Leaves are starting to turn, now that it’s mid-October. Locust leaves, small and golden, are the first ones to fall. That honor used to go to the ash trees so prevalent around here, but emerald ash borers killed them all, and locusts now lead the way. Their leaves sprinkle lawns with color, and collect… Continue reading Burnished
Category: Michigan Stories
Pleasures and Treasures
Mushrooms are coming on thick and fast as autumn progresses. In the woods this week, I saw some that looked like brain coral. Some that looked like dainty parasols. Some that looked like multicolored, fanned-out feathers. My friend Sue struck it rich recently on a friend’s property; they looked for and found giant puffballs. … Continue reading Pleasures and Treasures
Suntrap
Sunday evening we had dinner with friends. We met early so that we could eat outside and enjoy the sunshine. The weather cooperated, and we dined on their deck, overlooking their lush oasis of a yard while their waterfall burbled in the background. Birds visited feeders, and a hummingbird hovered nearby for a while,… Continue reading Suntrap
Officially Fall
When the weather is really hot, a flock of cedar waxwings likes to fly through the spray of a fountain near here. They are no doubt feeding on the wing, but they look like they’re playing. The fountain, an aerator in a retention pond, shoots water fifteen feet or so up into the air, and… Continue reading Officially Fall
Early Autumn
The birds around here have been putting on a show. Red-bellied woodpeckers—mom, dad, and junior—have been going house to house pecking on roofs and siding. Their hearts aren’t in it, though, and the birds are gorgeous, so folks don’t mind. Our back yard is full of drama, both within and between species. Flickers, blue jays,… Continue reading Early Autumn
Going to the Fair
My friend Mary and I went to the Saline Community Fair last week. I love fairs. I love looking at the animals and interacting with them, when they’re so inclined. Petting llamas, for instance, is a treat. You pet them on their necks, and their wool is so long and fluffy that you don’t… Continue reading Going to the Fair
Concert in the Court
A few weeks ago, my husband answered the door to our neighbors, Bill Edwards and Vicki Botek. Would he be willing to sign a form agreeing to a concert on the island in our court? Of course. And so were all the other neighbors. Fliers went out in the intervening weeks to remind… Continue reading Concert in the Court
Mosquitoes, Moth, and Mourning
It’s been quite the summer for mosquitoes. A wet spring assured a robust early hatch, and we haven’t run low on them since. As prey animals, we find ourselves speculating that the sheer numbers of mosquitoes have sharpened their hunting skills and the speed of their attacks: there are just not enough of us to… Continue reading Mosquitoes, Moth, and Mourning
Sadness
Doing the right thing with “items of no significance” from my late aunt’s estate has been a major focus this week. First, there was washing whatever needed washing. Next came the listing of items going to nonprofits: pen refills, 20; swim goggles nose-piece replacement kit, 1; shoehorns, 4; and so on. Then came the delivering. … Continue reading Sadness
Raucous Ruckus
There are three birdbaths in the back yard, and we hadn’t seen much action at any of them this summer. That changed Tuesday afternoon, when the big one with the Water Wiggler suddenly became the place to be. It was robin versus starling out there. Also, starling versus starling and, apparently, starling versus birdbath. … Continue reading Raucous Ruckus