French Broad Hollow Ramble

Winter continues

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Truffula tree! 1-21-20 – Version 3

When I first saw this, I wondered if it was a Truffula tree (Truffulus truffuli)! But no, it was just a branch from one of the several sycamore trees (Platanus occidentalis) that grow near my house (and drop branches, leaves, “gumballs”, and fuzz all over my deck and yard).

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It seems that winter has decided to stay for a while. We had some morning lows in the teens and a couple of days when it never got above freezing. And more rain. As you can see, we’ve had some sunny days, too, although some days it was sunny in town but not here.

I usually see the deer in my meadow, but they roam around the Hollow, and today I saw them in a neighbor’s field, headed for my place. (I can recognize some of the ones in “my” herd.)

I don’t see much new on my rambles these days. Almost everything (except the red mud!) is gray and brown this time of year. The one thing that is changing is the construction of the new house. The weather has delayed some of the outside tasks (like painting), and I know the owners are looking forward to moving into the Hollow.

Since there’s not much new, there’s not much to write. Maybe next time…

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Rainy day

Sunrise 1-17-20

Suddenly we’re back to winter! The photo above is yesterday’s sunrise; today it’s raining and in the low 40s. That’ll seem warm compared to the next few days, when forecasts call for highs in the mid-30s (but sunny) and lows in the teens. It will be a cold walk down to feed the deer, and I know they’ll be happy to see me.

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Of course, they’re always happy to see me (and the feed bucket). Bambi greets me even when I’m rambling empty-handed!

The one I call Spooky no longer runs very far when I approach, and her 2019 little fawn Espejo has started coming closer when I call. (These two have circles around their eyes, which allow me to identify them.)

Spooky & Espejo 1-15-20

Espejo 1-15-20

One of the bucks has been visiting the meadow pretty regularly. The does don’t run away as they did a few weeks ago, and the buck seems more interested in corn than porn.

This morning he was in the meadow when I went down, and I also saw Li’l Buck near the cedar tree. (He’s the injured buck, a 2018(?) fawn.) They both ran into the woods across the road, but the big guy returned before I left. Buck 1-18-20

I took feed to the meadow before it started raining early this afternoon when I saw Bambi and his sibling. I know others will want to be fed soon and have been keeping an eye out. Not much else has been happening in the Hollow or on my rambles, so I’ll leave you with this until the next post.

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Not much new

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Although it was 22° yesterday morning, it has mostly continued to be abnormally warm, and no freezing temperatures are forecast for the next week. In fact, the forecast low temperatures are about what the high temperature usually are. Oh well, and we’re expecting more rain (although not as much as I think some of you will be experiencing).

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No deer showed up for breakfast the morning it was bitterly cold, which was surprising since they usually rush to eat when the weather is bad. Some had already headed for the woods when I went down to feed them that afternoon, but they came running when I called.

Today they literally “showed their butts” as I was filling the pans. (They often go in a group from pan to pan.)

We don’t get much litter in the Hollow. (The contractor has told the construction crews to drive slowly and not litter, but I have lectured a few when I pick up their trash.) I pick up trash when I see it, unless it’s inaccessible. fullsizeoutput_861

Today, however, I found something truly disgusting and, quite frankly, a bit disturbing since it was almost in sight of my house. Since I promised in my last post to share any interesting finds, here it is. In case you can’t read the packet, it is a Trojan. 😦

And that’s enough to make me stop writing for today; I hope the next post will make you (and me) smile!

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It’s a New Year!

Here we are in a new year, but you’d never know it from the weather. As you can see from the thumbnails below, we’ve continued to have some sunny days, some rainy days, and some foggy days. Today it’s been rainy and foggy, but I got out for a ramble when it was just sprinkling.

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Most of the trees lost their leaves a while ago, but leaves on the American beech (Fagus grandifolia) and the red oaks hang on, and the many pines, few surviving Eastern hemlocks, and this red cedar (Juniperus silicicola) that I brought when I moved almost nine years ago from Alabama (and it was two feet tall) provide green along the way. The lichen-covered bare trees and the pink-purple canes of the native black raspberries stand out on cloudy days.

American beech (Fagus grandifolia)

Eastern hemlock

Red cedar

Black raspberry canes

The ferns, mosses, lichen, and—surprisingly—mushrooms also add color and different textures. I found one puttyroot orchid (Aplectrum hyemale) and am on the lookout for more.

Puttyroot orchid

Of course, the deer continue to come to feed, waiting at the basement door (and sometimes at the front door!) for breakfast and returning in the afternoons. They nap on the path near the house when they arrive too early. I haven’t seen much buck activity lately, although this big fellow was in the meadow a few days after Christmas.

Napping

Bambi wants in

Christmas morning

New Year’s Day

And the local flock of eight tom turkeys often joins the deer in the afternoon.

Like where most of you readers live, we have coyotes in the Hollow. Only a few solitary ones have been captured by my trail camera, and I don’t think they’re a problem in my little part of the Hollow. However, I sometimes see their scat on my rambles; it usually seems to reflect a diet of rabbits and other wild animals. About a month ago I found the skull of a domestic cat (probably feral), and this week I found a spine that also seems to be from a cat. I suspect this/these to be the victim/s of coyotes, too.

One never knows what will turn up on a ramble, but I’ll let you know if I find something interesting next time!

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Lots to keep me busy

The photo above partly summarizes what’s been going on in my little part of the Hollow. It’s been almost a month since my last post, and the holidays, weather, and work on my deck have kept me from my regular rambles. We’ve had extreme cold, unseasonable heat, rain, snow, and more rain.

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The deer show up without regard to the weather or what else I might have going on. They expect to eat mornings and afternoons, and several walk up and almost demand to be given a piece of apple. (Of course, I acquiesce.) They wait outside the basement door and lead/follow me down to the meadow, where others are usually waiting. “My” regular herd numbers about nine (five does and four 2019 fawns), but sometimes others show up.

The rut continues, and sometimes I see a buck in the meadow, chasing the does. This week I noticed that one (I think it’s Li’l Buck) has been injured, probably in a fight. (You know I would take care of him if I could.)

It’s been rainy all day with falling temperatures, and I’ve stayed inside (mostly). I hope I can resume my regular ramble (and regular posting) soon!

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Rainy day

It’s been raining since I got up this morning (almost an inch this morning), and it looks like it will continue all day. Sometimes I walk in the rain, but I decided to take today off and catch up on some indoor tasks, including updating the blog. After my last post, I went to New Mexico for a quick family visit (no rambling this time) and was glad the weather was back to “normal” when I got home.

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Although others fed the deer (and cats) while I was gone, the deer have been happy to be back to their regular feedings.

The 2019 fawns are beginning to hang out together and are usually the first ones to come to feed. Sometimes they are with one of the does, and sometimes they are in their own little herd. The rut has begun, and the behavior of “my” herd is changing. Sometimes they rest and groom in the “orchard” behind my house; one day I saw them run away and saw a young buck coming up from the meadow. (They also ran from Li’l Buck, but I haven’t seen him for several weeks. )

It’s that time of year where things seem to change slowly, but I may have more to post next time.

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Celebrating a beautiful fall

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It was 13 degrees when I got up this morning, and the wind was blowing. I walked only as far as the mailbox and snapped this photo of some snow “leftovers” on the way back. After yesterday’s rain/snow/sleet, most of the leaves are gone, although some of the beeches are still holding on. I decided a slideshow of the last few weeks would be a good way to celebrate what turned out to be some gorgeous fall foliage.

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I mentioned in my previous post that I’ve had some extra duties—dog-walking! If you know me, then you know that I don’t volunteer to bring food when someone needs help (especially when there are so many wonderful southern cooks around). Instead, I do chores like cleaning litter boxes or walking dogs. These neighbors live past the gate where I always take the ending photo and on the “other side of the ridge.” I was lucky to have mostly wonderful weather and great canine company. My last day was Sunday, and one shot shows the neighbors walking the dogs themselves!

Since I didn’t walk today, that will be my ending photo of this post. I’ll try to post again before too long.

Winter arrives

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Yesterday this Gulf Fritillary was flying around my garden; I hope it found a warm place last night. After temperatures in the 60s yesterday, it struggled to get to 32 today, a day filled with a “wintry mix” of freezing rain, sleet, and snow flurries. I didn’t even walk, and regular readers will know that not much keeps me from walking.

The deer came early, and I had to empty the slush from the pans; this afternoon it was just water. I haven’t seen the little buck for several weeks, but the does and their fawns still show up. They have even taken to grooming each other, chewing cuds, and even napping near the house (but not today!).

This will be a short post. I’ve had some extra duties lately and some beautiful weather that kept me away from the computer. Additionally, I had to prepare for today’s weather and tonight’s extreme cold (already down to 20). I may find time tomorrow; if not, it will likely be at least another week before the next post.

Finally fall—and rain, too!

Last week’s rain continued to fall after I posted, and we’ve gotten a little more since. We also had a couple of mornings with light frost, and today the wind is blowing. The leaves that are still on the trees seem more colorful every day, and the view of the river is a mosaic of autumn hues with touches of greens. I left early one morning to run errands and had to stop to get this photo of fog on the river.

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The muted reds of the oaks, the brilliant oranges of the maples, and the shining yellow hickories keep me busy with my camera, but it doesn’t capture the actual beauty I see. Last spring’s tragic loss of the 100′ oak tree opened a hole in the canopy, and this hickory has painted it a dazzling yellow.

The deer come as usual to be fed, some days both morning and afternoon! They are waiting for me on days when I am “late” getting home from school. 🙂

Li’l Buck is filling out, and the fawns and does usually run from him, which means he doesn’t have to share.

I don’t have anything more to share today, either. I’ll try to post again soon.

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Glimpses of fall color

Cooler weather finally arrived, and the trees are showing more color. I am hoping the rain falling now will wash off the dust and reveal more color. Yes, it is actually raining as I write this. Whether or not it continues long enough to do much more than wash off the leaves remains to be seen. Recent “showers” have been no more than a few drops. You can see how low the river is.

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We had a light frost, but the marigolds and zinnias in my garden are still blooming, and the butterflies continue to visit. I haven’t seen monarchs in the past few days, but a few passed through after the last post.

Monarch Danaus plexippus

Cloudless Sulphur Phoebis sennae

Gulf Fritillary Agraulis vanillae

Long-tailed Skipper Urbanus proteus

Painted Lady Vanessa cardui

I still see my friend the turtle almost every day and take a persimmon or two down to him on every walk. The persimmons are almost gone, and I hope that the rain will loosen the soil enough for him to dig a safe den and hibernate. I saw another turtle last week; I think it was looking for a hibernation place, too.

Closer to home, the deer and turkeys continue to come to eat. The drought has made it difficult for the deer to find food in the woods, and they have been grazing on my “lawn” where I welcome the turkeys that eat the weed seeds. Oh! And one morning I looked out and saw these two big bucks in the meadow. I wonder if they were checking out the “girls” before the rut.