Finding It Hard To Leave

The little maple has put on a beautiful show for almost two weeks.

But now the tree has its bare-bones, winter look.

On Saturday, B and I sat eating lunch and located the last live leaf on the tree.

It is still there today.

Slacking Scarecrow?

Remember the scarecrow we put up at Halloween?

Well, bless his little pinestraw heart, he has been standing out there protecting us from all manner of fearsome things ---as well as a few dogs and people---all this time. He had appeared to do a good job.

It’s not that I intended for him to be on duty for so long; it’s just that the rain kept getting him all soggy. I would wait for him to dry out only for the next soaker to come along. Well, finally on Thursday, it was dry enough before the rains were due (and delivered!) on Friday. B and I got out after an early supper and took him down.

The first piece to be removed was the neckerchief. As soon as I began to loosen the knot, I saw what it was hiding: a very large wooly bear caterpillar.

 

Then I saw the hickory nut that a squirrel had stashed under there, too.

My first thought was: For shame. I guess he must have missed the line in his job description about wooly bear and squirrel scaring. Squirrels, in particular.

Of course, he could have been merely enhancing his image by adding a boil and a hairy mole to the back of his neck. That’s something to think about. (But not for long.)

Rudolf’s Bigger Cousin

I spotted this elk outside the taxidermist’ shop. Actually, it would be hard to miss it! The thing is HUGE and looking particularly festive.

I would have liked to see them get it out the door.

Because of the tusk in the window, I knew this shot was going to look odd, but there was no other way to get a side view. Well, it looks even more bizarre than I was expecting!

Don’t Do It!

December has been a wet month. There have been many days when we have not seen the sun at all and were blanketed in either pea-soup fog/mist or downright steady rain.

In my school garden we keep a rain gauge. Each day after lunch, we check the gauge and record the amounts on a special calendar for that purpose. At the end of the month, we total the rain and compare it with other months.

Today, we finally got a break in the weather and so I sent my  two  kindergarten “gardeners” out with their little watering cans to water this small flower garden outside our classroom door. One thing a teacher must always know is where everyone is and what they are doing. So I looked out the window to keep tabs on these two and was somewhat dismayed to see one little mischief-maker pouring water into our rain gauge. It has happened before, but not recently. I stood in the doorway with one hand on a hip and eyebrows raised and asked the perpetrator, “What is the rule about that?” I had to smile when he answered simply, “Don’t do it!” Later we had to have the conversation about why we don’t do it. (It messes up the data!)

Mailbox Monday: Postcarts From the Edge (of Florida)

My sister sent me these pictures from Key Largo, the first key in the Florida Keys.

Here are the businesses:

Here are their respective mailboxes:

 

Furthermore, she writes, “At night, both cart and trailer mailboxes... light up!”

Wow!

Thanks, Sis!

Merry Gulf Coast Christmas!

I’d say that just about covers it!

Goldfish Camou

The little Japanese maple by the front walk waited for Thanksgiving to be over before it got around to doing its beautiful display. But once it got going, it was truly a showstopper.

A few leaves come down early on, before the display even peaks. Here are some by the goldfish in the pond.

 

Then the rain and wind came with our last cold front and the little red stars came fluttering down.

And so it is that once a year, the goldfish have perfect camouflage.