Mabon Blessings

It's the day of the second harvest, Mabon. I did a little decorating outside.


I like fall a lot especially the colours and the scents that autumn brings. For me it's a time to put the garden to bed for the winter and plan what I'll do during the long winter days. I love the smells that seem overwhelming after the leaves start falling when they give off that sweet smell of decay. I see that some of the leaves are changing colour already.

I've started to cut back some of the plants and clear out the greenhouse. Yesterday there was a lovely fat spider in a web just inside the greenhouse door.


A number of years ago I grew some teasel from seed. I'd never seen them before but heard about them so decided to try. They grew well and the bees loved them but I found them just a bit prickly. I never bothered with them again, but this year to my surprise, one grew in front of one of the living room windows. I haven't a clue how it ever got there. When I grew them before it was in a different part of the garden altogether. And, where would it come from after all those years. Could one of the seeds landed there somehow and lay in hiding until this year?

The bees are really enjoying this plant but it scares himself. Yep, he's afraid of it. When he's sitting on the chesterfield and turns his head to the left, it's staring in at him. Says it reminds him of the movie The Day of the Triffids. I of course refused to cut it down as I'm hoping to get some seeds and plant just a few for the bees once again.

This is the beauty. It has more flower heads than I've captured in this picture.


We haven't had another bear visit since early this past week. I now have the camera at the ready just in case.

Another Bear

Yesterday another bear appeared. We're thinking it's a different one than the big one that came a few days ago as he appeared smaller. I just happened to look out the window and there he was. Once again the camera wasn't at hand and by the time I got back and managed to shove himself out of the way, he had gone around the back of the house. I then ran to the storage room window and just saw the back of him going around the other corner. Rushed to the bathroom window when I heard himself say that the bear had gone on up the back and was heading into the woods. Just got a glimpse of him before he disappeared among the trees.

I got these two terrible pictures but am putting them here anyway. The garbage bag you see in the photo doesn't contain garbage, just wood chips we had been raking up.


What else have I been doing? Well, had company stay last weekend and now I have another couple of friends coming in early October for four days. I've been trying to get the garden put to bed for the winter but I haven't been getting very far with that.

Lots of bees around enjoying the Sedum.


Lots of Jays as well.


This one looks like a grumpy Gus.


Frankie and Freya enjoying a sunny day.

There are Bears around.

Last night around seven o'clock we heard a bit of a thump outside. Thinking it was one of the cats I went to the back door. Nothing there so then went to patio doors to have a look. There, no more than five feet from me, standing up tall on his back legs with one front paw on the deck railing, was the biggest Black Bear I've ever seen in the garden. He was HUGE! A gorgeous creature. I ran for my camera and himself ran for his toy cap gun, bless him. By the time I got back the bear was heading off towards the woods so no picture. Himself was yelling, "Put the cake and cookies away somewhere." and "Are you nuts going out on the deck to get a picture." lol

So, this morning no sign of the beautiful beastie. Himself says "I don't understand you, you were sleeping like a log all night with no worries and I was listening for noises all night."

I expect the bears are trying to fatten up now for their hibernation. I was going to continue working in the garden today but am having second thoughts about it now.

Some bears that were here before.

Well now, what's been going on?  Actually, I've been fairly busy.  The weekend before last friends came for overnight bringing with them fruits, homemade jams, cheese and other treats.   It was a lovely visit.  The weather continued to be nice and so we ate dinner outside and continued to sit out until almost dark.  The next morning was another beautiful day and everyone was in agreement to eat brunch on the deck.   They brought me a book called "Fairies and Magical Beings" which I'm looking forward to reading. 

This past weekend my next door neighbour who had moved to Ontario about three years ago, came with her daughter for a visit.   It was wonderful to see her again.  They stayed for dinner on Friday then as they had made reservations to rent one of the local cabins, off they went.  I'm hoping to see them again within the next couple of days.  I'm thinking maybe for lunch tomorrow. 

This coming weekend a friend of himselfs is coming Friday, leaving Sunday.  So, more meal planning.

I'm so lucky in that through a friend I got a good home for our one remaining chicken.  I could tell she was lonely and was concerned about how she'd fair by herself over the winter.   So, we spent part of last week hauling down the old hen house and the attached greenhouse area.  Actually, we got it all down but for part of the hen house itself so we hired a couple of young fellows to demolish the rest and cart all the wood up to the pile we have stacked up to burn in a bonfire in November.   Unfortunately they've piled it too close to the shed and I don't know how we're going to manage to move it further off.   We have only ourselves to blame as we should have been watching what they were doing.  There is a massive amount of wood there, not only from the chicken house, etc. but also from the old part of the house that was torn down to build the new extension.

So, that's been my life this past while.  You can certainly feel fall in the air now.  The night before last the temperatures went down to zero.   Lots of birds around especially Blue Jays.  

Little bird.

Nuthatch.

Woodpecker.

The garden.

I am NOT happy with the changes that Blogger has made.  Why can't they leave well enough alone.