Getting Hot and Dry Again

We had a wonderful preview of fall weather last week.  Highs were in the 70's and it was crisp overnight. No rain though and we're back into the 90's this week.

The one row of pumpkins already look a little distressed.  I gave them a drink in anticipation of the scorcher this week.

More evidence of the deer inside the tape.

I don't know if we'll have any to carve this year.

The orchard is sad looking.  There were two cherries, two pears, two green apples and two red apples when we bought the farm.  The pears are the only thing left that seem healthy.

This is the field that I hit with roundup two weeks ago,

I over seeded with brassica and there is a hint of some germination. We need rain.

The kill wasn't 100%.  Partially due to my spray coverage and partially due to tough surviving species.

On my bare field, there is good germination in some spots.  Need rain.

In other spots, there is a lot of pigweed up.

I'm not seeing many monarchs but there are swallowtails and fritillaries around.

I did some trail work this weekend.  Tons more to do.

Joan liked these goldfinches at the feeder.

Last week, as we were leaving, we had a septic back up.  Van was on the case and had Roto-Rooter out to clear it.  We had a similar problem 2 years ago.  This time Van had them run the camera up the line and they have identified a pipe joint that has separated/settled creating a step up in the run.  It seems to be about a foot out from where the line clears the building.  More for Van's "to-do" list.

I took advantage of the cool weather last week to spray one of my weedy clover plots.

Still catching up on all the mowing.

The pond is low and will be lower after this week.

Everyone is enjoying the pears - they're probably missing the apples.

Even the crows enjoy the fruit.

It's a popular spot.

Deer and geese.

The geese are annual visitors and also make it down to the pond.

Deer vs skunk.

Deer vs possum.

Deer and bunny,

Turkey vultures.  Not sure what attracted them.  I don't see a lot of them on camera.

And lots of turkeys.  Toms.

And poults.

More Toms.

An owl.

And deer frolicking.

This doe got skinned somewhere - she shows up repeatedly.

Coyotes.

Bobcat.

Twins.

Just had a drink.

Catching Up On Chores

 After being gone for the month of July, I'm finally catching up a bit.

I mowed down the grass and bare sunflower stalks in the pumpkin patch.  I have one row of pumpkins this year.

I mowed this overgrown food plot that was mostly grass. It looks better now.

I sprayed this field with roundup last week and broadcast brassicas into it.  Some weeds look more affected than others from the spraying.

I broadcast brassicas into this bare plot last week.

Unfortunately, I have a bunch of pigweed up in it.  It's too soon for the brassicas - it just rained on Friday.

I rolled both plots with this cultipacker.

It did rain this week.

There was an inch in the gauge when we arrived and another 0.4" fell on Saturday.

Not much activity on the cameras this week.  This doe looks like she had an encounter with a lawn mower.

An owl about to pounce.

Not sure about this - also an owl?

Youngsters.

Pears are dropping.

I see you.

Harried mother of twins.

Coyotes prowling.

Bobcat - hard to see.

Bearded Toms.

Maturing poults.

Dusting.

The parade.

The most common critter on camera this week.