IN LIVING COLOUR

 It's so great to find, see, or create vivid colours up here during these dark times. This smoke bush leaf grabbed attention, resembling indigenous patterns --- but who made patterns so elegant? Then a late rhubarb leaf turned completely and unusually crimson. And the dominant poplar tree kept green tips as the yellow advanced up the branches, like October stalking June.

The ferry Chi-Cheemaun returned to home port for the winter, ablaze in colour whether it passed by or at anchor.

Domestic duties continue amidst the colours. The green apple tree gets the annual haircut. Stalks are cut and become animal sheltering. Somebody rakes leaves, somebody else throws them around. Indoors, check out all the colours in the curry!

The weather was also colourful, but in a climate-changing ominous way. One day it's 25C, the next day threatening clouds and nearby tornados formed. Fierce winds blew down thousands of apples. And for the grand finale a rainbow challenged the trees to a colouring contest.

In the semi-light of dawn our red fox gobbled up chicken skin and even licked the paper, like I would lick the plate! We're hoping he moves up to turkey. A young goldfinch snacks on cone flower seeds, just like the gardener hoped. And a vivid yellow/black/white evening grosbeak capped off a week of welcome colour. Now, where's that bright orange pumpkin for next Saturday...

FALL-ING FOR IT

 It's that beautiful time of year up here with lots of leaf colour left. 

The sky puts on quite a show too because the air is cleaner and less humid. Sunrises are dazzling. The moon has been escorting Mars (at night, shown) and Venus (at dawn). Heavy rains too --- we can see it falling on the bay like a cloud's wispy beard.

A follow-up on Thanksgiving last weekend. The power went out during the cooking --- gravy was made on our camping blue burner. But the electricity came back in time for a pan of veggies, the bird of honour, and a batch of banana cookies. Out the window, the other turkeys know they dodged a holiday bullet but now the real bullets will be flying.

Even our rural area is feeling the exodus of people from the cities. This plot of rocky shore down the road is listed at $499,000!? 

Snow is coming so yardwork is hurrying up. Lots of cutting back in the gardens. Mounds of leaves to clear from the hill. Sunflower seed stocked for the winged wonders. And probably the last hang.

Gobsmacking wildlife on the wing and on foot. Something's been stripping the bbq cover for a nest. Birds that we saw coming north in the spring are now seen going south. That includes a pair of cardinals and three kinds of woodpecker. But the prize sighting is this young deer at the back. Nature is awesome --- we're Falling for it!

GIVING THANKS

 Quite a week of celestial sights and omens. Bright blue Venus escorted daily crisp sunrises. And a first time encounter --- rainbows in the west (morning) and east (afternoon) on the same day!

Shipping traffic is increasing on the bay with the seasons. This "ship" is actually an old hull being pushed around by a tugboat secured aft. It came in with road salt, offloaded, reloaded with grain, and then left port all within 12 hours.

Lots of leaves still coming down but here's the last pear and the last dandelion of the season. Maybe?

We're happily dishing out nourishment to migrants passing through. Nuthatches, cardinals, juncos, and purple finch are on extended stopovers. Where do stick bugs go in winter??

Yardwork never ends. Whip and sweep thick grasses. Skim and scoop leaves in the pond. Maybe he should borrow the phragmite-mowing amphibian they're using in town?

A Boot Hill mystery solved. One of Pat's wetsuit boots wound up in the woods --- what?? Turns out hungry foxes have been scrounging around the house. On the menu are chipmunks, mice, fallen fruit, and even a bite of boot. A second fox (female?) came up the hill to follow sleekly over the fence. Awesome and beautiful.

This week's lovin'-from-the-oven are apple pies. One was disappearing before the picture could be taken!

It's Canadian Thanksgiving weekend. (All the more meaningful because my mom's birthday is also Oct. 12.) There will be festive turkey and all the extras later today. But we feel extreme gratitude every day. So thankful to have our health and comforts, and to live in Canada --- always near the top of the list as most livable on earth. There is much more hardship and chaos to come, especially in the States, but we're ever thankful, living at the end of the rainbow up here.