The calendar says autumn is a week away and golden brown leaves are beginning to fall. Felder Rushing says it is not fall but only drought causing the leaves to flutter. Sam and I talk about the benefits of each season and how fast they pass these days.

The pear tree is heavily laden with fruit; the pears hang in clutters like green grapes. The deer gnaw on the fallen pears. Squirrels carry pears half their size across the yard and up a tree. Near the sunroom it’s easy to watch a squirrel sit on his haunches and eat succulent pears on a leafless limb. The haughty squirrel looks back at us.

One evening at dinnertime a streak of something flashed across the yard. Sam and I jumped up and ran to the window. A squirrel had dipped into the perennial garden, snatched a canna plant growing adjacent to the goldfish pond and hauled it back through the slats in the wooden fence and up a tree. What we had seen was the canna flapping wildly in the wind like a banner.

Why on earth would a squirrel want a canna plant up in a tree? A day later I found the plant at the base of the tree. I guess like many things we think we need we find out all too soon our treasure is worthless.

The Osage oranges are falling from the bodock trees, or as we more often say “horse apples,” or “bodock balls.” One can be sitting on the porch and hear a deep thud. Passing under the bodock tree at just the wrong time could cause a serious bonk on the head. Their luscious lime color makes for beautiful fall decorations mixed with pumpkin orange, harvest gold, and deep browns. You must check your decorations often because bodock balls will rot quickly and make a mess. The squirrels like to eat them and scattered the pieces like popcorn.

Also I’ve seen three praying mantises lately. If you haven’t heard the praying mantis can be deadly to your hummingbirds. Allene Swoope told me this a few seasons back and I must admit I thought she was mistaken, however I looked it up and much to my horror found out she was absolutely right. Seems like every time I mention the violent nature of the praying mantis someone is shocked like Annette Perry who recently responded, “I saw a praying mantis on my hummingbird feeder this week!”

Yes, they are “preying” not “praying.”

So the good news is the praying mantis will eat your insects but the bad news is they’ll eat your hummingbirds as incredible as it might sound.

The three ducks are doing fine and looking beautiful. They are putting on new feathers and shedding the muddy ones of summer. The three rabbits are enjoying gourmet meals of basil, parsley, sweet potato leaves, cantaloupe leaves, lettuces, kale, and carrots.

All the things Sam won’t eat.