October 8, 2012 Grey days of fall

Here is a photo from a few days ago when it wasn't grey.  There are a few flowers remaining that haven't frozen yet.  Plus, the big cosmo in the front that looked so healthy, yet never put out one flower.  I love fall.  The beautiful warm 70 degree (or warmer) days are just a joy.  However, there are the other ones, like today.  They look grey and bleak with the leaves all down and threatening to rain at the same time.  You just don't know what you should get inspired to go do. 
A few minutes ago I was upstairs while I was waiting for an email to load....slow speed today.  Shadow's two fawns were sampling flowers not yet frozen along the deck....4' from Toby's nose.  I am always so impressed by his willingness to let them so close and not even twitch.  But, he just got in from a very long walk with a few "partridge " smells to make it interesting.  That helps.  He even got to retrieve one that we kicked up along the deer trail in the woods.
Yesterday morning, when we were having breakfast, about 10 deer, that were scattered along the south edge of the fields...all at once....were headed north leaping and bounding for all they were worth.  No one was stopping to turn around to see if what ever scared them was still coming.  Looked like wolves around to us.  Well.....nothing came behind them.  About 20 minutes later I was outside by the deck steps talking to Shadow and her fawn.  All of a sudden, the low howl starts and then the rest of the pack started to howl, with the highest pitched one coming in last.  What a chorus.  I guess we were right about the wolves going by scaring all the deer.  There are very few things make them run like that.  Looks like they have taken to coming down the county road in a pack and turning off on the side road/driveway across from us.  Then, they go to the old field and howl.  This is what they did the morning I met the whole pack on the road too and about how long til they howled.  They did stay out of they yard, so that was good.  Maybe they have learned something. 
One local guy I know has one (wolf) that is radio collared hanging around where he is working.  It seems to think watching him and coming around is a game.  Some of the collared wolves have been handled too much and also have learned people are nothing to fear.  So it goes......    I sometimes have to wonder about how smart it is to collar all the wolves for research too.....when they are around so many people.  It is just another way to habituate them to people around them and let them know they can hang out with them and it's ok.  It isn't.  I do not think this is a good idea.  They also show up frequently on the trail cameras folks set out to see if there are any nice deer around. 
I have a bunch of photos of some young wolves, 6 in the litter, from a couple of years ago.  I was looking for them to use one on this post.  But, they must be on the other computer.  They were very curious and got quite used to people and cars coming by.  They were on an old road that isn't used much any more, except by a few locals.  If you would drive to the area, they all came on a run except one shy one.  They expected treats from the people.  I had "heard" that the mother had died of mange and that they were on their own.  They did look pretty scruffy and in the three times I went, I never saw any sign of an adult.  Now.....imagine what they grow up thinking of people. 
Well, the rain, drizzle rather, has started.  Just a serious heavy grey now.  Usually, this is when Toby and I would be getting going.  Lucky we knew the weather report and watched what it was doing.  So, I have a dog sleeping by my feet now.....content as can be.....rather than one letting me know it is time to go now.
I can go and vacuum cluster flies one more time for the day now.......