It's autumn and the squirrels are getting frisky. They've plenty to get frisky about. We've had the biggest acorn crop I've ever seen from the live oaks in our front yard. The yard and our driveway are literally blanketed in the small acorns. Everywhere we walk, we hear that
crunch. When we back out of the driveway, we make acorn butter all over the pavement.
There are still plenty of hummers, like this juvenile male Ruby-throat, around, and they are plenty frisky, too. The chase is on constantly throughout the day. We're supposed to get another cool front through this weekend. Will that push some of these birds on their way? We'll see.
These little skipper butterflies can be frisky and surprisingly aggressive. I noticed this one because I saw it chasing a hummingbird! This is a Long-tailed Skipper, although its long tail is hidden in the fold of the leaf.
I tell you who hasn't felt very frisky in my garden this week - me! Early in the week I injured my right hand while I was whacking back the wild hedge at the back of the yard and, for the rest of the week, it has been swollen and painful. I am so completely right-handed that it is really hard for me to get very much done when my dominant hand is out of commission. Still, if nothing else, I have managed to get outside and enjoy the weather, which has been absolutely glorious.
I added this firespike (
Odontonema strictum) to the garden three years ago, but it has never before bloomed for me. This autumn, finally, it is full of these red spikes, just beginning to open. Another feast for the hummingbirds.
Yes, the
Stapelia gigantea, aka corpse flower, is still putting out smelly blossoms and still drawing flies.
The cooler weather has also encouraged the purple oxalis to give us more of its dainty pink blossoms. I'm really fond of this oxalis. It is invasive, but not quite as perniciously so as the green variety. I grow a lot of it in pots which limits the problem.
The weatherman is promising us high temperatures in the 70s at least for Sunday and Monday and continuing pleasant weather after that. Oh, glorious October, you may be the most perfect month of the year here in Southeast Texas.
Yep, it's autumn and the squirrels are frisky - and the mice are trying to take up residence in our house. Might be time to get a cat.
ReplyDeleteEven the mice are inspired by beautiful fall weather!
DeleteI have never seen so many acorns! Hope it is NOT a sign of a hard winter! Take care of your hand.
ReplyDeleteMaybe it's just a sign that the oak trees are making up for lost time after the last two dry years, but after last year's non-winter, we may be due for for some cold weather.
DeleteI'm getting fed up with the pine cone pieces that keep raining down on the sidewalk. Seems the squirrels shred them up one after another, and never seem to run out of cones to litter the walk with. Oh well, that's nature.
ReplyDeleteMy Firespike has bloomed every year, and actually got over 8 feet tall this year. I'm hoping for a hard winter freeze to knock it back. It didn't have that this year (I'm inner city where it stays warm), and got out of control. The blooms are great, though.
My firespike hasn't gotten nearly that big yet. It's about three feet tall and it dies back to the root in the winter, even in last year's non-winter. It really is a nice plant though. I'm enjoying its blooms and so are the hummingbirds.
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