Easing into Harvest Time

 There has been zero rain for several weeks.  It's surprising how green things still look.

The pond is really low - makes me wonder if I have a leak.  Deer and bird tracks in the mud (blue heron?).

My nose is mostly healed but I'm keeping it covered while out working or hiking.

There's going to be a bumper crop of butternut squash.

In general, the pumpkin patch is doing pretty well.

I ran a hose for hours trying to give them a drink.

A few vines are dying.

And at least one deer got inside the tape and nibbled.

So far, the majority are still ok.

Green stems mean they still have time to grow.

But powdery mildew is affecting some plants.

Others are fine.  First time for this variety of flat white pumpkins.

These were the ones where the stem was already turning brown.  That leads to rot.

The harvest this week to take home.  Joan may use the gourds for a golf outing dinner.

I shot the 375 H&H (cape buffalo gun for next year) and the 6.5 Creedmoor (rifle of choice for mule deer this November).

You can see the difference in these two loads.

I picked a 1 gallon jug to simulate mule deer lungs and a 2.5 gallon jug for the buffalo.  Shooting 100 yards standing off sticks.  Blew them both up on the first shot.

So I just rolled the remnants around with subsequent shots.

Fruit dropping everywhere.  This is a pear tree along the driveway.

Apples - the tree doesn't look happy but the fruit is good.

I picked some for my personal consumption - the deer have to share.

I rejuvenated the mock scrape in the main field.

Acorns are also raining down.

Brassica in the driveway field.

This is the field that I mowed above the pond.

There is good food in there among the weeds.

Same story at the main field plot.

The geese continued their temporary residence.

They sort of take over.

They don't eve like to move for the lawn mower.

A visit from the bobcat.

And lots of coyote.

The most typical view of a whitetail deer.

Twins.

The summer coat (orange) is giving way to the winter coat (grey).

Girl fight.

Action at the licking branch.

Some bucks out of velvet.

Eating an apple.

And, the turkeys.