French Broad Hollow Ramble

1-2-19

1-3-19

1-4-19

It hasn’t really rained all year, but sometimes it seems that way. Fortunately, I’ve been able to get out and walk in between showers. Today I walked in more of a mist than rain, and I made it home just before the drops got bigger and the wind picked up. 🙂

It rained all morning, and the deer showed up as soon as it let up (way earlier than usual). I saw a single doe and her 2018 fawns and decided to feed them early. Somehow all the others suddenly showed up, so everyone ate lunch instead of an afternoon meal today.

The deer disappeared into the woods after they ate, as they usually do. Then I saw some of them again when I walked, both going and coming.

They recognized me and were back in the meadow soon after I got home. I fed them a few more apples, and they settled down to chew their cuds.

I often see deer as I ramble (although I am rarely quick enough to get a good photo). Here’s a video of them heading somewhere after an early feeding on Christmas. Sometimes they nap in the “orchard” above my house.

The six jake turkeys I call “the boys” didn’t show up for the first few days after I returned from my trip, but they come pretty regularly now. Today they missed the early feeding and had to scrounge in the meadow for overlooked kernels of corn.

Occasionally I see turkeys in other parts of the Hollow. I was surprised to see this big flock last week. Here’s a video of them crossing the road.

The weather forecast calls for some sunny days ahead, but I’ll try to post again before too long.

1-2-19

1-3-19

1-4-19

It’s been a while since I last posted, but I’m back! Substitute teaching, rainy weather, and a visit to New Mexico kept me from my regular walks, and I was happy to resume my rambles when my life settled back down. Here’s what’s been going on with the river; 2018 was the rainiest in Asheville history. I made a couple of videos of the high water in December: 12-22-18 12-28-18. And for those of you who like trains, here is one passing by. It’s loud!

Of course, the deer continue to come, regardless of the weather. (And I made sure they were fed while I was gone.) The big bucks are gone, and about half of “my” regular herd of ten or so are 2018’s fawns. It’s fun to watch them come when I call! Watch here and here and here!

The floods covered the bridge used by the folks on the other side of the ridge, and they had to go through the field to get in and out for a couple of days. You will see the gate open in this video. And now it’s time to put on the the black-eyed peas, roast some kale, and bake some cornbread (no sugar!). I expect to post again soon!

11-24-18

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Deer season in this part of North Carolina goes from November 19 to December 8. (That’s the gun season; blackpowder season was in October, and archery has several periods before and after gun season.) Fortunately, no one in the Hollow hunts, but I often hear gunshots from adjacent areas and across the river. You can imagine how I worry about the little herd I feed, and I always tell them to stay close. 🙂

This is a good time of the year to see deer, as it is breeding season, and they are very active. It’s rut season for the bucks, and I’ve seen them chasing each other and does. This keeps the does moving, too, unless they are ready to mate. I’ve been seeing them a lot on my rambles in the Hollow. As you can tell, some are not very concerned when I walk by (video), and one even followed me (video) and then waited in the meadow for dinner!

I’ve also seen (and heard) bucks on my walk and in the woods near the house. Sometimes the does seem to hide from the buck as he tries to find them. Here’s a short video of one trying to find where she hid. V-Boy (below right), the buck fawn from last year, even paid a visit in the driveway; it was the first I’d seen him in over a month.

V-Boy 10-7-18

The buck who’s been making the most appearances is the one pictured at the top of the post; I call him Mr. Majestic. I’ve seen him (I think) in past years, but he has been visiting a lot this year. (That’s another large buck in the photos above.) He ran off when I saw him on the meadow last week, but he has been showing up at feeding time for the last few days. That is, of course, when there are plenty of potential mates around! He doesn’t hesitate to let me know that he doesn’t like having me around. Watch here! Today he ran off, crossed the road, then circled back to approach from the other side.

He and the other big buck and a doe went by in the woods behind the house a little while ago, but I couldn’t get a good photo (although I stood in the cold for a while trying). Guess this will have to do for now.

11-24-18

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11-27-18

We had a heavy frost since my last post, and the marigolds are now brown and crumpled over (nothing I want a photo of). I’ll leave some of them where they lie so the birds can eat the seeds, and I’ll throw some up the bank and hope the seeds sprout there in the spring.

The cold, combined with wind and more rain, has made for some miserable weather, and I have been walking later in the day, even on sunny days. (The photos at the end of the post show the weather differences better than these of the river.)

11-13-18

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Despite the rain and wind, we’ve had some beautiful days that showcased some of the trees that have retained their leaves. Some of leaves still have multiple colors, like the oak leaves below.

I haven’t seen many woolly bears this year, and they are not at all consistent in their weather forecasts (much like the human meteorologists!).

9-30-18

11-16-18

11-18-18

I substitute taught a few times and visited friends for Thanksgiving, so I’ve missed a few rambles. Of course, I made sure the deer and turkeys were fed while I was gone. If you saw these deer staring and waiting, wouldn’t you?

I have more days of substituting and visiting in the near future but expect to keep up with my rambles. Who knows what I’ll see before the next post?

11-13-18

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11-16-18

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11-19-18

11-20-18

Before I retired and moved to French Broad Hollow, when people complained about the weather, I would respond. “At least it’s not 40° and raining.” Well, today it’s 38° and raining, and it looks like the weather won’t change much for the rest of the day. It started raining about sunrise, and we’d already gotten over .5″ before noon. I sometimes walk in the rain, but I’m taking a day off today. 🙂

11-3-18

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11-11-18

We’ve had some other rainy days since my last post—and we had our first hard freeze; it was in the low 20s when I got up Sunday morning. Until then, the marigolds were still blooming and being visited by butterflies (including Monarchs and this checkerspot that rested on the laundry basket), but I think their cheery blossoms are gone for the year. At least I have the violas on the deck to add some color.

Nature’s fall colors peaked in the Hollow about a week ago, then—seemingly overnight—the roads and trails were covered in fallen leaves that quickly turned brown.

The American beech tree (Fagus grandifolia) is one of my favorites, and they are plentiful near my house. Their colors remain vivid longer than most of the other trees. Even after the leaves are brown, they cling to the tree until spring. Here is an interesting link to a post by Sharon Mammoser about beech trees. I love the hickory trees along my driveway, too.

I doubt I’ll be posting many more photos of tree foliage any time soon, but expect more of deer and turkeys! More of this year’s fawns show up to eat, and now I often find turkeys AND deer waiting for me to head down to feed. Here is a video of them showing me the way and another of feeding time. (You can hear the turkeys pecking the corn in the pans.)

They’re not visible yet today in this rain, but I have no doubt some will show up when I head down to feed, as I will before long, regardless of the weather!

11-4-18

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11-11-18 (Yes, it is almost identical to 11-10, but it’s not!)

We’ve had colder nights, rain, sun, and wind, but no frost or snow yet. The river was up for a few days, and you can see the trees changing colors.

10-27-18

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11-1-18

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It seems like the colors on the trees have exploded in the last few days, and I’ve had some breath-taking rambles. I only wish the photos would show fully how beautiful the colors are and how glorious it feels to walk through the Hollow this time of year, whether it’s cloudy or sunny. Here’s a video of what I’ve been seeing.

The warm weather seems to have confused the invertebrate world. I often see butterflies on my rambles (but they have been too quick for a photo), and the marigolds and zinnias still blooming in the garden attract fritillaries and a straggler monarchs. This garden spider (Argiope aurantia) made her web near my back door, and I have been feeding her stinkbugs when I catch them. I know she’ll be gone one morning, and I’ll miss seeing her.

Monarch

Fritillary

The rain resulted in a few mushrooms; these are growing on a log near my compost bin. I have no idea what kind they are, but they are almost as large as a dinner plate.

The deer and turkeys continue to show up regularly, and sometimes lately there are deer waiting for me when I open the basement door!

The field and trees over the ridge are changing, too. Maybe it will all be covered in frost when I post again…

It’s rainy and windy and in the mid-40s today. I’m caught up with most of my inside chores and (fortunately) have no pressing outside ones, so I’m finally posting again. It’s been a busy month—visits from family and friends, passing remnants of Hurricanes Michael and Willa (today’s rain), and house and garden chores to prepare for the changing seasons. (My house is full of plants.) Here’s a video of how the river has changed: French Broad River

Fall has brought changes in the Hollow and and in what I see on my rambles, as well. It’s been 10 days since I last saw a hummingbird, although I still see butterflies. This Question Mark was busy on my garden wall (video). I found a Monarch chrysalis on my garbage can, but it didn’t make it.

Question Mark (Polygonia interrogationis)

Gulf fritillary (Agraulis vanillae)

Monarch (Danaus plexippus)

Monarch chrysalis

Monarch (Danaus plexippus)

The prolonged warm weather delayed “leaf” season, and the colors aren’t as vivid as in other years. The sourwoods and dogwoods were the first to turn, and some of the maples and oaks are now showing color.

I often see turkeys on my rambles, but they usually run before I can get close enough for a good photo. You can see them in this video. I’ve been seeing deer more often, too. There are fewer leaves on the undergrowth, and I think the deer are moving around, trying to find a good place for the winter. As you can see in the last photo, sometimes they run when they see me coming! 🙂

The deer and turkeys continue to come feed in the field, although the compositions of the groups have changed. Another buck showed up a couple of times a few weeks ago, and I haven’t seen the little buck V-Boy for over a week. Some of this year’s fawns have been coming at feeding time, and one doe often waits for me near the yard and even watches me patiently if I’m working outside. You can see feeding time (before V-Boy disappeared) here and one of the fawns running laps here. (I tried to edit this several times but have yet to figure it out.)

At least a couple of flocks of turkeys come around—one is made up on toms, and the other has LOTS of what I think are this year’s poults. This video shows them marching down to the field.

Autumn has arrived at the field on the other side of the ridge, too. You can see here. It’s stopped raining, and I’m finished for this post.

I’m not sure what happened to September, but it’s almost gone! I rambled to the river almost every day and finally learned how to put the photos into a video. Here it is, and here is the river today.

There was a lot of uncertainty about how Hurricane Florence would affect us. The storm and its aftermath flooded the Carolina coasts for weeks, but in the end, we had only a day of steady rain and no wind.

Of course, the deer expect to eat, regardless of the weather. You can watch the deer and turkeys at mealtime here. The fawns have lost most of their spots, but they are still small. It seems there have been fewer fawns this year, and even those rarely stick around when I come close. “My” buck, V-Boy, has his antlers, and I have seen him sparring (too far away for a good photo) with another small buck that occasionally shows up. He still shows up near the house almost daily (whenever he thinks it’s time to eat). Yesterday I saw him eating seed that had fallen from the bird feeder over the driveway, and I have chased him from the flower garden. I like it best when he (and the others) eat in the field—or on the way down as he is doing here.

Leaves have begun to fall, as have the black walnuts. They are about the size of golf balls, and I like to pick them up and throw them (still a softball player at heart). I’ve been throwing sticks at the persimmon trees, too.

The persimmon trees have been cut back, and I can no longer reach the branches with a stick, so I have to throw a stick and hope to knock down some (ripe) persimmons. (You may have realized that my rambles are more than just walking!)

The persimmons aren’t the only trees that have been cut back. The banks on the sides on the roads in the Hollow were clearcut earlier this year. The roads are private, and we residents are responsible for maintaining them. In the time that I’ve lived here, fallen trees have blocked a road several times, and others—especially dead ones—posed potential problems. I understand the need for preventive maintenance but was still shocked to see the land scraped bare and small bushes and plants cut back. Here’s what it looked like after about six weeks. I’ll try to show you the persimmon trees later.

Temperatures have been in the high 70s and low 80s lately, with nighttime lows in the mid- to low 60s. (about 10 degrees above normal). Fall is on the way, however, and you may be able to see the changes in this video of the neighbors’ field. Here is what it looked like this morning and is a good way to sign off for now.

The blooming flowers signal that autumn is coming, but the weather still feels like summer, with highs in the mid- to high 80s and lows in the mid-60s. (I know that these temps seem cool to many of you, but the averages here are 80 and 60 or cooler for this time of year.)

8-23-18

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The turkeys wait for me to feed, and some of the deer do, too. Here’s what it looks like as I walk down. Other deer come out of the woods and up the road when they hear me call. The twins pass by near my house almost daily but still run off when I approach. One of the other fawns is getting a little bolder, and I am concerned that one of the does may still be pregnant.

The walk down into the meadow is especially colorful this time of year. The wingstems (Verbesina alternifolia) and ironweed (Vernonia noveboracensis) are some of my favorites. I also like seeing the Carolina elephant’s foot (Elephantopus carolinianus)—Roll Tide!—and goldenrod in the meadow. Up in the orchard the apples have all been picked (by me, not the deer!), some hardy ageratum and rudbeckia are blooming on the dry slope, and the milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) pods are getting ready to let their seeds float away. Around the house the wild poinsettia (Euphorbia cyathophora) I brought from Alabama is developing seeds and the cardinal flowers (Lobelia cardinalis) continue to put on a show that attracts butterflies and hummingbirds.

It’s been dry, but we’ve had some foggy mornings, as you can see below. Maybe we’ll get rain before I post again.

8-23-18

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The shadows are longer, the days are shorter, leaves are falling, and the forecast calls for lows in the 50s the next few nights—autumn will be here soon! There are fewer plants in bloom, but there is still plenty of lavender, purple, and yellow as the late-summer colors take over. The thistles are lovely but invasive. I have tried to dig up, spray (carefully), and/or cut down the ones in my meadow, but I am resigned to never getting them all.

8-16-18

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This year’s fawns are more skittish than those of past years. They don’t come to feed, but I see them as they pass by the house and before they scamper off when I go down to feed. Here is a video of one of the twins passing by as the turkeys were headed down. The little buck I am now calling V-Boy (instead of Vinnie, which I realized sounded too much like venison!) hangs out with the twins and is almost always somewhere near my house.

There are more turkeys this year than I remember from past years. They wait for me to feed the deer then run ahead or come running down the hill when they hear the corn hit the pans. I see the three toms several times a day, especially after a rain when they go to my orchard to dry out.

The apple trees in the orchard had their biggest crop so far! One tree had a single apple, but the other had about a dozen (more than twice as many as last year!) with several more still on the tree. One of the pawpaw trees has three pawpaws, and the seeds I saved last year have finally sprouted. 🙂

The chicken-of-the -wood was fading before I left for New Mexico and was basically a mess by the time I returned. However, other mushrooms and fungi continue to appear, including a return of the indigo milky mushrooms. (They lasted two days before being eaten; I saw deer tracks and assume that’s who got them.)

It looks and feels like rain is coming, and I think I’ll head down while it’s still dry. (Here’s what I looked like in the drizzle earlier this week. Thanks to my cousin Cheryl for the pic!) Maybe I am scaring the fawns off! 😉 I’ll try to post again soon.

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