Rainy day rest

It’s raining today, and I decided to take a day off from walking, although I almost kept going when I went down for the mail. I’m glad I didn’t since it since it started to rain harder as soon as I got back to the house.

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I haven’t seen the deer as regularly lately. Sometimes I see them when I first get up and look out my bedroom window, but they’re usually gone by the time I get downstairs, and I never know if or when they will show up during the day. I’m sure some of the does have fawns hidden somewhere, and last year’s are now on their own. I looked out just as I began writing this and saw Bambi eating in a recently cleared area. Of course, I took corn and an apple and went down to the meadow, where he was joined by his brother, last year’s doe fawn, Lil Girl, and a couple of pregnant does.

The cleared area had been overrun with invasive multiflora rose (Rosa multiflora) and oriental bittersweet (Celastrus orbiculatus) until recently.  I was fortunate to hire someone who was knowledgeable about invasive plants to make a (small) dent in the many invasive plant species near my house. (He is a Peace Corps Response Volunteer who had been evacuated due to COVID-19.) He also got rid of some Chinese privet, Japanese honeysuckle, bush (Amur) honeysuckle, amd a few other exotic shrubs and small trees. Invasive plant species are all over the Hollow, and, as much as I don’t like them, I must admit that some are beautiful.

Multiflora Rose Rosa multiflora

Amur Honeysuckle Lonicera maackii

Lovely as the exotics are, I prefer the natives. I see them on my rambles and have planted some near my house.

The turtles also have homes on the Hollow, and I feel lucky every time I meet one as I ramble.

Meanwhile, the birds continue to sing,

Tom continues to strut,

and it’s time for me to do chores.

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