October 11, 2012 Last colors of fall

This is the last of the fall colors, just about!  There are still a bunch of lemon yellow snapdragons blooming nicely in the flower bed borders.  The frost hasn't killed them and the deer don't seem to like them....miracles do happen.  What is the chance that both things work for the same flower?!  By this time of the year, when frost has killed most things and the rest don't have long to go, I don't put any deer repellants out any more.  Food is less tasty in the woods so they are out eating every last clover and green grass in the big field they can find.  A few tasty flower blossoms never hurt and they do like petunias.  Right now, if I go out the door with treats for Shadow and her family and Zoe, I can be sure there will be 10 or 12 faces running to greet me.  They have also gotten pretty good at just following me around the yard to see if I might be nice and give them something.  Too funny!  They do make my day and I enjoy my four legged friends immensely.  "Fancy's Girl" was standing along side me when I was harvesting the cauliflower, brussels sprouts and some more carrots yesterday.  If I found a badly split and slug nibbled carrot, I would throw it to her. She gobbled it right up.  They have started nibbling the tops of the brussels sprouts as they make almost like little cabbage heads on the top, but don't bother the edible parts.  They don't like, at least not yet, cauliflower.  Carrot tops are just favorites!  Anyway, the south fence on the garden was just temporary til the next bed was ready to plant so my husband took it off recently.  The deer pets got right into checking that out. I expect they figured with all the time we spent in there, that must be good stuff! :)
Then, there is the matter of the 4 legged canines.  They are magnificent animals......don't get me wrong.  If people in the valley didn't have young kids or pets, I would enjoy seeing them a bit more than I do.  But, as you remember, I have my own dog to worry about too.  When you have timber wolves walking through your yard any time of the day, it gets a bit disconcerting.  Yesterday afternoon, I (and Toby) had just come back from some trail work with the chainsaw and a good walk.  As long as the  clothes were on, I went to the garden to pick.  I had just finished all that and Toby and I went in the house and I was on my way to wash my hands.  3:30 in the afternoon!  Deer tails are high as they are leaping north across the field....no looking back.....and gone.  A minute later, here come the wolves.  This is the second time this week!  We don't even have snow yet, for the pete's sake.  We have a serious need of some wolf education classes in this area. 
One person has told me....well, you "feed" the deer.  Well, yes and no.  In winter, we "feed" the deer.  We live in a place that the deer like, open fields, mowed fresh grass and clover, a treat now and then when they come to the door, or basement window to beg.....not exactly "feeding" the deer.  Yes, I have pets!  However, as much as I have always liked deer, I would have never gone out of my way to make pets of them for several reasons....hunting seasons, gardens, and wolves.  Wolves, are of course, attracted to a place where they hang out.  But, the deer hang out here whether they are fed or not.  That, on a nasty winter, is how we started to feed in the first place.  They have food, running water year around and cover to sleep.  You can quite often see a bunch of deer laying around in the yard.  I ran across a picture like that recently on my computer.  But, when I went to find it again, I couldn't. Too many photos!  But, we have a number of other people who have wolves hanging around regularly too.  They don't feed any wildlife.  They have also lost a dog to the wolves.  They are in an area more populated than me.  The wolves just have lost their fear of people and are out to get anything they can, wherever they can.  They aren't a northwoods icon anymore....because they don't stay in the woods.
Ok, I will quit ranting on wolves now.....but, they do need to give "us" space too!
I will go back to harvesting the garden and finish freezing and blanching a few more vegies....get all tucked in for winter!   :)