Fall

I am sorry, but it is fall no matter what we wish it to be.  School is back in session, nights are getting longer and days are getting shorter, and gasp, the trees are changing color already.  We may have fought the good fight, and we may not be ready, but yes, fall is here.

I was in Wisconsin this past weekend for lots of reasons. I earned a job, and will be spending some serious time on Ebay selling fountain pens. I then wanted to head north to see my land.  People have asked if the flowers that were planted have grown and the answer is sadly, no.  Not a one.  I suppose there are lots of reasons--too cold, too wet, too too, and too much of that, too.  I will be more intentional next spring.  There were some flowers around so I did get to take some photos.

The sunset is on the way back home, Lake Superior in all its glory, and a moon shot of sorts.  I was also happy to find a small grove of real live aspens, not these boring birch trees.

The wasp nest is new.  I have been plagued with pests in my little piece of Nirvana--I think I have battled the mice to a standstill, though I still hear Marious's small mousy voice singing "Empty chairs and empty tables" and the same voice exhorting others to "man the barricades."  My gazebo is stalked by spiders the size of juvenile wolves, and now this.  I noticed this basketball-size wasp nest on one my garage doors this afternoon.  Now I was in and out of this very same garage door last week and never noticed this and I think I would have--the nest is bigger than my head.  my new neighbors aren't exactly subtle and there is a ton of waspish traffic in and out of their new condo.  Geez.  What next, locusts?  I am not sure how to tackle this one.    I guess wait for a cold morning and use chemicals and then more chemicals.  This is really hard--I really am a live and let live kind of guy, but wasps, spiders, and mice don't get a lot of sympathy.

It is OK that fall is here.  Change is good, right?