie etc!) - thanks goodness no person or pet (dog/cat/chickens) was killed / injured- - am hoping very much that the wild birds and red squirrels would have had sufficient time to escape.
It is a shame that various plants, bushes, fruit trees have been wrecked, specially those planted for a special reason (to mark the grave of a pet, or given as a gift, or souvenir of some special occasion) also there's the inconvenience of replacing a hen house and some chicken runs.
But the worst thing of all is seeing the jagged stump and the huge sad carcase of what was a truly magnificent being, perhaps even older that the house she quietly guarded during the years. I feel so helpless, there is nothing I can do.....
I will plant her seeds for future generations, but it is terrible looking at the empty space where this glorious Copper Beech once stood.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Donuel
Date: 23 Oct 17 - 03:37 PM

Yep, if a tree has nuts, its a girl. The paw paw tree has what appear to be twin fruit testicles that hang low. They have a banana like texture and a wintergreen flavor. They grow from Michigan to Carolina

There is a blush of color in the area now.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: keberoxu
Date: 24 Oct 17 - 07:20 PM

When I left Massachusetts for Arizona, the tree foliage was vivid colors.
Most likely the leaves are all on the ground being blown around by leaf blowers now.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 24 Oct 17 - 08:16 PM

Beech trees are monoecious, that is, they bear flowers of both sexes on the same plant. Unlike with many flowering plants male and female parts are in separate flowers (which is what "monoecious" means), but on the same tree. The product of the male flowers has you sneezing in the spring and the product of the female flowers feeds the wild boar in the autumn.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 24 Oct 17 - 08:40 PM

If you've collected beech nuts from your tree there's a fair chance that some, or most, of them will give you a copper beech, though some may turn out green.

First, give your nuts a squeeze (😉) to check that they are nice and plump. You may find a lot of empty ones. Now for the hard bit. Beech seeds must be stratified, in other words they have to think they've been through a winter before they'll germinate. Sow two or three in three-inch pots in well-drained compost (add a bit of sharp sand or something, leaf mould if you make it) and leave them outside for the winter. You will have to fiercely protect them from birds, mice and squirrels. Maybe put them in a shed or outdoor garden store and keep an eye on them for getting too dry, but those BLOODY mice...In the spring make sure they don't dry out. Your success rate may still be quite low. Another thing you can do is to put some seeds in little plastic bags of dry but not bone-dry compost and put them in your fridge for the winter, then sow them in late Feb or March in pots outdoors. Don't expect fast germination. Just leave them, for months if necessary. I'm trying this with stone pine seeds that I bought in Madeira. They are in the fridge for a few more weeks yet. Good luck!

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: mg
Date: 24 Oct 17 - 11:42 PM

Flooding the cranberry bogs

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Gallus Moll
Date: 25 Oct 17 - 06:22 AM

Thank you Steve- - I was wondering why the younger beech trees already growing around my garden (presumably having grown from fallen nuts or ones buried by squirrels?) did not have the deep copper colour of the fallen one- - is there some way of encouraging this to happen or is it just random chance?
Our winters have not been so cold in recent times- - 40 years ago I had to cover the car windscreen with newspaper from November to February (the days before screen defrosting sprays!) but the screen is rarely frozen nowadays.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 25 Oct 17 - 06:54 AM

It's all in the genes. You'll have to grow a few for a year or two and do some selecting. You won't have the heart to ditch the rejects though!

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Gallus Moll
Date: 25 Oct 17 - 05:29 PM

you are correct -- anyway I'll not be around to see the mature results!
I guess we plant hardwood trees for future generations.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 25 Oct 17 - 07:45 PM

Well I reckon you have a good few years left in you! I always tell Mrs Steve that I can't die this coming winter because I've just planted out my purple sprouting for next spring and I'm damned if I won't be around to eat it! I'm pretreating some stone pine seeds in my fridge at the moment and will sow them in the spring. As I'm 66 I know I'll never be harvesting pine nuts from them, but the joy is in growing them. I'm also trying some Strelitzia seeds, the bird of paradise flower that looked so lovely all over Madeira, knowing full well that I won't see a flower until I'm at least 71! These things have to be done!

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: keberoxu
Date: 27 Oct 17 - 05:57 PM

Bare trees, for the first time in months and months.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: keberoxu
Date: 30 Oct 17 - 11:55 AM

First time i've seen THIS in over a year:
the aftermath of the previous day's wind and rain.

Fallen Leaf Mush! The stormwinds blow the leaves off the branches;
the heavy rain makes porridge out of the fallen leaves.

And now the colorful mushy stuff
is all over the streets, sidewalks, driveways, curbs,
parked cars ...

it's kind of a challenge for the leaf blowers
when the leaves are saturated and sopping wet.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Charmion
Date: 31 Oct 17 - 08:07 AM

Sunrise at 0730 and frequent cold rain. Hunting for gloves. Duvet back on the bed. Cats even more somnolent than usual. Advertisements for snow tires. "Shouldn't you have called the furnace cleaners by now?"

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Donuel
Date: 31 Oct 17 - 08:28 AM

snow tires mounted, insulated windows check, clearing out basement looking for chrismas crap. One or two more mowing mulching of the leaves and then I need to extract the snow blower from the growing weeds where it was parked all summer. Furnace should be replaced , maybe next year. like I promised 15 years ago.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: keberoxu
Date: 31 Oct 17 - 06:27 PM

Come ON, landlord,
turn the heat on in my apartment building
!!

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: keberoxu
Date: 09 Sep 18 - 05:38 PM

Ah, well.
It will be a while before the heat gets turned on
in my apartment building.
And the nights are really cool now.
So, out with the my-God-this-thing-is-heavy quilt.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Gallus Moll
Date: 11 Sep 18 - 01:27 PM

copper beech update- - discovered my lovely neighbour across the way has a copper beech sapling from a self seeded nut of my poor old tree! He has offered it to me when I get around to start reorganising the garden - ie get the wood cutters and chippers round to finish the job of dismantling and clearing the body of my beautiful tree. Parts of it don't know they are dead- sprouts have grown from the supine trunk! And the poor stump does not realise there is no tree above to feed, it still draws water and nutrients from the ground - in vain.
Many of the other plants and bushes that I thought had been destroyed have amazingly forced their way through and around the wreckage of the beech, flourished all summer. Fingers crossed they survive the next onslaught when the final cutting up of the trunk happens!
I feel calmer about the whole experience now - there are benefits, much more light /better views - however the whole world can see in now, no shelter!
Coming up for 11 months -- what a sad year, what a dreadful loss.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: keberoxu
Date: 14 Sep 18 - 09:35 PM

The trees are turning, I mean the leaves are.
And early morning has that crispness to the air
which has been sorely lacking
during the muggy soggy humid summer heat wave.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: keberoxu
Date: 16 Sep 18 - 07:22 PM

Apples, anybody?

What kinds of apples are ripening for the harvest
where you live?

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: keberoxu
Date: 19 Oct 19 - 04:02 PM

And one year later ...
the recent nor'easter storm in the NE United States
relieved the trees of many many leaves.
Not to say that the trees are bare, mind you.

There will be many more fallen leaves before it's all over;
but right now
the dead leaves are piling up for the first time this year.

And if/when it rains again,
then we get that street mush
that results from wet sodden fallen leaves.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Donuel
Date: 19 Oct 19 - 04:31 PM

Its time to keep the car in AWD. Wet leaves are slippery.
In 48 hours some trees went from a small change to a total color change. Acorns are raining down on their own. Bare branches are common by Thanksgiving in DC. Red holly berries are resplendent and the jewel berries are sapphire blue.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: keberoxu
Date: 21 Oct 19 - 01:34 PM

I do wish that the heat would come on.
My building however is brick, and keeps the heat in,
such heat as there is, well enough.
Changed quilts/coverlets this season,
letting go of the impossibly heavy quilt
for one that is lighter-weight
with a woolen blanket layered beneath.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Donuel
Date: 21 Oct 19 - 01:39 PM

You don't have any old instruments do you.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: keberoxu
Date: 28 Oct 19 - 03:53 PM

... old instruments ... ?


Bare trees visible now,
amongst the finally flaming-to-life colors
of maples and oaks.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Mrrzy
Date: 28 Oct 19 - 04:28 PM

I got nuttin..it was 85* yesterday. That is almost 30* to you Europeans...

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Donuel
Date: 28 Oct 19 - 07:11 PM

Old wood instruments crack if heat is turned off when it reaches 30-40F.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 29 Oct 19 - 10:19 AM

As of yesterday (though it probably happened before then), EGGNOG is in the dairy case at Market Basket.

Sigh, that's more of a sign that Autumn is over and the "holiday" (Hallowe'en, US Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's) has begun.

Linn

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Jeri
Date: 29 Oct 19 - 10:59 AM

I love eggnog. But it's about 1,000,000 calories per fluid ounce. So this year, it's eggNOT.

I visited my cousin in upstate NY last weekend, and we drove towards Canada on the Northway. She'd lived on Whiteface Mountain as a kid, and was quite familiar with the Lake George area.
The trees had moved from the yellow-peachy-red phase into various shades of brown, contrasted by evergreens. Like this (View of Schroon Mountain, Essex County, New York, After a Storm, by Thomas Cole)

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Donuel
Date: 29 Oct 19 - 11:05 AM

If you buy it now it will turn by christmas. I like the one that tastes like Jack Daniels

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Donuel
Date: 30 Oct 19 - 09:47 AM

Time to switch to snow tires.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 30 Oct 19 - 10:59 AM

We had about a week of autumn before it shifted straight into winter. And I was working on a deadline that didn't give me time to do some of the outdoor work I needed during that week. Bummer.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: keberoxu
Date: 31 Oct 19 - 04:30 PM

There are going to be, when the sun comes up tomorrow,
a lot of stripped-bare trees
and a MESS of wet fallen leaves beneath.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Donuel
Date: 01 Nov 19 - 06:51 AM

You see the leaves of trees in DC are now past peak

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Charmion
Date: 01 Nov 19 - 06:59 AM

Winter arrived in Perth County, Ontario, at about 2200 hours last night, with howling winds and a sudden drop in temperature. It had been raining for three days straight, and now we have snow.

It’s still blowing a gale. F***.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: keberoxu
Date: 12 Sep 20 - 12:25 PM

In southwestern Massachusetts,
the maple leaves are turning from green to orange.

We have yet to have an overnight freeze
(which would mean death to mosquitoes amongst other varmints)
but the nights are cooling down.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 12 Sep 20 - 07:40 PM

W have warm weather coming up but it looks like autumn in the environs of my garden because of a horrid resurgence of Dutch elm disease. It used to be one or two trees every year, but in the last couple of months we've lost five or six trees.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Donuel
Date: 12 Sep 20 - 08:06 PM

Autumn soundtrack from foggy morn to crispy nights

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 15 Sep 20 - 08:09 AM

Acorns dropping on my head is a good sign of autumn!

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Donuel
Date: 15 Sep 20 - 08:18 AM

On the tallest hill for 20 miles
Thousands and thousands of birds
All sit side by side
on the same wire.
I bet they're
talking about
an upcoming
trip

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Donuel
Date: 15 Sep 20 - 08:44 AM

The days of lounging in skivies have passed
The temperature is falling and fast
If I didn't know that soon there'll be snow
I'd prob'ly freeze off my ass.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Mrrzy
Date: 15 Sep 20 - 09:08 AM

Ah, the first morning of "It is too cold to get out of bed to fetch an extra blanket" delight...

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Charmion
Date: 15 Sep 20 - 10:26 AM

In Stratford, Ontario, we are seeing condensation on the windows and dew in the grass, a few leaves turning colour (but not many), and the cats snuggling up more consistently, both with us and with each other. For the first time in weeks, I had both cats holding me down throughout breakfast and the newspapers, and they would be there still if Watson had not planted his hind claws in my bare ankle.

Also, we're back to open curtains during the day and closed curtains at night.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Senoufou
Date: 15 Sep 20 - 11:54 AM

SPIDERS!!!!GAAAGH!!!
They're coming indoors (as they always do at this time of year, looking for a snug place to overwinter) The days are still warm (today was hot) so we have to have the windows open, and the evil buggers creep in and find a corner.
Yesterday, very early, I toddled into the bathroom and an absolutely massive you-know-what was in the washbasin. They drop in to baths or basins and the shiny surface means they can't get out.
It was HUGE, about the size of a saucer, a strange pale-grey colour, not any of the British species I could recognise. I think it was Morris dancing in clogs and winking at me with an evil grin on its face.
Of course, with my phobia, I screamed the house down, and husband came galloping through to save me. He gently picks them up (shudder) and pops them outside.
I dread the autumn because of this phenomenon. So stupid of me, but a phobia is a phobia.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: keberoxu
Date: 15 Sep 20 - 09:45 PM

People in my building are complaining about how
there is no heat in their bathrooms when
they shower in the morning ...

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Bill D
Date: 15 Sep 20 - 10:24 PM

2 weeks ago, 90F and days of serious rain and humid nights... right now as I type, 54F and no rain for several days and prediction of below 50F in daytime next week. I think I will remove 2 of the 4 window AC units and light the pilot on the furnace.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Mrrzy
Date: 16 Sep 20 - 08:32 AM

Senoufou, what you need is a house bat.

But yeah, phobias are what they are.

Socks made their first appearance on my feet last night, and long comfy pants rather than shorts went on when I got home. Tiedyed socks. Tiedyed bamboo socks. I love my socks.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: keberoxu
Date: 16 Sep 20 - 01:40 PM

Bonzo3legs is correct:
the squirrels hereabouts scarcely know
which tree to forage beneath first,
so many acorns are falling.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Jos
Date: 17 Sep 20 - 07:12 AM

Lots of shiny conkers under my horse chestnut tree - the tree that grew from a conker the children had played conkers with. I know because when I first found it growing it was just a seedling with, at its base, the remains of a conker and a piece of string with a knot tied in it.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Mrrzy
Date: 17 Sep 20 - 11:31 AM

***I LOVE FALL CLOTHES***

Velour. Flannel. More velour. Other flannel. Aaaahhhhhh.

And socks. Did I mention tiedyed bamboo socks? Yeah, socks.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Charmion
Date: 17 Sep 20 - 05:23 PM

Corduroy shirts, anyone? I just bought two of them.

Winter is coming? Bring it on!

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Mrrzy
Date: 18 Sep 20 - 12:32 PM

But corduroy pants are noisy.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Senoufou
Date: 18 Sep 20 - 01:10 PM

Hee hee Mrrzy, I hope you mean 'corduroy trousers' because I can't imagine anyone wearing corduroy PANTS!
(Don't worry, I know that's the word Americans use for trousers!)

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: EBarnacle
Date: 19 Sep 20 - 02:08 PM

As far as the pants/trousers issue, we ROTC cadets were informed by our training sergeant that women wore pants and men wore trousers.

One sign of autumn that on one has mentioned is the smell of mothballs as the winter clothing is taken out of wherever it has been stored.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Jos
Date: 19 Sep 20 - 02:31 PM

Back when I was a child, women (aunts, and female friends of my parents) wore "slacks", with a zip on the left-hand side.
When I was a teenager, we used to buy jeans (which had a zip at the back, for some unknown reason), put them on back to front and then lie in the bath in them for a while until they moulded themselves to the wearer's shape.
None of the trousers, jeans, etc. that I now own has a zip anywhere but at the front. Some of them button left over right, some of them right over left. I heard somewhere that men's coats button left over right so that they can grasp their swords more easily if they need to defend themselves (or defend some unfortunate woman), but that is hardly relevant now.

None of my clothes smell of mothballs.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Senoufou
Date: 19 Sep 20 - 02:40 PM

When I was a girl (late forties!) from autumn onwards we wore 'trews', made from thick woollen tartan material. You're quite right, adult women wore 'slacks'. Our pants ('bloomers') were nearly down to our knees, thick material with a fleecy underside. Our 'chilprufe' vests were woollen with a string that tied round the neck. I had a 'liberty bodice' too, for attaching my kilt. I must sound almost Victorian!
Sorry about this 'too much information' and thread drift...
The acorns, conkers, hips and haws are amazingly abundant this year.
Schools now have banned children from playing conkers (horse chestnut on a string) in case the little darlings get injured. Snowflake generation!

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Jos
Date: 19 Sep 20 - 03:52 PM

In one of Mary Webb's books, maybe "Precious Bane", conkers was played with snail shells. Perhaps the word "conkers" comes from "conches", which are, of course, shells.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Senoufou
Date: 19 Sep 20 - 06:08 PM

That's really interesting Jos. To 'conk' means to bash, and conk also means ones nose. Years ago, the playground was swarming with conker players swinging away with their prize conkers. Some had boiled them in vinegar to harden them (cheats!) and if ones conker had smashed six others it was called a 'sixer' and so on.
Such a shame that this traditional, seasonal game is now banned. I don't remember any child being injured in the past.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Naemanson
Date: 19 Sep 20 - 09:25 PM

Believe it or not we have signs of autumn here in Guam. The other day Wakana and I drove over to Agat for water and Thai food (takeout of course) when we saw that the pampas grass has flowered. Pampas grass is very tall and grows thickly on the inland open ground. It has white tufts that wave in the wind. From across the valley clumps of the grass look like snow. They flower in the autumn and the spring.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Senoufou
Date: 20 Sep 20 - 04:18 AM

People grow pampas grass here in UK, but it's a tricky and invasive plant. It goes crazy and is very difficult to remove. Sometimes it needs a tractor and a cable to pull the roots out of the ground, but it often comes back yet again!
A while back there was a daft thing going round about pampas grass. It was said that couples deliberately grew it in their front gardens to announce that they were up for 'swinging' (ie having other couples round for sex sessions, swapping partners) Ridiculous! (Husband just said "Hmmm..." Wonder what he means?)
Everyone's planting Spring bulbs here in the village. I've got eight tubs to get sorted, and today we're going off to Bawdeswell (nearby village) to get early daffodils, miniature tulips, irises and narcissi, plus two big bags of MiracleGro compost (husband is very strong and will lift those into the car for me)

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Mrrzy
Date: 20 Sep 20 - 12:11 PM

The idea of corduroy underwear is entertaining.

Newsflash: corduroy pillowcases are making headlines!

Fuzzy socks still rule, though.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Charmion
Date: 21 Sep 20 - 10:45 AM

Fuzzy socks indeed rule. I put on my Thor-Lo padded hiking socks for the first time on Saturday, just before starting up the furnace for the first time since April.

No, I tell a lie -- we had it on for a week in May, when an untimely snowstorm somewhat discombobulated us.

The Canada geese were practising flotilla manoeuvres on the lake yesterday while half of Stratford strolled the paths, eating their last ice-creams of the season. The mallard drakes are in their eclipse plumage, ready to fly south when the time comes, but both they and the geese are quite capable of staying the winter if they can find open water.

I'm not sure what can look sadder than a duck on the ice in January, but I see them every year.

The maples that go red are now all doing so, and every lawn in this very garden-proud town is speckled with yellowed birch leaves. Raking and sweeping will soon resume, and the arsehole who lives up the road will bring out his damnable leaf-blower.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Bill D
Date: 21 Sep 20 - 01:25 PM

The real sign of Autumn for me is when my plastic (lidded) glass of water on my bedside table remains cool all night.. that is when subsidiary signs appear in the form of a down comforter, long sleeved undershirt, and old socks filled with rice and microwaved come down from storage.
   No serious color change in foliage yet, but nights in the 40s are a warning. We are supposed to have a *heat wave* of a week in the low 80s now... but the comforter and 'warmy bags' of rice stay where they are.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Donuel
Date: 21 Sep 20 - 03:10 PM

When the cat food won't come out of the can without a spoon, it is Autumn.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Senoufou
Date: 21 Sep 20 - 03:21 PM

It was very hot here today, with lovely sunshine, like the middle of summer. I got all the bulbs planted in my tubs, and they should look very nice in the Spring.
That crazy tame red deer BamBam has been everywhere today snacking on people's late roses and autumn flowers (dahlias, chrysanthemums etc) and then, because all the village children are back at school, he tried to get into the school through the main door. When the Headmistress chased him away, he went next door to the little nursery and got in there. Trouble is he wees copiously on the carpets inside buildings.
I suppose he can't understand why all the children are no longer down by the river paddling & swimming.
At least he won't have an Autumn 'rut', because he's been castrated!

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: keberoxu
Date: 23 Sep 20 - 12:17 PM

A touch of Indian Summer here.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Senoufou
Date: 24 Sep 20 - 07:16 AM

We're coming up to the Autumn 'rutting season' of deer, when the males get aggressive and ...er...horny (excuse the pun)
The 'tame' deer in our village (BamBam) has committed his worst-ever faux pas. A lady was outside the school this morning, bending down to kiss her young daughter goodbye, when BamBam came up behind her and tried to mount her!!! He was visibly...um...excited. We're all mystified because his owner had him castrated ages ago.
Everyone is talking about it, and giggling. But we're more or less agreed that this has gone too far. He brought his three goat mates and an escaped pig into the pub (beer for the deer and pork scratchings please?) and they all weed again on the carpet. He tried to get onto the school bus. He's out at night in the dark, and some village women went out with torches to try and get him home (no street lights here and it's pitch black at night)
I can't help chuckling though.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 25 Sep 20 - 08:04 PM

When you decide it's cold enough to switch on the central heating and it doesn't work! 2 further days in the very big sweaters before heating engineer arrives and replaces a faulty valve.
I made the mistake of posting our plight on Facebook and had about 20 people tell me to "bleed your radiators". Nothing wrong with our bleeding radiators: if they only needed bleeding, at least some of them would have been warm at the bottom and cold at the top: ours were all stone-cold throughout!
The Facebook College of uber-qualified heating engineers strikes again! Almost as good as the Facebook Faculty of Unqualified Medicine which I encountered the week before.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Senoufou
Date: 26 Sep 20 - 02:34 AM

Oh Tattie, I do sympathise! At this very minute (7.30am) I'm awaiting our friendly plumber. Our NEW boiler, installed a few weeks ago, has a little chimney which goes up through the garage roof. The installers had left a gap around it, and of course the torrential rain we've been having has entered and drenched the boiler, doing it no good. We've had to put a mountain of newspaper and thick towels on the top of it, and this morning they're soaked.
So no heating, and thick jumpers on, just like you.
Our area (Norfolk) has had ferocious winds and torrential rain for three days. Many trees are down, blocking roads, and also there have been power cuts all across the county (not our village fortunately)
Most unusual, as the rest of the UK hasn't had this much. We're usually the driest place, but not this month!

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Charmion
Date: 26 Sep 20 - 02:46 PM

Senoufou, your boiler installers need a lawsuit. Failing to waterproof a roof opening is sheer incompetence, if not malfeasance.

We have the furnace off again and the fans on again — today’s high is 25C, and we haven to had any frost since the first touch. But the forecast for next week is all rain and chill, so I think we’ve had our lot of the balmy weather.

Our woodshed is stacked full. We’re good.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Senoufou
Date: 26 Sep 20 - 03:28 PM

You're probably right Charmion. But the young lad sorted it (He's called George, and such a nice chap) He put mastic into the gap, and is going to board over the spaces in the small breeze-block stack too, which will hermetically seal the overhead roof and completely protect the boiler.
We laughed and said we'll keep changing its nappies (ie the wet towels on the top) until he comes back with the materials for boarding up the gaps.
He told us to put the heating on, it would dry out any damp in the boiler casing. So we're toasty warm now. Good thing, as it's horrible outside. Flooding almost blocked the road over to Fakenham (supermarket) and loads of tree branches down, and shifted to the side awaiting collection.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: keberoxu
Date: 26 Sep 20 - 03:49 PM

Bleed the radiator? Is that anything like
a radiator flush, or something different?

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Senoufou
Date: 26 Sep 20 - 03:56 PM

'Bleeding' the radiators means letting out any trapped air, by use of a special key which opens the valve. You have to do it for each radiator, and then the air locks can't prevent the hot water circulating.
A power flush involves pumping the whole system through to remove any sludge inside the rads and pipes. (The plumbers put a product called Fernox into the system, which prevents internal corrosion, but it isn't 100% effective).
Imagine my husband's amazement when he first came to UK from Ivory Coast. He'd never in his life seen a radiator, or a boiler, or a hot tap (or any tap in fact) or a bath. Plumbing was a complete mystery to him.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Jos
Date: 27 Sep 20 - 03:31 AM

"the fans on again — today’s high is 25C"

That's about 76F. At that kind of temperature (and higher), I just relax and enjoy it.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Senoufou
Date: 27 Sep 20 - 04:20 AM

I think I must be some kind of Saharan lizard, because high temperatures make me feel so happy! I might sweat (well, I do) but I don't want to be 'cooled down' or have icy drinks etc.
My word, the weather here is still being horrible. Strong winds all night and this morning, rain sweeping across the countryside, everyone looking miserable. So unusual for the East. NOT 'Normal for Norfolk'!
We saw all the pumpkins in 'Algy's Farm' fields on the way to Fakenham. He grows acres of them, massive orange ones and smaller white ones. I think the big supermarkets take them for sale in October (Halloween)
Husband thinks it's a wicked waste of food. Nobody in Africa would waste a beautiful pumpkin by carving a face and putting a tealight inside. I reassure him every year by repeating that our shepherdess next-door-neighbour takes lots of pumpkins after Halloween for her sheep to munch.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: keberoxu
Date: 27 Sep 20 - 03:47 PM

The golden maples
are now catching up to the red maples
in providing autumn foliage,
although the red ones got a head start.
(southwestern Massachusetts,
not all that far from
New York's Hudson River Valley)

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Charmion
Date: 29 Sep 20 - 10:56 AM

Senoufou, I completely agree with Husband on pumpkin waste. Last Hallowe'en, Himself could find only the little "pie pumpkins", so he bought three and displayed them as shrunken heads, much to the neighbours' amusement. The next day, I cut away the charred bits and steamed them for the flesh.

This year, Perth County will observe Hallowe'en privately. Ontario is well on its way into a second wave of COVID infections, and it's just not worth the risk.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Senoufou
Date: 29 Sep 20 - 11:12 AM

Same here in our village Charmion - Halloween has been 'cancelled' and no children will be coming round the doors for sweets dressed up in scary costumes. Sad really, but essential that we all obey the anti-Covid rules.
But the huge numbers of pumpkins growing in Algy's fields must mean that supermarkets somewhere will be selling them for decorations. And the unusual endless rain has made them swell to a gigantic size!

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: keberoxu
Date: 29 Sep 20 - 06:43 PM

Well, here is something I cannot imagine happening during
a coronavirus pandemic:

a tour bus packed with people
driving the back roads of New England,
staring at the autumn colors in the trees.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Charmion
Date: 01 Oct 20 - 10:47 AM

I got up this morning in the dark, at half-past six.

News flash: Winter is coming.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Charmion's brother Andrew
Date: 01 Oct 20 - 11:26 AM

The shift to Eastern Standard Time on 1 November will briefly relieve this phenomenon and shift it into the afternoon.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: leeneia
Date: 01 Oct 20 - 01:56 PM

I was going down some stairs and encountered a grasshopper on the railing. Instead of leaping six feet in the air when it saw my hand, it simply sat there, staring. I lifted my hand over it and set it down on the railing again. You know autumn is here when the grasshoppers lose the will to live.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: robomatic
Date: 02 Oct 20 - 11:00 AM

In Southcentral Alaska a proper Autumn lasts about two weeks. We are more than halfway through ours. Most but not all of the deciduous leaves have loosened from the branches and, within a day of them being raked, gale force winds spread the rest all over.

As the lower 48 droughts floods and burns we've had an exceptionally fine Summer and Fall getting the occasional rain that the dry land thirst for, and wonderful sunny days. Since Starbucks doesn't allow seating during the Covid pandemic we've hit the drive-thrus and spent our caffeine amped afternoons walking dogs or hiking (or both).

We've got grand trail systems and most folks actually bag their dogs' 'leavings' appropriately. I haven't heard of anyone contracting Covid from trail use, and it's a cheerful way to say hello to folks. I should emphasize that you meet everyone, all ages and paces, hikers, bikers, camera buffs, skin tones, and species (moose bears and birds). To make it even more unusual, very low mosquito counts for these regions.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Senoufou
Date: 02 Oct 20 - 12:00 PM

No autumn colours among the trees yet as the temperature hasn't been low enough. Plus the endless rain is keeping all the trees/plants in good fettle.
That deer BamBam has taken to playing football every morning with his three goat friends in a nearby lady's huge garden. They began by eating all her hanging baskets' blooms. There's a goalpost (for her grandchildren) and we're sure he tries to score a goal. A wag posted on our Facebook that the deer should be signed up for Dereham Football Club! (Dereham is our nearest town). Deer-ham get it? hee hee
No sign of the escaped pig however.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: keberoxu
Date: 03 Oct 20 - 06:31 PM

About time to retire the sandals for the season,
and stick to shoes with thick socks.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: EBarnacle
Date: 04 Oct 20 - 05:07 PM

The trees are starting to turn here in Central NJ. It is not yet Indian [or is it Native Peoples'] Summer yet, as we haven't had a frost to rebound from. The frost line is about 15 miles due North of here.
I am getting ready to put my Short sleeved warm weather clothes up for the Winter. I will soon have to wear sox on a regular basis, even in the house.
I will miss my Hawaiian prints.
Festival season is winding down, even the reruns of the virtual events.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: keberoxu
Date: 04 Oct 20 - 07:21 PM

Wearing my winter coat when
I filled the fuel tank on my auto,
outdoors after dark.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Senoufou
Date: 05 Oct 20 - 03:49 AM

Some of our fields have been combine-harvested now, and our local sheep/pig farmer has put his flock of sheep onto the stubble to munch up any leftovers.
But one ewe managed to escape, and has been seen up Cadders Hill nibbling on roadside weeds.
Guess who discovered her and added her to his menagerie? Yes, BamBam now has three goats, a whippet dog, an escaped pig and a solitary ewe in his retinue.
Wonder if they'll all fit in The Fox pub?
A deer, some swans, three goats, a pig and a sheep entered a pub. The fed-up landlord said, "Oh deer, swanning around in here again? Goat to blazes all of ewe, and take that smelly thing with you, the utter pig!
No animals allowed to Lyng-er in 'ere!" So they all peed copiously on his carpet and left.
Honestly, this is all true (except my joke) This village must be the maddest in England.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Senoufou
Date: 07 Oct 20 - 03:25 PM

The incoming migrations of various geese have started, and this evening a group of about twenty Canada geese flew overhead, then circled our house/street honking loudly. They were selecting a place to settle (there are several small lakes and the winding river Wensum, plus millponds from which to choose) The leader of the V formation finally decided and they all descended down towards the lake behind the village hall.
It always touches my heart to watch them - they've had such a long and arduous journey.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Charmion
Date: 07 Oct 20 - 03:54 PM

Eliza, this morning as we walked along the river we watched another such flotilla get organized to migrate, squabbling over who was going with whom. Two ganders, each with his own gaggle, really went at it, honking ferociously and rearing up to beat their wings, each in the other's face. Then the other birds in each respective gaggle joined in, honking and ragging the opposition gander. Meanwhile, the snoozing mallard ducks did not even crack an eye, let alone bother to take notice.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Senoufou
Date: 07 Oct 20 - 04:23 PM

Ha Charmion, that must have been quite spectacular! I've never observed a group setting off, just those who are arriving.
So funny that the ducks didn't even bother looking. "Those blooming geese at it again! Shut up you lot, we're trying to have a little nap here!"

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Charmion
Date: 07 Oct 20 - 05:01 PM

In 1997, Stratford Ontario took first place in its category in the Nations In Bloom "Prettiest Town" competition -- we're still patting ourselves on the back over that -- but the contest I want to see is "England's Maddest Village".

Actually, Stratford can be fairly mad sometimes, for Canada. We usually keep it to ourselves during the summer, when the tourists are about, but we let our freak flag fly once the snow comes and we have the place to ourselves.

But I doubt our chances in competition with any representative dorp in the UK.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Senoufou
Date: 07 Oct 20 - 06:11 PM

When I was visiting my Irish auntie and uncle in London, Ontario (this was the late sixties) it was a very pretty town. Rather similar to our village here - bungalows with pretty open-plan front gardens and pavements. I really liked it, and walked about on my own exploring (August/September so quite warm) A few times a Police car would slow down and the Canadian officer would ask me what I was doing! They always found it a bit strange for a young lady to be walking about like that. I did notice that most people got into a car to go out.
I also remember the massive thunderstorms during the nights. And the lovely cool basements people had (not something we have here).
I swam in every one of the Lakes (Huron, Ontario, Erie, Superior and Michigan) but sadly I left Canada before the autumn leaves turned to gold.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Charmion
Date: 07 Oct 20 - 06:54 PM

Eliza, the late ‘60s was a time when young Canadians liked to spend the summer travelling around the country, often hitch-hiking. So many were doing it that school gyms and church basements were opened to provide hostel space. In big cities and in tourist towns like Stratford, patrolling cops looked for young folks on the street, especially if they had rucksacks and sleeping bags. Hitch-hiking was technically illegal, and wandering kids also had a tendency to beg — also illegal. (The Criminal Code included both behaviours in its definition of the offence of vagrancy.)

So the Stratford cops were just deciding whether to bust you.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: keberoxu
Date: 09 Oct 20 - 07:33 PM

... increasingly bare trees.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: EBarnacle
Date: 11 Oct 20 - 12:13 PM

OK, there was frost on my windshield yesterday and the temp went up to 24 C. Took the last o our ripe tomatoes in. Indian Summer is officially here. The root veggies come in next, especially the potatoes. Lost most of that crop as they developed a fungus. The sweet potatoes may overwinter in their planters.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Senoufou
Date: 11 Oct 20 - 04:23 PM

We had blooming hailstones yesterday and tons more rain today.
BamBam the tame deer hates the cold and the rain, so there's a photo of him in The Fox pub scrutinising the menu on the wall. Some wag had written underneath the picture "Hide the venison for God's sake!"
He enters the pub almost every day. I don't personally think it's very hygienic (but Normal for Norfolk?)

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Gallus Moll
Date: 12 Oct 20 - 06:18 AM

Damson jelly, Damson Gin, Bramble and Apple jelly, Green Tomato chutney, Rowan jelly......all safely in the store cuoboard, Autumn harvest.
Soup pot is now out for Cullen Skink, Lentil, bottom of the fridge soup and other hearty Scottish delicacies - mince and tatties, casseroles, haggis/ neeps/tatties a' the things yer grannie cooked!

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Senoufou
Date: 12 Oct 20 - 01:01 PM

Ooooh yum yum Gallus Moll! My Irish aunties (who lived in Durham for some years) made all those types of things in the autumn too. In those days we all had a 'larder' or 'pantry' (walk-in room with shelves, freezing cold and used for storage of food) There was bottled fruit (remember Kilner jars?), chutney, jam etc.
Our neighbour-across-the-road collects up windfall apples (Bramleys) and makes delicious crumbles. She sells them on her rounds (she flogs vegetables/fruit from her car like a travelling greengrocer to make a few bob)

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 12 Oct 20 - 02:13 PM

The weather here has skipped three-quarters of October and the whole of November. However, I've just bought a new replacement Weber gas barbie for a bargain price. It will stay under cover until next year and I'm leaving the old one outside in case we want a sausage sizzle on, e.g., Christmas Day...

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Jos
Date: 12 Oct 20 - 02:31 PM

You can still buy new Kilner jars (not just old ones in charity shops) - they aren't that old.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 12 Oct 20 - 03:26 PM

Bigger Kilner jars are great for making sloe and damson gins. I have a goodly supply of said jars.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Mrrzy
Date: 12 Oct 20 - 04:24 PM

I am reminded of a poem...

Yellow butter, purple jelly, red jam, black bread.
Spread it thick, say it quick!
Yellow butter, purple jelly, red jam, black bread.
Spread it thicker, say it quicker!
Yellow butter, purple jelly, red jam, black bread.
Don’t eat with your mouth full!

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Gallus Moll
Date: 12 Oct 20 - 06:21 PM

Hi Sen, usually I get a lot of apples and quinces from friends who have some trees in their garden, but they are totally isolating so not wanting to contact anyone at all this year!!! - Last year I had some left over quinces and experimented with quince vodka -- really lovely! (thought gin would overpower the delicate quince flavour.
I came across a book of recipes for absolutely every single type of wold and hedgerow thing you can imagine - and I know someone working her way through each one. Shall post the name of the author and her book when I find it again online - - -
Now we are all anticipating the January rush to buy Seville oranges for marmalade making-------!!!

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 12 Oct 20 - 07:55 PM

I get bumper crops of Autumn Bliss raspberries most years, and last year I made some raspberry gin. I loved it, but Mrs Steve didn't care for it. That meant temporary heaven for me, but she wouldn't appreciate it if I made any more...

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: leeneia
Date: 13 Oct 20 - 10:02 PM

Migration - another sign of autumn. The DH and I went on a long ride to birdwatch a few days ago. Went to a state wildlife refuge and saw 16 kinds of birds - bald eagle, blue heron, great egret, killdeer were the most exciting.

We also saw some shorebirds we can't identify, but they were a wonderful sight nonetheless. There are largish shorebirds called willitts, and we decided to call those we saw won'titts. Shorebirds can be so hard to identify that there is a blanket term "peep" to cover all of them, but the word peep doesn't seem right for big birds.

We were baffled by a woodpecker that had a brownish head and red patches on its cheeks. Turned out to be a juvenile woodpecker. All these years of birdwatching, and we had no idea they existed.

It was a beautiful afternoon, and we were so glad to get out of the house.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Mrrzy
Date: 14 Oct 20 - 12:11 AM

Great bird naming.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: keberoxu
Date: 21 Oct 20 - 12:47 PM

The hills and mountains, from a viewing distance in the car on the highway,
still have a lovely patchwork of colored leaves.

Get close up to any trees on level ground, though,
and those leaves are falling so fast --
and the leaf-blower landscaper groundsworkers
are working up a storm in town.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: EBarnacle
Date: 21 Oct 20 - 02:05 PM

'Tis closing in on the final days of the elections on this side of the pond. We local types keep reminding people that the election is more than for president.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: keberoxu
Date: 25 Oct 20 - 05:04 PM

... how do things look coming up to All Hallows Eve??

and don't forget the other senses,
as Autumn is also a time, as well as looking,
for listening,
tasting,
smelling,
touching ...

what are tne odo[u]rs of Autumn where you are?

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Mrrzy
Date: 25 Oct 20 - 05:31 PM

Finally cold out. Went to hear music outdoors at a winery, came home 3ish, and here it is 5.30ish and my feet are still *radiating* cold under the blanket on my couch.

I love fall clothes. And the sound of leaves being blown from trees and along patios.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Senoufou
Date: 25 Oct 20 - 05:43 PM

Our clocks 'went back' at 2am, and we're now an hour earlier than we were before. Most confusing for our 'body clocks'. It gets dark now by 4pm, but dawn is a bit earlier. It always takes me about three weeks to adjust.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: keberoxu
Date: 26 Oct 21 - 09:43 PM

A bit late this year,
but it's still autumn for most of us.
Enjoy it while it lasts,
knowing what follows.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Senoufou
Date: 27 Oct 21 - 06:38 AM

Lots of little log-vans trundling up and down our village streets. All the wood-burner owners have ordered their supply. Then one hears 'chop chop chop' as they use their axes to cut the logs into kindling-size pieces.
Also, our Sheep Sanctuary friends are trundling odd bits of pumpkins over to give their sheep a treat.
Algy's Farm up the road is thronged with families choosing their pumpkins (all colours, white, orange, green, and all sizes, from tiny to gigantic!)
And our beautiful Norfolk oaks (all the fields have lots of oaks along their boundaries, many over three hundred years old) are turning orange at last. Very late this year.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 27 Oct 21 - 08:35 AM

It's been a very warm October, my garden is still in full, slightly-bedraggled bloom and I've just bought an impressive-looking wood maul in a clearance sale. I have a stack of logs that the tree surgeon cut into decent-length rounds but which are too wide for my stoves. So this afternoon I'm going to see what a good wielding of the maul can achieve. A quick google first...

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 27 Oct 21 - 12:21 PM

I need more practice and a better technique... :-(

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Senoufou
Date: 27 Oct 21 - 01:16 PM

Oh Steve, please be careful! Those things can be a bit dangerous.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 27 Oct 21 - 01:18 PM

I was very tempted just to post that I I now have an impressive new chopper and that I'm working on my technique, and leave it at that...

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Sol
Date: 27 Oct 21 - 06:43 PM

Giving the grass it's last cut.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: keberoxu
Date: 27 Oct 21 - 11:04 PM

leaves, leaves, leaves
off of the trees and all over below,
and the professionals or the homeowners,
working overtime to get the leaves collected and carried away.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 28 Oct 21 - 05:45 AM

It's a mortal sin to dispose of your fallen leaves. I collect huge stacks of them from my garden and the surrounds. You can keep them piled up or bagged up for several years, but I've found that I can make "accelerated leaf mould" by next spring by mixing the leaves with grass clippings. I've got lots of them too.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: keberoxu
Date: 29 Oct 21 - 08:22 AM

Frost at long last.
No more mosquitoes or biting flies.
The first unequivocal hard freeze cannot be far away.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Senoufou
Date: 30 Oct 21 - 03:43 AM

Bloomin' clocks go back late this evening. It will get dark an hour earlier, but at least it will get light an hour earlier too. Trouble is, we have about seven clocks around the house, and it takes ages fiddling about putting them back. Fortunately, the 'puter etc do it by themselves.
I hate wrestling with the oven and the car clocks.
Also, our oil is going down rather fast, so I shall have to order 500 litres quite soon from Boilerjuice. I'm dreading finding out the price - bet it's gone up horrifyingly. Ah well. Better than shivering eh?
And we got a letter saying our Winter Fuel Payment will be £200. Very pleasing, until I read further down "It should arrive by January 25th".
I jolly well hope it arrives well before then - we have three months of heating to finance if that date is correct!

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Donuel
Date: 30 Oct 21 - 08:35 AM

This is the month for low budget new horror movies like;
I Know What You Tweeted Last Summer
Rosemary's Anchor Baby
The Tory at the End Of The Street
pResident Evil
Night Of The Living Wage
The Man In The Ironic Mask
Heather Has Two Mummies
Husband Of Chucky
House Of Vax
Friday The Juneteenth
Jews...da dum, da dum, da dum da dum da dum da dum

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Donuel
Date: 01 Nov 21 - 09:21 AM

campfires are better

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: keberoxu
Date: 02 Nov 21 - 08:29 PM

And all of a sudden, the clusters of pine trees in the neighborhood,
while staying green,
have decided to shed quantities of dead pine needles.
All at once, BOOM, we come outdoors one morning
and the sidewalks and parking lots,
AND parked cars,
have got these dried up pine needles all over them!
And, as I say,
the tree branches are still well covered with good living green pine needles.
Something going on there that I don't understand.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 02 Nov 21 - 09:38 PM

All pines, spruces, firs, cypresses, cedars and sequoias are evergreen, but that doesn't mean they never drop leaves. They do, all the year round, though there may be some seasonality involved in the amounts they drop and when (I don't know...). A few types of coniferous trees are deciduous, such as larches and the swamp cypress (Taxodium, separate from the true cypresses). Coniferous woodland always has a carpet of leaves (needles) on the ground. When the ground freezes in winter, trees can't take up water and ordinary-type leaves would just dehydrate and die, but needle-type leaves have a tough outer layer and have their stomata enclosed on the inside curve of the needle, which greatly reduces water loss by transpiration. Evergreen broad-leaf trees have various strategies to get them through the winter, such as thick, leathery leaves, sunken stomatas or a covering of dense hairs.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 03 Nov 21 - 05:40 AM

(Gosh, "stomata" is already plural, Stephen! Oh reading specs, where art thou...)

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Mrrzy
Date: 03 Nov 21 - 09:26 AM

First frost last night.

Fall Back is this coming weekend. I miss it being on Halloween.

Switched out my summer for winter clothes and discovered that what with losing 50lbs *nothing* fits. Needed flannel shirts, warm vests, long johns, all too floatingly large to be *warm* - yeah, yeah, complain, complain.

We lost the governor's race, too.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 03 Nov 21 - 02:26 PM

Shorts and a short-sleeve shirt all winter for me. Sandals, no socks. Exceptions for funerals and weddings only. I do have a thin cotton gilet for those breezy December days. I don't wear ties. All my shirts are cheerfully-patterned or positively floral. They go well with my incredibly sunny personality. ;-)

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Senoufou
Date: 03 Nov 21 - 02:35 PM

I wear open sandals all year round, never any socks, and my feet are in perfect shape. No corns, bunions, ingrown toenails etc. I too wear a T shirt and light trousers all year, with a gilet popped on for going out. I really hate being trussed up.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 03 Nov 21 - 04:56 PM

I simply must have fresh air about my person. Force me to wear a woolly jumper and you'd end up on a murder rap.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Bill D
Date: 03 Nov 21 - 07:37 PM

Several VERY chilly nights so far... and the county leaf collection brigade just posted the signs warning it begin "in a few days, weather permitting". The signs say nothing about "mortal sin". I MUST get rid of the majority of mine or I'd have no grass next year. If I collected them and composted, I'd have no place to use it. I never get them all... there are plenty to decay and go back to making now soil.

   Had to light the furnace... and then had to call a service company because it wouldn't stay lit. Had visions of the heat pump motor dying... but a very clever guy figured out that my boiler system had air bubbles.. and had it cleared in an hour. (I have radiant heat in the floor, with hot water pumped thru it.)
   So.. house is warm enough, and I can put away all the electric heaters.
We had 'almost' no snow last year, and they don't think there will be much this year.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Senoufou
Date: 04 Nov 21 - 04:19 AM

I seem to be very like you Steve. All my T shirts are cheerful and brightly-patterned. And (here comes TMI) I never wear any night clothes, just sleep in the buff winter and summer. My very Norfolk neighbour-across-the-road was shocked when I told her this. "Thass roit rewd! Yew orter ware a noit dress, yew brazen hussy!" They've started their wood-burner off, using all the chopped-up wood from their farmland. Stinky smoke belching out into the village air.
By the way Steve, how are you getting on with your chopper and your new technique? (This post is beginning to sound like the script from a Carry On film!)

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 04 Nov 21 - 06:19 AM

"I never wear any night clothes, just sleep in the buff winter and summer."

Snap!

It's been a bit too wet to wield my chopper. The forecast from today on is better so you never know, I just might be seen waving it in the air...

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Senoufou
Date: 04 Nov 21 - 07:14 AM

Pwaaaghaaaagh!!! That will be a sight to behold!! :)

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Mrrzy
Date: 04 Nov 21 - 10:33 AM

I don't like skin touching skin in bed so I sleep clothed. The number and weight of blankets change, though. Haven't gotten out the big duvet yet!

What I can no longer wear are turtlenecks. Used to love'm, now, they strangle. I sense scarves becoming a thing...

And do note my use of the word Duvet. Unamerican, that, forvall y'all across the water.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 04 Nov 21 - 12:42 PM

I love skin touching skin in bed. Preferably when it's somebody else's.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Senoufou
Date: 05 Nov 21 - 09:38 AM

Ha Mrrzy! We have a lovely goose-down duvet. It's deliciously warm in winter (our central heating goes off at 9pm) and yet in summer it seems to keep us quite cool. I suppose it insulates us at the temperature of our bodies. It cost £150 many years ago (from John Lewis - a posh shop!) All our bedding is pure cotton.
My husband anoints himself all over with oil (!) after his shower. He's a bit sticky in bed (I don't mind of course, it's necessary for his skin)
I'm rather bemused today - the sun is shining, no wind, and it's lovely and warm. I've been sitting on The Bench in my T-shirt, getting a bit of a tan (and yapping to passing villagers and their dogs)
This is NOT a sign of Autumn is it?

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Donuel
Date: 05 Nov 21 - 02:55 PM

A hard freeze has ended our growing season but the greenery is still a healthy green.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: keberoxu
Date: 01 Sep 22 - 07:10 PM

An enormous old oak tree, where I am staying, is loaded with green acorns,
so much so that the acorns are falling, green as they are.
One of them dropped smack on the top of my head as I was walking under the branches.
They drop every time one turns around, and they land everywhere.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: keberoxu
Date: 02 Sep 22 - 05:17 PM

. . . and the leaves on some maple trees are starting to change colo[u]r.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: MaJoC the Filk
Date: 03 Sep 22 - 01:52 PM

> the acorns are falling, green as they are

Sounds like false autumn: heat stress causing trees to shed leaves or die. There's also a massive crop here of elderberries all of a sudden, too, presumably while they can still propagate themselves.

.... Did I say this before? I can't tell if I dropped the msg before sending, or if the 'Cat's eaten my homework again.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Donuel
Date: 03 Sep 22 - 02:59 PM

low flying geese are flocking and honking in prep for migration.
Leaves lightly cover the lawn until I mow.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 03 Sep 22 - 04:26 PM

And there are many red berries on local bushes which English folklore suggests will mean a hard winter!!

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Senoufou
Date: 05 Sep 22 - 03:30 AM

The house-martins which have chattered and zoomed around our street have now disappeared - presumably heading back to tropical climes (a long journey). I hope they make it. I always miss them and wish them well. I heard that some 'sportsmen' in France enjoy taking pot shots at them as they fly overhead. Charming.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: keberoxu
Date: 05 Sep 22 - 08:27 AM

Mature brown acorns are now joining the green acorns under the oak tree.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Donuel
Date: 05 Sep 22 - 08:28 AM

The backyard is full of Chinese lantern

and these https://www.google.com/search?q=small++blue+purple+berry+vine&sxsrf=ALiCzsbkRb1ffDfFQlbgMQfaukPJF34RzA%3A1662380142209&ei=bugVY4

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: keberoxu
Date: 14 Sep 22 - 12:11 PM

. . . and the squirrels are busy, busy, busy,
so busy foraging for acorns and nuts
that they pay no mind to humans walking past the trees on the sidewalks.
They don't so much as look up or run away.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 14 Sep 22 - 12:24 PM

It is more fall-like because of the length of day and angle of the sun; the temperatures are still up to about 90^o every day, but that is so much better than the low 100s.

I should get a nice fall crop of peppers. The really do prefer the cooler temperatures; I struggled just to keep the plants alive this year for this final result. Peppers until November when we typically get our first frost.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: gillymor
Date: 14 Sep 22 - 02:19 PM

It's hard to discern the coming of fall here in SW Florida, mid-September seems a lot like mid-August. It's still just as hot and the monsoon is still here with heavy afternoon thunderstorms occurring almost daily but there are some indicators- the days are getting shorter, pumpkin lattes are showing up at Starbucks along with pumpkin muffins with cream cheese filling (drool) and at Total Wine there are displays of various pumpkin ales and Oktoberfest beers. In the estuaries and back bays redfish are starting to school up and the snook are in the midst of their spawn with lots of slot-sized pre-spawn males hanging around so a saltwater fisherman kind of knows when autumn nears.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Neil D
Date: 14 Sep 22 - 10:06 PM

Autumn set in suddenly about a week ago here in NE Ohio. We had a high of 88 one day to a low of 51 the next. We still get highs in the low seventies and overnight lows in the fifties, weather more typical of a month from now. On the other hand, my wife spotted a woolly bear with no stripe at all which means a very mild winter.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Donuel
Date: 15 Sep 22 - 04:31 AM

Every day is losing 2.5 minutes of sun and is losing light faster as October approaches. Then like a pendulum slows until the shortest day in December.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Donuel
Date: 15 Sep 22 - 05:33 PM

Our Japanese Maple leaves are starting to turn bright red.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Senoufou
Date: 16 Sep 22 - 02:39 AM

I'm a bit worried about two little house-martins who are still zooming about above our houses. They should have joined the other twenty or so on their long journey back to tropical parts. They must leave or they will die, because the little flying insects are dwindling fast, and there will be nothing for them to eat.
On my journey out to Fakenham (supermarket run) I noticed that all the horse-chestnut trees along the route were in their autumn colours, with conkers dropping onto the road. (They can damage ones windscreen, but luckily this didn't happen).
As children we used to go mad for conkers, and pierce them, thread them onto an old shoelace then play 'Conkers' for ages in the playground. Some of the boys would harden their conker with vinegar, or a short spell in the oven at home. The aim was to have the conker that had smashed the most opponents' ones. (eg a 'tenner')
Nowadays they're banned, because the Snowflake Generation might hurt themselves!

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Manitas_at_home
Date: 16 Sep 22 - 03:15 AM

Is that really true? Or is it just that schools don't allow them during school hours? Or have you seen policemen arresting people for having chestnuts about their persons?

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 16 Sep 22 - 03:22 AM

They are not banned, Sen. It is just schools and other organisations don't want to be held responsible for any injuries that occur. Sensibly, they have said that such games should not be played on their premises. Conkers, climbing trees, playing war (or doctors and nurses!) and many such activities are still played by many children in their own time and out of school premises.

Does it make me a snowflake for supporting the schools that try to mitigate risk? Well, if doing so saves the life or sight of one child or prevents teachers being attacked by angry parents, then, yes, I am.

Back to autumn. 4 degrees C here this morning and a hint of overnight frost. I got my cardie out last night!

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Senoufou
Date: 16 Sep 22 - 05:40 AM

Well in all my years as a school pupil, I never saw anyone injured. Nor as a teacher (but I retired many years ago). And the side table in every classroom was loaded with the pupils conkers-on-strings until playtime arrived. I often did 'playground duty' and even 'lunchtime duty' as a teacher, and quite enjoyed watching the conker challenges.
I suppose I must adapt to all these changes in the world today.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 16 Sep 22 - 07:28 AM

The point is, Sen, it has not been 'banned'. It is misinformation like that, often reported in the Daily Mail just to wind people up, that leads to the type of mass hysteria we see following headlines like "EU bans bent bananas", "Council cancels Christmas" or "Conkers are outlawed". I thought you, as an ex-teacher, would know better than to repeat media distortions.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 16 Sep 22 - 08:41 AM

9C here in Very South (as far as possible from the centre of) Croydon. Wore a long sleeved shirt for the first time since end of May when walking greyhound!

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Senoufou
Date: 16 Sep 22 - 12:44 PM

When I said 'banned' I meant that our village school has banned them. And from what I've heard, so have many other local schools.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Donuel
Date: 16 Sep 22 - 12:50 PM

In America there are edible acorns on some Indian reservations but the trees are almost gone. https://www.npr.org/2022/09/11/1122250624/apache-tribes-in-arizona-are-leading-the-way-in-saving-emory-oak-trees

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 16 Sep 22 - 12:57 PM

Fairy Nuff, Sen. Lots of schools may have banned the playing of conkers on the premises but that is not a law in general. Smoking has been banned in public. Dog fights are outlawed, although they still go on. I cannot wave my Willie about in public without being arrested :-) These are real bans brought about by the "snowflakes". Why is the Mail not winding up its readers about these?!?!

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 16 Sep 22 - 12:57 PM

Army worms (the fall edition) are marching up trees to devour leaves and are spreading across lawns to eat turf grass. Fall in Texas.

The days are shorter and when I remember I forgot to pick the very fast-growing okra and go out at sunset I need to dodge the mosquitoes. Fewer cicadas making a racket now as the days shorten and I'm out picking or hunting for ripe tomatoes or ready-to-pick eggplant. The garden always perks up in the fall.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: keberoxu
Date: 16 Sep 22 - 03:04 PM

In North America where I grew up, the chestnut-tree thing happened,
only the tree was called a "buck-eye" tree
because of the 'conker's resemblance to the eye of a deer.
And the 'conkers' themselves were in fact called "buckeyes"
and we used to do the same thing Senoufou describes,
making a whole string of pierced buckeyes.
Goodness, that does bring back memories.
And yes, about this time of year,
the very old and tall buckeye tree in the front yard
would be shedding buckeyes all over the driveway,
where the passing cars would crush them . . .

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 17 Sep 22 - 02:42 AM

Proper frost this morning. I could pick my sprouts if I had grown any :-) As it is, may have a wander up to a local lane with lots of blackberries. A week back there were not really enough to harvest a bag full. I hope they have not now been spoiled!

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Donuel
Date: 17 Sep 22 - 10:37 AM

The Salmon are starting their migration from now to December.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 17 Sep 22 - 11:00 AM

Eating a sprout in September is like drinking beer before it's been fermented. And I'm a sprout-lover! It's a lovely summery afternoon here today and I'm convalescing in the sun. It did go just under 5°C last night but we don't worry about frosts here in Kernow for several more weeks yet. Typically, not until well into November.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 18 Sep 22 - 10:41 AM

I have woken up to a heavy frost the last 2 mornings but the blackberries were still fine. Got a plastic takeaway box full this afternoon and then had a pint of the wonderful plum porter from Titanic brewery. Still got half a bottle of the local Co-op's Nero di Troia left from yesterday which I shall enjoy with my pork, spuds and green beans (or maybe sprouts :-) ) later.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Senoufou
Date: 18 Sep 22 - 11:56 AM

Oooh, I absolutely adore sprouts as long as they're not over-boiled. Just a few minutes in the pan, and they should still be bright green, not soggy and gone yellow after too long on the stove.
And of course, dripping with melted butter.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 18 Sep 22 - 12:24 PM

My late mother in law, bless her, was the master of over boiled veg. If the Christmas Dinner sprouts were not in the pan by 1st December, they were undercooked:-D

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 18 Sep 22 - 12:28 PM

Sister in law still insists that dried fruit has to soaked in sherry or brandy for a week before using it in the Christmas cake. Mind you, that may not be a bad thing...

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 18 Sep 22 - 01:09 PM

My late aunt used to pre-boil cauliflower to within an inch of its life in order to save time later, then reboil it just before serving. I'll stop there to allow your horrified imaginations to run amok...

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: keberoxu
Date: 18 Sep 22 - 01:41 PM

Recently I had my first taste of
brussel sprouts roasted in oil, with seasoning.
Never had it that way with my family upbringing.
I recommend it -- very appetizing.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Manitas_at_home
Date: 18 Sep 22 - 01:54 PM

We've taken to having cauliflower roasted. It's much nicer.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 18 Sep 22 - 02:34 PM

There's an Ottolenghi recipe for roasted cauliflower florets with olive oil, chorizo (in chunks), green olives (sliced), pumpkin seeds, onion (sliced), garlic (sliced, not crushed), parsley and paprika (preferably smoked) that we love. You just toss everything together with a bit of salt except for the parsley and roast on a big tray in the oven for half an hour (greaseproof paper recommended) and sprinkle the parsley on at the end. Veggies can leave out the chorizo and add extra paprika, but that makes it more of a side dish. It was in an article called Easy Ottolenghi in the Guardian in about 2016, I think. I might have posted it in a recipe thread here...

Next to no washing up!

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Senoufou
Date: 20 Sep 22 - 03:01 AM

My little pear tree in the corner of the garden (my 'cats' cemetery' is around it) is laden with luscious pears after the copious rain we've had recently. And my Bramley apple tree is now producing much larger, fleshier fruit than the weeny little windfalls that dropped on the lawn during the long drought.
I'm going to ask my neighbour-across-the-road this morning if she'd like to come over and harvest the lot for her grocery rounds.(She drives round many of the villages delivering grocery orders and fruit/vegetables.)
After my kind husband cut both lawns and tidied up the perennials yesterday, I'll get on with cutting back the two honeysuckles at the front door. In the Autumn they need pruning right back to encourage them to flower well next spring. And my two roses need hard pruning.
The good thing about all this Autumn work is that, once completed, one has a nice rest all winter with nothing whatsoever to do in the garden!

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Senoufou
Date: 20 Sep 22 - 04:44 AM

Well I shan't offer her any bloomin' fruit now. She's just given me laldy for daring to allow my husband to mow our lawns during that funeral. I'll give the pears and apples to someone else. And I can stroll down to the village shop myself to buy my paper.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: MaJoC the Filk
Date: 20 Sep 22 - 10:32 AM

DtG:

> My late mother in law, bless her, was the master of over boiled veg.
> If the Christmas Dinner sprouts were not in the pan by 1st December,
> they were undercooked:-D

Did she add Epsom salts to the water? That was my late Nan's trick for keeping greens, erm, green while destruction-boiling them.

.... I've vague memories (stop laughing at the back there) of hearing that the Romans used to boil cabbage, throw it away, and drink the cabbage water as a hangover cure. Mebbe they'd heard of vitamins.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Donuel
Date: 21 Sep 22 - 08:11 AM

Its the last day of summer today. I'll do some car work today putting reflectors on the wheels and maybe wash the car. Hedging may be a bridge too far.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Charmion
Date: 21 Sep 22 - 02:54 PM

Ground-level mist at dawn is an infallible early sign of autumn in southern Ontario.

When the night temperatures first start to drop toward freezing, mist forms as humidity rises from the summer-warm soil and water into the chilly air. The effect is particularly dramatic on the shores of the Great Lakes, which can look as if they’re coming up to the boil on an extra-nippy morning.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 21 Sep 22 - 03:34 PM

High in the mid-90s today, but the quality of light in the evenings is the main clue that seasons are changing. Hot through Sunday, then into the 80s for a while. Here in North Texas we get maybe a week that has that wonderful crisp fall feeling - when there are bright blue skies and it's cool enough to wear a sweater but the leaves are still on the trees, not turning yet. Fall as far as leaves are concerned is a disorganized rout with some trees abandoning leaves early and others hanging on till deep winter. The term for those late-dropping trees is "marcescence" - when trees don't drop the old leaves until the new ones start to sprout. So it can mean a long season of raking/mulching in leaves.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 22 Sep 22 - 10:42 AM

It must be autumn - the Medicare annual coverage booklet has arrived in the mail.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Mrrzy
Date: 28 Sep 22 - 10:29 AM

Taking meat out only makes things a side-dish if you aren't vegetarian, Steve! Since you were explaining how to make a main course vegetarian, in fact, that was a weird comment.

Sign of autumn: long-sleeved shirt! Socks!

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 28 Sep 22 - 11:45 AM

Blimey. I didn't say take the meat out - I said leave the meat out. If you read Yotam's recipe you'll see that I was only reflecting what he said therein.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 28 Sep 22 - 12:27 PM

I painted my fence this this week - It is truly autumn. I always sing 'John Kanaka' while doing it. Particularly the verse

We're a Yankeee ship with a Yankee mate
John Kanaka-naka Too-ry-ay
If you slow to a walk he'll paint your fence
John Kanaka-naka Too-ry-ay

Is it paint your fence or change your gate? I can never remember

:-D

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 28 Sep 22 - 12:27 PM

Oh, and 300!

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: keberoxu
Date: 09 Oct 22 - 06:46 AM

Reporting from the Berkshires:
Autumn/Fall Colo[u]r is in full swing over here,
and there are busloads and busloads of tourists
visiting the small towns and looking at the leaves.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: MaJoC the Filk
Date: 09 Oct 22 - 09:27 AM

I'm red/green colour-deficient, so I envy Herself when she glories aloud in the colour of leaves in autumn. My sign that autumn is approaching is that I don't need to put the butter dish in the fridge to stop the butter sprinting; winter is when the butter in the dish may as well have just come out of the fridge.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 09 Oct 22 - 11:10 AM

It's almost time to wear a sweater or long-sleeve shirt over whatever t-shirt I put on for the day. All with jeans of some color. As the seasons progress the layers increase or the sleeves get longer. It's still t-shirt weather here, with the exception of the early morning hours. And I've put a light blanket on the bed over the top sheet.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Donuel
Date: 09 Oct 22 - 06:41 PM

I have to turn up the hot water for a shower since the water going into the hot water heater is wicked cold now.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 09 Oct 22 - 06:55 PM

I always remember (imperfectly, as I can't remember which of his books it was in) the mighty self-sufficiency guru John Seymour saying that human beings are at their healthiest when they are slightly cold... I've always agreed with that. Not really cold, just slightly cold.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Donuel
Date: 10 Oct 22 - 06:52 AM

The full Hunter's moon appeared this morning.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: keberoxu
Date: 14 Oct 22 - 04:28 AM

With the autumn foliage,
the leaves begin falling in earnest,
and the landscape maintenance crews appear to collect the leaves,
most all of them with leaf-blowing machines.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: MaJoC the Filk
Date: 14 Oct 22 - 11:42 AM

> the landscape maintenance crews appear to collect the leaves,
> most all of them with leaf-blowing machines.

I trust they've got other tools .... ? Round here, the crews turn up with leaf blowers, redistribute the leaves around the landscape, and go away again.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Senoufou
Date: 15 Oct 22 - 04:12 AM

A very large flock of Canada geese flew over the village yesterday, long necks outstretched, with the 'leader' of the V-shaped formation honking away like mad. They were heading for the 'other' lakes (we have several groups of lakes around here) and I was so pleased to see them.
I hope they pass the winter months safely.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: keberoxu
Date: 10 Nov 22 - 06:20 PM

The latest full moon was called a Blood Moon by some reports,
coinciding with the mid-term election in the US
which was supposed to feature a red wave.
One announcer mispronounced it and said it was a rave. Hmmm.

Stilly, is it anything like autumn in Fort Worth?

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: pattyClink
Date: 10 Nov 22 - 09:53 PM

Today I was awestruck by the trees lit up all along the Rio Hondo in New Mexico, up near Lincoln along US 380. Only yellow and amber leaves need apply. Most seem to be cottonwoods, but there are also enormous tall Lombardy poplars. A really great drive, and you cannot capture a bit of it in photos.   

The other sign of autumn is it decided to get cold today, drat.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 12 Nov 22 - 09:41 AM

Keb, last night we had our first freeze, so things will start to look fall-like soon. I'll be pulling the sweet potato vines out of the beds now that they've had a killing frost and across the road the hackberry and cedar elm will turn yellowish brown. I picked the tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant in the cold rain yesterday.

The leaves Patty describes are reminiscent of colors I've seen on drives to and from Texas to Washington state in the fall. Eastern Utah, (on the way from Dinosaur Natl. Park in Colorado) and the highlands east of Mt. Shasta in N. California, and the Cascades around Blewett Pass in Washington come to mind. Birch and cottonwood both turn an amazing yellow.

I worked in New York City for a few years and used to drive out on Long Island and up into the Catskills during the fall and the Eastern Hardwood forests never failed to impress. In drives to and from NY to the SE US I've passed through Arkansas, where they have a lot of sweetgum in their hardwood forests and they're great spots of vivid red, the same as they are through Pennsylvania.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: MaJoC the Filk
Date: 12 Nov 22 - 12:36 PM

> it decided to get cold

Point of order: what is this "it" that gets cold or does the raining? Some sort of down-at-heel* weather deity that can't even afford a gender, perhaps? This has been mystifying me for Simply Ages.

* I nearly said "denatured", but that would have been cruel and unusual.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 14 Nov 22 - 10:07 AM

This weekend I removed a lot of plants killed in the first freeze of the year and I used the trimmer to clean around the driveway and have given myself a stuffy nose. I imagine the last of the pollen was lying in wait to be stirred up.

Here in North Texas it's an odd "switch" to winter - we don't have much of an autumn, what we have are nice summery days, a couple of which are clear and brisk and sometimes happen when the trees are a little colorful, and then the switch is flipped and it's cold. That's where we are now, but without the interesting looking trees. Spring is a bit better than fall for gradual changes.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: keberoxu
Date: 14 Nov 22 - 04:46 PM

and the bagpipe drone of the leaf-blowers
continued bright and early this morning.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Charmion
Date: 15 Nov 22 - 07:18 PM

The snow is down to stay in Stratford, Ontario — for once, arriving after Remembrance Day — and true winter is beginning now.

Autumn was remarkably warm this year, with people running around in shorts even after Hallowe’en. The birds weren’t fooled, though; most of the Canada geese have gone to crap in the parks of our neighbours to the south, and I haven’t seen a robin in weeks.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Senoufou
Date: 17 Nov 22 - 03:12 AM

It's been pouring with rain for ages now. And in front of The Fox, our village pub, the statue of BamBam, the tame red deer that died a couple of years ago, has been set up a few weeks ago. It's life-size, and carved from oak. But in spite of having been stained a reddish brown, it seems to be changing colour under the downpour. A commemorative brass plaque is ready now to be attached to the plinth.
Trouble is, this statue freaks out all the horses that are ridden past The Fox. They all shy alarmingly when they spot it. (They were terrified of BamBam when he roamed around the village.)

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: keberoxu
Date: 17 Nov 22 - 06:59 PM

Now, there's a question for you, Senoufou:
Horses ridden past the village pub.
Are there that many riders in your part of the world?

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Senoufou
Date: 18 Nov 22 - 03:25 AM

Oh yes keberoxu, lots. There's a lovely riding school which also offers 'livery' (stabling and care for other people's horses/ponies).
My sweet neighbour, the vet. nurse and shepherdess, has her own mare called Eleisha, and this mare detests that statue and tries to gallop off with Stacey on board clinging to the reins! She offered me a ride on Eleisha (I have ridden a lot during mt life!) but I haven't yet.
Another older neighbour, Ann, goes riding at the stables, and a long line of horses from the riding school parades past the bloomin' BamBam statue, playing up like anything.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 19 Nov 22 - 09:48 AM

Interesting how we've been discussing The Former Guy for several years on Mudcat in several (most now closed) threads but there is no current thread for Biden; there doesn't need to be one, but I thought I'd share this nice news in the signs of autumn thread - there will be what is probably a chilly wedding out on the South Lawn of the White House today, President Biden's granddaughter Naomi is getting married. A month out from the end of autumn, this had potential to be a warmer day; as it is, the forecast says mostly sunny, high near 45^o. The article and a couple of links look back at previous WH weddings. I imagine they'll put up some tents with those big heaters to keep the guests and celebrants comfortable. The rest of the festivities will move indoors for afternoon and evening.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: keberoxu
Date: 22 Nov 22 - 03:45 PM

THe army of leaf-blowers has conquered for another year.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: keberoxu
Date: 24 Nov 22 - 06:31 PM

I suppose chickadees in the trees is no sign of a season in particular.
It's just that when the trees are bare,
and the chickadees are scooting around checking out the bare branches,
they are that much easier to see as well as hear
(dee dee dee ... dee dee dee)

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: keberoxu
Date: 14 Sep 23 - 03:36 PM

Today I observed my first gust of autumn wind.
Can't miss it -- it's dry and withering, nothing like a summer wind.
And there are already dead leaves for the wind to blow around.

But at least the sun is shining in a clear blue sky.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Mrrzy
Date: 14 Sep 23 - 06:02 PM

(Hands over ears) I can't hear you LALALALALA

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Donuel
Date: 14 Sep 23 - 06:05 PM

Thanks to that clear sky High pressure front the hurricane is getting pushed away; By next week the late sunshine will no longer come into the kitchen. The cat food will gradually want to stay in the can. I won't have to mow as much. I'll find my light jacket again. A final trim of bamboo and weeds will be done. maybe an oil change for the car. Plans will be made to budget for next year's big projects.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Senoufou
Date: 15 Sep 23 - 03:34 AM

Here in Norfolk there are numerous oak trees. Now they're producing acorns, and as my husband drives me about in his nice car, acorns drop onto it, risking damaging the windscreen and the paintwork. Also, sweet little grey squirrels are scurrying about collecting them up for their hibernation snacks later in the year.
Actually, I love oak trees. They were planted a few hundred years ago all around the farmers' fields to mark the boundaries. But in Taverham (village near ours) they built a huge new supermarket (Aldi) and felled about ten gorgeous old oak trees. I actually shed a tear when I saw the stumps.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Rapparee
Date: 15 Sep 23 - 07:30 PM

I just bought a bottle of Autumn Whiskey. One snort and you change colors and fall down.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Donuel
Date: 16 Sep 23 - 11:17 AM

Hey it's cold enough to make Chile again,

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Charmion
Date: 16 Sep 23 - 10:57 PM

I saw a sugar maple tree with red leaves all up one side today, but the ice cream shops are still open and Stratford is still so full of tourists that us townies can’t go out for dinner on the weekend — no tables at the nice restaurants.

So, while the equinox is indeed imminent, Summer still has a few kicks in her.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Thompson
Date: 17 Sep 23 - 04:13 AM

Usually at this time I hear the wild geese flying over, gossiping high above as they go. Dark-bellied Brent Geese come from Russia and mostly visit the south, or travel on to England. Light-bellied Brent Geese come to Ireland from Canada.
On a biosphere tour of Dublin Bay a few months back some goosists were saying they were deeply worried that climate-change-caused sea rises may wipe out the coastal salt marshes which are these beautiful birds' only food.
I haven't heard the geese yet - maybe because I've been ill and so indoors, or maybe they're just flying a little late this year. I keep going hopefully to the local park where they stop for a rest after their 7,000km flight before heading on to the coast.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Mrrzy
Date: 20 Sep 23 - 02:20 PM

Oh, oKAY. I wore socks.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: keberoxu
Date: 21 Sep 23 - 02:10 PM

Waiting for the heat to be turned on,
sleeping with a space heater turned on all night.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 21 Sep 23 - 03:26 PM

In several of the Southwestern states and probably northern Mexico now is the time male tarantulas emerge and start walking around yards and roads and climbing walls looking for mates. It's a perilous time for them, but I love the reminder that my yard is a healthy environment for them to live in.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: keberoxu
Date: 24 Sep 23 - 12:19 PM

Moving right along:
the heat has been turned on now.
And the maples across the street, all green,
have started turning the leaves to gold.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Bill D
Date: 24 Sep 23 - 04:42 PM

Right now the advent of Fall meant 24 hrs. of rain. Sometimes heavy, sometimes light, but continuous. They said we needed it. We got it.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Thompson
Date: 25 Sep 23 - 02:37 AM

Acorns are everywhere and a neighbour with a crab-apple tree has given me some apples, as every year; normally I make apple jelly and share it with her half-and-half, but I'm not well enough yet, so I've been splitting the crabs and taking out the two seeds in the centre of each, and have scattered them onto damp tissue paper with a sprinkle of cinnamon and put them in a Ziplok bag in the fridge. However, it's been two weeks and only one of the seeds has put out a tentative root under this stratification… I'm hoping to have a family of baby crab-apple trees to spread around the neighbourhood, though.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: MaJoC the Filk
Date: 25 Sep 23 - 06:57 AM

Sigh: it's the time of year for Herself to tell me the trees are turning a glorious golden colour, then to ask me (for the N+1th time) whether I really can't tell. All I can say is that it's all green to me, and that I'm happy for her, and slightly green with envy at her superpower.

Occasionally I'll remind her of the urban legend that us colour-deficients were at a premium in The War as spotters, because we could see through some forms of camouflage. I'd be interested to know whether that was actually true.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: keberoxu
Date: 26 Sep 23 - 05:13 PM

Looking forward to one of my favorite signs of autumn:
NO MORE MOSQUITOES.

We still have a few errant bloodsuckers hiding indoors
waiting to bite us.
Outdoors it's too cool.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 27 Sep 23 - 08:58 AM

Plug-in mozzie-murderers work wonders. We don't use them at home but we never go without in Spain, Italy or Greece, especially late in the summer/early autumn.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: keberoxu
Date: 30 Sep 23 - 06:06 PM

Still waiting for the red maples to turn colors.
They say it should happen in the next two weeks or so.
The golden maples are starting to turn yellow now.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: keberoxu
Date: 04 Oct 23 - 06:37 PM

It's getting dark so early in the evening.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Donuel
Date: 06 Oct 23 - 06:44 AM

Sweater weather begins tomorrow. Some folks wear shorts here year-round.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: gillymor
Date: 06 Oct 23 - 07:47 AM

Sweater season down here usually starts around December 22 and ends on about the 24th. It coincides with socks under your Tevas season.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 06 Oct 23 - 11:20 AM

It's almost time to turn off some of the ceiling fans. The last one to go will be the one in the bedroom at night. There are seven of them around the house, the one in the den that has run continuously since about May 15 is still on.

Days and evenings are comfortable here, it's still jeans and t-shirt weather, but it is a practice that when one goes to public buildings (I was in a large auditorium last night for a lecture) one takes along a sweater in case the air conditioning is to keep produce fresh.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: keberoxu
Date: 08 Oct 23 - 07:02 PM

A very large old oak is shedding countless acorns.
You can hear the little acorns bouncing off of
branches and leaves as they head towards the ground.
The squirrels are nearly frantic.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: keberoxu
Date: 10 Oct 23 - 07:39 PM

... and how could I forget
the LEAF BLOWERS ?!

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Charmion
Date: 11 Oct 23 - 08:47 AM

Finally!

In Stratford, chilly rain and space to park downtown mean that summer’s over and the tourists are going home.

We probably won’t get stay-down snow until Christmas. For the next six to eight weeks, we townies get to enjoy the place ourselves.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Donuel
Date: 11 Oct 23 - 09:23 AM

Our county has banned gas powered leaf blowers.
The 1st ice storm here is about a week after Thanksgiving.
There are the first blushes of colored leaves.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Mrrzy
Date: 13 Oct 23 - 05:51 PM

Back to sandals. It got warm again. But leaves are turning...

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Bill D
Date: 24 Sep 23 - 04:42 PM

Right now the advent of Fall meant 24 hrs. of rain. Sometimes heavy, sometimes light, but continuous. They said we needed it. We got it.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Charmion
Date: 16 Sep 23 - 10:57 PM

I saw a sugar maple tree with red leaves all up one side today, but the ice cream shops are still open and Stratford is still so full of tourists that us townies can’t go out for dinner on the weekend — no tables at the nice restaurants.

So, while the equinox is indeed imminent, Summer still has a few kicks in her.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Charmion
Date: 11 Oct 23 - 08:47 AM

Finally!

In Stratford, chilly rain and space to park downtown mean that summer’s over and the tourists are going home.

We probably won’t get stay-down snow until Christmas. For the next six to eight weeks, we townies get to enjoy the place ourselves.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: gillymor
Date: 06 Oct 23 - 07:47 AM

Sweater season down here usually starts around December 22 and ends on about the 24th. It coincides with socks under your Tevas season.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Mrrzy
Date: 14 Sep 23 - 06:02 PM

(Hands over ears) I can't hear you LALALALALA

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Mrrzy
Date: 20 Sep 23 - 02:20 PM

Oh, oKAY. I wore socks.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Mrrzy
Date: 13 Oct 23 - 05:51 PM

Back to sandals. It got warm again. But leaves are turning...

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Donuel
Date: 14 Sep 23 - 06:05 PM

Thanks to that clear sky High pressure front the hurricane is getting pushed away; By next week the late sunshine will no longer come into the kitchen. The cat food will gradually want to stay in the can. I won't have to mow as much. I'll find my light jacket again. A final trim of bamboo and weeds will be done. maybe an oil change for the car. Plans will be made to budget for next year's big projects.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Donuel
Date: 16 Sep 23 - 11:17 AM

Hey it's cold enough to make Chile again,

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Donuel
Date: 06 Oct 23 - 06:44 AM

Sweater weather begins tomorrow. Some folks wear shorts here year-round.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Donuel
Date: 11 Oct 23 - 09:23 AM

Our county has banned gas powered leaf blowers.
The 1st ice storm here is about a week after Thanksgiving.
There are the first blushes of colored leaves.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 21 Sep 23 - 03:26 PM

In several of the Southwestern states and probably northern Mexico now is the time male tarantulas emerge and start walking around yards and roads and climbing walls looking for mates. It's a perilous time for them, but I love the reminder that my yard is a healthy environment for them to live in.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 06 Oct 23 - 11:20 AM

It's almost time to turn off some of the ceiling fans. The last one to go will be the one in the bedroom at night. There are seven of them around the house, the one in the den that has run continuously since about May 15 is still on.

Days and evenings are comfortable here, it's still jeans and t-shirt weather, but it is a practice that when one goes to public buildings (I was in a large auditorium last night for a lecture) one takes along a sweater in case the air conditioning is to keep produce fresh.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Rapparee
Date: 15 Sep 23 - 07:30 PM

I just bought a bottle of Autumn Whiskey. One snort and you change colors and fall down.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Thompson
Date: 17 Sep 23 - 04:13 AM

Usually at this time I hear the wild geese flying over, gossiping high above as they go. Dark-bellied Brent Geese come from Russia and mostly visit the south, or travel on to England. Light-bellied Brent Geese come to Ireland from Canada.
On a biosphere tour of Dublin Bay a few months back some goosists were saying they were deeply worried that climate-change-caused sea rises may wipe out the coastal salt marshes which are these beautiful birds' only food.
I haven't heard the geese yet - maybe because I've been ill and so indoors, or maybe they're just flying a little late this year. I keep going hopefully to the local park where they stop for a rest after their 7,000km flight before heading on to the coast.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Thompson
Date: 25 Sep 23 - 02:37 AM

Acorns are everywhere and a neighbour with a crab-apple tree has given me some apples, as every year; normally I make apple jelly and share it with her half-and-half, but I'm not well enough yet, so I've been splitting the crabs and taking out the two seeds in the centre of each, and have scattered them onto damp tissue paper with a sprinkle of cinnamon and put them in a Ziplok bag in the fridge. However, it's been two weeks and only one of the seeds has put out a tentative root under this stratification… I'm hoping to have a family of baby crab-apple trees to spread around the neighbourhood, though.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 27 Sep 23 - 08:58 AM

Plug-in mozzie-murderers work wonders. We don't use them at home but we never go without in Spain, Italy or Greece, especially late in the summer/early autumn.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: keberoxu
Date: 14 Sep 23 - 03:36 PM

Today I observed my first gust of autumn wind.
Can't miss it -- it's dry and withering, nothing like a summer wind.
And there are already dead leaves for the wind to blow around.

But at least the sun is shining in a clear blue sky.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: keberoxu
Date: 21 Sep 23 - 02:10 PM

Waiting for the heat to be turned on,
sleeping with a space heater turned on all night.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: keberoxu
Date: 24 Sep 23 - 12:19 PM

Moving right along:
the heat has been turned on now.
And the maples across the street, all green,
have started turning the leaves to gold.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: keberoxu
Date: 26 Sep 23 - 05:13 PM

Looking forward to one of my favorite signs of autumn:
NO MORE MOSQUITOES.

We still have a few errant bloodsuckers hiding indoors
waiting to bite us.
Outdoors it's too cool.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: keberoxu
Date: 30 Sep 23 - 06:06 PM

Still waiting for the red maples to turn colors.
They say it should happen in the next two weeks or so.
The golden maples are starting to turn yellow now.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: keberoxu
Date: 04 Oct 23 - 06:37 PM

It's getting dark so early in the evening.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: keberoxu
Date: 08 Oct 23 - 07:02 PM

A very large old oak is shedding countless acorns.
You can hear the little acorns bouncing off of
branches and leaves as they head towards the ground.
The squirrels are nearly frantic.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: keberoxu
Date: 10 Oct 23 - 07:39 PM

... and how could I forget
the LEAF BLOWERS ?!

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: Senoufou
Date: 15 Sep 23 - 03:34 AM

Here in Norfolk there are numerous oak trees. Now they're producing acorns, and as my husband drives me about in his nice car, acorns drop onto it, risking damaging the windscreen and the paintwork. Also, sweet little grey squirrels are scurrying about collecting them up for their hibernation snacks later in the year.
Actually, I love oak trees. They were planted a few hundred years ago all around the farmers' fields to mark the boundaries. But in Taverham (village near ours) they built a huge new supermarket (Aldi) and felled about ten gorgeous old oak trees. I actually shed a tear when I saw the stumps.

Subject: RE: BS: Signs of Autumn
From: MaJoC the Filk
Date: 25 Sep 23 - 06:57 AM

Sigh: it's the time of year for Herself to tell me the trees are turning a glorious golden colour, then to ask me (for the N+1th time) whether I really can't tell. All I can say is that it's all green to me, and that I'm happy for her, and slightly green with envy at her superpower.

Occasionally I'll remind her of the urban legend that us colour-deficients were at a premium in The War as spotters, because we could see through some forms of camouflage. I'd be interested to know whether that was actually true.