What's To Eat? Tweet Tweet !

I thought I would walk around the yard larder today to see how the supplies were holding out . There is definitely a smell of Fall on the wind now that the full August moon has passed . The feeding frenzy will go into full force as changes- big changes - approach .

There are lot of Star-nosed moles around by the myriad of holes and mounds on my 'lawn' . That's good . It means there are plenty of grubs in the ground to feed the skunks who visit at night . Although , the cat from next door will be after the moles until frost makes hunting difficult .



Wild Asters abound for butterflies.

 Plenty of fat juicy protein for the 'wrasseling' when those new robins are out in the heavy morning dew . That's good, too.







Creeper vines are ripening well. Check .

Not many berries left on the chokecherry trees . The bird have been busy . Especially those Cedar Wax wings and Robins. These bushes will be bare in a few days.

The dogwoods are developing nicely . Full of fruit this year. Check.

My grapevines are full and should be ready by the end of September . I hope I beat the birds to them. They don't particularly like to share with me . I shall persevere this year . Some of the supplies are mine . I live here , too.

The High Bush Cranberries are ripening . Next On the menu . I suppose birds don't have those taste buds that scream -SOUR!

Nanny Berries should be ready in a few weeks. Check.

Black Currant bushes are eaten clean . Darn! I missed them again. The early bird gets more than worms .

The cotoneasters are covered with red berries . It will be a battle between birds , chipmunks and mice this winter . Check.

The wild Junipers that I transplanted to my front yard twelve years ago are starting to fade. The environment around them has changed to one that they don't like . They prefer less lush conditions. Natural succession and selection thrives . I rescued these from a highway project back then and they have provided well . Some of these berries will be medicine in my house and the others in chipmunk holes near by . Mice will clean up what falls to the ground this winter and chew off the bark around the twisted trunks when things get tough in February . Next spring , I will be removing the last three of the original nine . Sad thing ! But I do have a derelict space of limestone and gravel in the northwest corner . Hm-mm!

A quick look in the hedgerows shows hawthorns full . Check.
Wild grapes waiting for frost. Check.
Buckthorn all personally planted by past generations of birds -everywhere- are very full this year. Check.

The walk back to the house scares up insects of all kinds into clouds around me. Check.
Flowers and grass have gone to seed. Check. (A good reason not to cut it regularly.)
The grass over the field bed , gray water pit and drainage trench is lush and green . The deer love this area in winter. They begin their foraging around my yard , scraping the snow away to get at fresh green unfrozen veg. Then they move on to the tips of all those berry trees. Then my apple trees. Check.

I guess I won't have to put out birdseed until well into December . Maybe January this year- a New Year feast , methinks!

There is plenty in the larder to last until then .