Birds, Beans and Autumn Leaves

There are times when I wish I could share the whole experience

of being in Rowe in the fall (or any season).

I arrived earlier than usual on Friday and was sitting in

the library reading when I heard owls outside.

We have many barred owls around the house but usually

you hear one close by talking to one in the distance.

This time there were at least four of them in trees along the

driveway hooting to one another almost in unison, like people

when they talk over each other. This went on for about

15 minutes. Loud and amazing.

Combine that with the cool, crisp air and the smell of fallen

leaves and honestly there is nothing better.

This is the last bean to be harvested from the garden. They are

Scarlet Runners - I plant them for the flowers - like the name, the

flowers are bright red and the hummingbirds LOVE them. The beans

are fun as well. They are very large and colorful. I remember

being totally shocked the first year I grew them by their size. I've

been growing them for years now on various contraptions to hold

them up. Last year I made a trellis the length of the row, this year

it was a teepee. By happy chance a sunflower grew near the area

of the beans and one of the bean plants climbed up the flower as

it grew. I'm thinking next year I'll plant the beans and the sunflowers

together and see what happens. The birds will be very excited I'm sure.

We had a slight frost Saturday night - I had brought everything in

during the day so there was no damage. The sunflowers are

now drying but I think I may just feed them to the birds

one head at a time - they like them sooo much and the seeds

bring in birds that I don't usually see. I love the birds.

This begins the season I love the most leading into the one

I probably like the least. Guess you have to take the good

with the bad. :0)