The Deck Goes Undercover

Here we go again; it's time to bundle up for winter.

Soon only the tops of the furniture will poke out from the white stuff.

The china berry vine has taken a firm grip on the awning and they can hang out together for now.

I had the good sense to love every minute of summer. It's such a luxury to step outside without pausing to lace up the boots, layer the sweaters under padded jackets, find the mitts and hope the snow tires are in good form.

So good bye for now, deck. Looking forward to seeing you in the spring.

Hark--Who Lives There?

                                              See that big nest in the centre of the tree?




I thought it was inhabited by either grackles or squirrels and sometimes I suspected it might be a house full of noisy vultures.

In the summer when the tree is enveloped in thick leaves I can't see who goes in or comes out but at what must be feeding time, it's loud, a bunch  of hungry- little- mouths loud.

I did some  Googling and chances are it's a squirrels nest.

Squirrels are not garden-friendly little rodents-- they snap the heads off tulips just because they can and they shove the birds out of the way while the hang from any available post near the feeders, like flexible licorice sticks and eat to their heart's content.

I don't know what they do in the winter; there are always a few around but most of the population disappear for a while but they'll be back. They always come back.

I was kind of hoping for a thousand hummingbirds or something spectacular but you can't choose your neighbors.

Anyway, the puzzle of who lives in the nest is solved.

The Shed Gets An Overcoat

A metal shed is an asset for storage but it ranks zero on the attractiveness scale.
Mine stood out like the proverbial sore thumb and to soften the effect I planted a vine against the wall.
What I had in mind was a miniature version of a stately though miniature English manor, thick with ivied walls.
Beginning with soft green netting fastened securely, I guided the vine toward its helper, but apparently mine was a shy vine and it hid itself behind the netting, squishing it's way upward.
It got stuck at the roof join but eventually found a way to wiggle its way  up and over.

The bird feeder was in its path and vine was up to the challenge; it slowly crept inside and up the walls, found a small opening on the roof and popped up and out.

That wasn't what I had in mind and the stately English manor look was gonzo.The picture pretty well tells the story--my plan failed.

Inside the shed, the interloper was having fun apparently trying to make space for a sun roof.
My clippers made short work of that little caper.

As it re-sprouts next spring, I'll give it a continuous brush cut to keep it in order and the netting will be loosened a lot.

Either that or I'll have a roofless shed.