Sophie make a good head-rest.
I took the dogs for a happy walk this afternoon. It was starting to sprinkle when I left, so I put on a rainjacket for the first time in ages. It has been a very hot dry summer, but the rainfall we got last week quickly turned everything green again.
I found some wild black raspberries. These are at their peak in July, but some seem to keep fruiting a little longer.
They are ripe when they turn that dark purple.
Hey!
Where'd all the ripe ones go?
Here one minute...
Gone the next! Tasty!
I love our pond. One day we'll get a windmill to run an aeration device so that the water isn't full of algae and duckweed. I was thinking of taking a bucket of duckweed back for the Muscovies.
It's fun playing "spot the frog." We have zillions of frogs in here. In and around the pond, I've seen Northern Leopard frogs, Green frogs, Wood frogs, Bullfrogs, Spring Peepers, Mink frogs and most recently, a Grey Tree frog.
Can you see the little guy in the middle of this picture?
Northern Leopard frog!
How about in the middle of this photo?
Green frog!
Duckweed.
Happy dog.
Sophie turns nine this fall, as does Tristan. She has not slowed down one bit!
The dogs can't pass this pond without jumping into it.
Today I was able to sit by the pond for awhile. That's hard to do in summer because there are so many mosquitoes, deerfly and blackfly there. But today the bloodsuckers were fairly restrained, so I sat on the flat rock and leaned against my swampy smelling dog while listening to some tunes on the old iPod.
The goldenrod is out in force, a sure sign of fall. I don't know what the spikey plants are. They are very similar to stinging nettles but I don't think that's what they are! The leaves are narrow and the things hanging off them (blooms? Seed pods?) are bizarre. I bet my friend Ronna can identify it!
More pictures tomorrow. I needed to get away from my computer and let my mind wander. Sophie was grateful for the outing!
I am seeing leaves turning colours already. I am not ready for autumn!
Nice post. It's fun being out with a dog with no real agenda. Kane is 11 now and he is slowing down. Sad.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the lesson on frogs. Ragweed is out in full force now and Kane is allergic to it. He will have itchy feet, paws, snout. It's awful. We have to medicate him until the first frost. Benedril for kids. I also have to keep him out of it on our walks. Nice pics. Hugs, Deb=^..^=x4
Is it like stinging nettle in the sense that it irritates your skin if you touch it?
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful day. Nature, berries, and beloved dogs.
Looks like old stinging nettle! Blooming like it does when it gets old. Beware. It still packs a sting!
ReplyDeleteA shame to see autumn come so soon Knat. That said I am as green as the algae in envy at your pond and land!
ReplyDeleteIt doesn't get better than that!
It did feel like fall earlier this week, but that was okay because we now have cooler nights which is better for sleeping. This time of year is so interesting because everything feels so ripe (like your blackberries) and the transition gives us some residual summer with a gentle intimation of fall. The best of both. Very evocative pictures of your walk and your meditation on fall coming!
ReplyDeleteBy the way, the cards arrived this morning. Thanks again!
ReplyDeleteShhhhh! Don't tell summer or he'll take off!
ReplyDeleteI love autumn, myself, but my garden needs at least another few weeks of warm, summer weather.
You live on a slice of heaven, Natalie! I LOVE raspberries, black and red.
ReplyDeleteWe've been feeling a little fall chill in the air around here too. In a way I'm looking forward to hot-soup weather but the summer has flown far too quickly this year. Definitely not ready for snow.
I think you could sell some of those photos for the big bucks on eBay. Just tell people that if they look closely they can see Jesus. : )
Saying goodbye to summer is always a melancholy time, conjuring up that back-to-school or work and loss of freedom sense.
ReplyDeleteAs for the frogs, maybe you could stop by our tiny pond and help me identify their types. We sure have a lot this year.
This has been haunting me for a while. Can you complete the last two lines of the fall poem:
ReplyDeleteThe goldenrod is yellow
The leaves are turning brown ...
What's the rest of it? You know? It's driving me crazy. Thanks!
Stinging nettle tea is good for cleansing your body. I used it a long time ago ( I think you have do drink up to 2 ltr a day, but I am not sure) and get rid of my
ReplyDeleteexcema.
And yes, autumn is in the air and so are wedding bells!!!!!!!
Deb, it's hard watching them slow down, isn't it? ANd poor Kane, allergic to ragweed. What a drag!
ReplyDeleteI'm not ready for Autumn yet either although we do get a good crop of brambles around here in September : ) we found lots of wild raspberries this summer. Your black ones look interesting. Looks like a lovely relaxing walk Natalie : ) We need to get out and enjoy our own area while the summer is still here. Our kids are back to school now and it's too easy to slip into a routine and forget to make the most of the nice evenings.
ReplyDeleteAh, my first thought was stinging nettle but the leaves looked narrow and I hadn't seen those whacked-out blooms. I recognize it in my garden when it's younger! Anyway, I was wary enough not to touch it so my sixth sense must have realized it was stinging nettle.
ReplyDeleteJams, I love that pond. I am looking forward to it being aerated one day so it's not so full of green sludge and duckweed.
Evlyn, I always feel like fall slips in the back door around here. It's still August and you think it's summer, but things are changing all around us and the nights are cooling off!
AHab, my pleasure!
Michele, I want summer to last longer! My tomatoes are still green!
Cog Dis, I do like fall but I am just not ready yet! I haven't even been kayaking this summer, which is disgraceful. And yes, I do believe I can see the face of Jesus in the stinging nettle! ;)
ReplyDeleteFran, I bet you have a great collection of frogs in your lovely pond.
Willie, CONGrATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!! But I'll pass on the nettle tea...
Aileen, the days are getting shorter and there's less time to be outside in the evenings now before dark. SIgh! It was getting dark when we were walking the dogs after supper tonight. Time to dig potatoes!