A Fox in the Flowerbed!

Early morning in Montville and a calm scene as mist rises from Trues Pond. There is a distinct chill in the air today. Some maples are turning color, fall is coming! When I returned to the house I spotted a red fox dashing across the flowerbed next to the screen porch! Sadly I did not have time for a photo.

The front garden, looking down the driveway.

Another gaillardia

A bee enjoys a small sunflower from a seed that escaped the bird feeder

Bee balm, a favorite with humming birds

My hibiscus that lives indoors through the winter.

Anemone

A toad, one of my favorite garden helpers with it's appetite for slugs!

Summer flowers

First we had drought and heat and now endless rain! The garden is struggling, but here are some of the beauties that have survived the weather and are currently in bloom.Delphinium

Blanket Flower - Gaillardia

Oriental Lily - Stargazer. Their scent fills the air!

Hosta

Lobelia cardinalis - Cardinal flower, native to Maine

Tiger Lily

Passion Flower - Passiflora

Purple Cone Flower - Echinacea purpurea

Daylilies

In the last couple of days I have seen some leaves beginning to change and heard the geese beginning to fly south. Looks like another harsh winter is on its way.

Summer Wildlife

Living out in nature is one thing, close encounters with bears is quite another!
It was quite a shock to find this very large bear staring in through my living room window!

I am assuming this is who is responsible for all my nibbled hostas!

And the beneficial wildlife. This pretty little toad is one of many frogs and toads found in my garden and busy feasting on slugs.

Misty morning sunlight, as seen from the screen porch.

And a peaceful late afternoon paddle on the pond. It had retreated to the old river banks but recent heavy rain is swiftly restoring water levels.

Summer in Maine

The days are packed and busy. I keep meaning to prepare a post with beautiful pictures and there is never time. So just a few thoughts.

A gentle rain is falling, the birdsong is soothing and a bullfrog is booming away down on the pond. And talking of the pond, with the dam still leaking it had dried back to the old river bed. But the heavy rains have filled it a little and it now looks more like a swamp than a river. But the water hyacinths are starting to grow and I am afraid that it will never truly return to being a pond if it is allowed to stay dry much long. I wonder what happened to the nesting loons? I often hear an osprey. The fishing is good when the pond is reduced in size.

We had a terrific thunderstorm yesterday. The cats were all crying in terror and I turned off all power. There is some shoveling to do where washouts occurred. The rain was very violent for a while. And then the sun came out and it was a beautiful afternoon. The firewood stack is taking shape, a bit late, but at least it is finally happening. There is still so much to do to prepare the house for winter.