Saturday, October 25, 2008

Getting ready for w...wi...win...oh, I can't say it yet

Today was Turtle Freedom Day. The six painted turtles, which the kids had caught on various occasions and which we had kept in the aquarium in the cabin all summer, needed to prepare for overwintering in the pond. We found last year it's not good for a turtle's shell if it is kept in an aquarium over winter.

The turtles seemed unfazed by the cool water of the pond; they all scrambled happily into the water to be wild turtles once again. That is, until they are caught next summer on some turtle catching expedition.

Of course, any time there is a walk to the pond, there is Sally. And a few recollections of the summer's good days at the pond. Note the water level; it's as high as it gets.

I got a bit of work done in the garden, including mulching my blueberry plants, above, with a generous helping of pine needles from the white pine near the bed. I have never done that before, but it's supposed to be good. I also brought some newly unearthed rocks and arranged them to start the edge of what may be my lingonberry bed next year.

I have been digging in some of my garden beds, trying to remove the thick layer of weeds before winter. I have six beds done; I don't think I will get to all 21 by freeze up. But anything I do is more than I did last year.

I kept pausing to look at the tamaracks behind the house. Their golden needles were especially beautiful against the sapphire blue sky. But weather is an ever changing thing here in Minnesota, and tomorrow promises to be cloudy, rainy, gloomy, even perhaps snowy?

NO!!!!! I'm not ready for this!!!!!

4 comments:

Irena said...

Hi Deb!
Just want to say you Hello!
Deb, your nature is so similar to me! All the same, sale trees, grass, forest :):) Seem we here having a bit warm because our trees still have leafage... And I hope we will not have frost so early as you!

Your store about turtles is cool! Frankly, I never meet turtles here in real nature. I wish them good luck in their winter live! :)

Jayne said...

It does seem to sneak up on us this time of year, doesn't it? Hope the turtles do well. :c)

RuthieJ said...

Do you put a drop of paint on the turtle's shell as a marker to see if they're still there next year? The kids look like they were having some fun!

I picked the last of my apples and dug all my carrots before they get frozen too. Saturday was gorgeous--hard to think about winter yet.

Deanna said...

I might be the only one I know, but I am anxious for that first snow fall. I lament living next to Duluth and having all of the snow go to the south shore. Maybe some day my dream will come true and I will live in the UP where it really snows.

Love having a blogger close to where I am. Love the tamaracks, too! We need to get some planted, hopefully in the spring.