Looking Like Fall, But Feeling Like Summer

It’s beginning to look a lot like fall. Leaves are starting to yellow slightly.


leaves changing color
Maple leaves are starting to redden.

leaves changing color

Poison Sumac sure is pretty at this time of year.

poison sumac

Leaves cover our usually clear path.

leaves on path

Sit break.

dog sitting

We’ve been going through a dry period again and the river shows it.

low river

However fall like it looked, the humidity made it feel like summer. It was tolerable when walking in the shade but in the sun – whooee! Steamy! The air was so warm and thick with moisture and the smell of decaying leaves that it was hard to breathe.
 
Saw this butterfly along the way. It’s wings have such a sharply-cut look to them that the butterfly doesn’t look real in the photo.

butterfly

Then there was this guy trying to cross the path. I thought about helping him to the other side but I think snails carry some kind of illness that animals can get. I may be thinking of slugs but I didn’t want to take a chance on passing on something to Java or the horses.

snail

When Java and I got back home, she took a dip to cool off.

dog swimming

I tried to work on the dog kennel some more. The chain link fence is loosely tacked up and I’m trying to get all the ties on to tighten the fence securely to the frame. Unfortunately, it takes me about an hour to do one panel and the one I did do on the left side towards the front is secured but completely floppy. I can’t figure out whether it needs to go up higher on the top or be pulled tighter towards the back. Either way means removing the ties and starting over. I think I need to hire someone to do this. I injured my left shoulder and I just can’t do it. (Still trying to use the clothesline that runs over the kennel.)

dog kennel

Gave up on the kennel and decided to check out the apple tree. I picked up a few apples on the ground for the horses and picked a few bigger ones that I could reach. Most of the good ones are at the top of the tree, which I tried climbing to but the tree branches are too close together and not very big around. I need a ladder or a coffee can on a stick to pop the apples off the top branches.

apples

Our tree doesn’t have a lot of apples, while our neighbor’s more mature tree has tons! I’m going to sneak over some night and have at it because they just leave the apples on the tree. I always go over and at least pick up all the apples on the ground for the horses. I figure I’m doing them a clean up favor.

apple tree

I love the sight and sound of horses eating apples! They make such loud, crunchy, squishy, juicy noises. The apples I fed Luke and Murphy were kind of small so I didn’t get the usual foamy apple mouth going but Luke did seem to be enjoying himself.

horse tongue

The bugs were so bad today with the humidity that my poor boys look pretty stressed. Java is checking for apple droppings.

horses

 
Java was doing her usual self-entertainment… “Hey, look at the stick I found!”

dog playing with stick

“I’ve got it!”

dog playing with stick

“No problem.”

dog playing with stick

 
“Oops.”

dog playing with stick

 
“Maybe I’ll just run around with this scrap of carpeting instead.”

dog playing

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4 Comments

  1. Great pictures! Love all those apples. And that snail and butterfly were neat!
    That kennel is starting to sound like a nightmare. I hope you can get it figured out.
    Java sure looks happy with the stick and carpet!!

  2. Can you put up an ad on the bulletin board at a shop for someone to put the kennnel together? Is there a local paper with a handyman’s ad in the classified?

    Lovely photos. Such a beautiful dog.

  3. I think I have the kennel under control. It’s taking me a long time to finish it, but hopefully I can start gradually getting Java used to it it soon.

    Yes, Java is a beauty! I don’t know what I’d do without her. She’s always doing something comical to get me laughing. She’s truly been a gift.

  4. I’m so glad that your beautiful animals keep you smiling. Java seems like the perfect imp for you right now!

    The kennel looks like it’s coming along. A tough tough job!

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