Busy Days

September is flying by as I spent most of my time at the coast waiting for Black Oystercatcher chicks to fledge... which 2 of the 3 that hatched finally did on Sept. 20.

2 adults and 2 chicks on an area of the nest rock that they had to fly to

The other 3 flew to a different foraging rock but this chick had not yet worked up the nerve. It eventually did.

Meanwhile, Johnny has spent most of his time helping others, including John Woodhouse and his daughter sorting and packing up things in the Tillamook house to send to where our long-time friends John and Barbara are living now in Minnesota. He got back from that in time to do my chores while I went to Ashland for a few plays and a few days with friend Ruth. It was an abbreviated stay so that I could go again the first week of October to join Steve and family for a play since they had to cancel their tickets for the week planned, when Ruth and I were there. Whew.

I worked in two Beached Bird Surveys in September since I was unable to do one in August, thanks to my crash off the barn loading ramp that month. On the second survey, just today, Sept. 25, friend Carol and her dog Cinna joined me. Carol needed some ocean time after the sad passing of her husband from cancer this month. I was glad for the company.

Meanwhile, back on the farm, Johnny and I have both spent much time trying to figure out and deal with the strange behavior of 14-year-old "Shirley Puppy": story here: https://finkfamilyfarmstories.blogspot.com/2019/09/the-strange-story-of-shirley-puppy.html

Johnny worked many hours between everything else in August and September repairing the dam that washed out last year and is now waiting for concrete to be poured, hopefully before rains begin in earnest. He has also been gathering apples and prune plums as they ripen, freezing the plums and making cider from the apples. Lots and lots of cider. One day he had help from the Werth clan...

I've been trying to keep the garden and flowers and new arboretum trees watered until rain arrived to relieve me. One day, I managed to clean a couple greenhouse windows, with Johnny's help, and "prune" dramatically the overgrown pile of plants in front of it.

 Between busyness, I try to take time to enjoy (and photograph) our woods and flowers in this beautiful beginning of autumn.

 A full moon in the middle of the month coincided with a lovely sunset...

 And now frost is predicted for this weekend, so I'll be busy gathering veggies from the garden and protecting what can be protected. Although frost will end the growing season, it will begin my favorite season of the year, the season of fall colors with shorter days... and longer nights to rest up!