TREASURE HUNT

What's the treasure you're hunting these days? Our foxy lady saw these 7 squirrels and probably dreamt of a feast. But like those old vitamins, one-a-day would be really healthy. Did she or didn't she??

November is ending on a mild spell this weekend. Sunrise is far to the south. Tonight's full moon is crisp in the clean cold air. Tomorrow brings snowfall but even that might not keep the fishers at home.

Even though the Great Lakes are still ice-free, it's officially the end of the navigation season so the Coast Guard is taking in all the channel marking buoys. And a new sight at area farms ---- an elaborate system of cables and poles. Can you guess what they're for (hint: it's called "Frutop")?

My treasure hunt showed up in the form of dozens of boxes of stuff passed on to me by my brother. Time capsules, revelations, and heartwarming memories to be opened like a thousand Christmas presents. One big portion is cloth, materials, and clothing from many decades and addresses. That's Pat's treasure-to-be-discovered. For me, so far it's priceless artifacts and heritage mysteries. Who wore these tiny delicate lace gloves? White bow tie? Costume jewelry? And then piles of pictures ---- many rare posed studio portraits--- to be named and smiled about.

So that will be the winter Treasure Hunt, just right for these stay-at-home times. There's the fake Student Card I used to backpack the world at a discount! What other treasures await....

ROPE-A-DOPE

 While on Earth the States continues to be a dumpster fire, their best was on display with the flawless launch of SpaceX. The whole enterprise with reusable rockets and streamlined capsule a huge jump in efficiency. And those spacesuits are pretty cool too.

November weather is teasing us with wet snow, then light snow, then cold enough to form skim ice on the pond. Down the road, the snow forced these cattle to climb a hill to graze.

Our resident fox continues to fascinate while ignoring us completely. In one sequence she hid under a deck chair right at our window, then stalked the feeder area but no luck this time.

But the next time the 5 squirrels were a little too distracted at breakfast. Foxy Lady boxed them in, picked out a nice fat one, and took it across the lawn to the den. We're hoping next time it's a turkey...

Snow fall is inevitable and we're staying put for a while, so it's the last chance to get the septic tank pumped out and a jillion maple leaves piled away.

In fact, the snow is due in a few hours from now so yesterday the Dope ran a Rope down (up?) the hill. We'll be trudging up and down with backpacks so it's handy to have a hand-hold. Any Sherpas out there?

FOX NEWS (except it's true!)

Having dodged a major bullet, the States now is heading into the darkness of chaotic unchecked pandemic. That will be the near-term catastrophe, then climate change will take over long-term. Not an original thought, but one I share...

So in a metaphor of the States this morning we have both drenching rain and inner fire. Nowhere to go this winter so the car got rust proofed against inevitable road salt. Kitchen Queen keeps serving up the goodies!

Out in the yard we had early-week heat wave. Massive piles of dried up leaves are light weight but still have to be barged away. Desperate critters have ripped a pile of old carpet underlay to shreds --- bedding for the winter?

The winged migration continues with more waves of yellow evening grosbeaks. Nuthatches and woodpeckers try to muscle in on the feasting. But the beaks are at their peaks!

We have been gobsmacked in awe of the fox(es?) patrolling outside our windows. More sightings in a week than in a whole decade before. On one round, the fox sniffed a squirrel right through the black pipe hiding place. Good hill hunting!

On another sighting, the fox sensed some furry food near garden mesh. Always alert, always chasing. Then it scared the shittake out of scavenging turkeys. I've never seen turkeys scatter in alarm --- some flew up a 70 foot pine tree to be safe!

Then our quick brown beauty treed some chipmunks and kept them there. It looked like the fox was also finding something in the split rails --- maybe some yummy bugs to lick? So alert in posture and focused in eyes. Judging by the way this one marked her turf, we're saying it's a female. 

So the  bushy-tailed flash of sleekness is out there and we're hoping she stays, well-fed and burrowed on the hill. And that's Fox News you can actually believe...