Snow fell on Christmas Eve giving us a white Christmas.
White Christmas is not common here but always possible. Some drive to the
mountains to enjoy the snow when it doesn’t fall on the plains. A running joke
is that celebrating Christmas on Halloween ensures a white “Christmas” as it
seems to snow more often on Halloween than on Christmas.

 This years’ snow fall was only an inch or two but continuing
cold weather kept it on the ground for days. It is always interesting to me to
see what wildlife is about after a snowfall. Deeper snowfalls may keep animals
in for a day or even two but soon they are out foraging for food.

Bare patches in the snow with lots of rabbit, deer or other
animal tracks show that where they have dug down to eat. Larger animals such as
deer may eat tree bark while heavy snow cover is on. If you see a cluster of
their tracks in your orchard, check the trees.

Of course animals are about all during the year but their
trails and eating habits are often nearly invisible to us without snow cover.
On the dry lands, antelope may follow a trail that is all but invisible but
that is consistent. By walking their range after a snow, you can easily see
their trails.

Occasionally animals seem to play in the snow much as humans
do but their tracks usually show the daily activities. Clusters of tracks point
to grazing or eating. Deep widely spaced tracks usually indicate running either
after food or to escape being caught. More leisurely deposited tracks will show
the trails to and from water, food or cover. Look carefully and you may also
find spots where animals have bedded down in the snow.  Deeper holes made by rabbits can sometimes be
found in deeper snow banks.  Amazingly
the rabbits appear to use these for days during heavy snow. During warmer hours
they may sit on the snow bank enjoying the sun ready to pop in if a predator
appears or the temperature drops.

I found a lovely bird print in the snow that didn’t really
tell a clear story. The size of the bird does not seem to indicate a bird of
prey. Perhaps it the bird simply flew down from the overhanging tree and spread
its wings to make the landing.

Today the Christmas snowfall is well tracked up in the lawn
area and ample rabbit droppings are deposited. The story is less interesting
than after the first fall. Subsequent snowfalls on old snow may make tracking
more challenging. Frequently the snow will crust during sunny days. If it
crusts with many tracks making it rough, new snow and new tracks will be more
difficult to trace. Likewise granular snow and very dry drifted snow may
capture many tracks.

The snow tales are obscured now and sadly the moisture
content was not a big help to plant life or animals. Perhaps we can hope for
another snow with or without a holiday.

 There are many plants and animals in any area that are
non-native. These typically range from desirable introduced species such as
pheasant to those labeled invasive and noxious. It is easy to see how the
desirable species get transplanted. In my area there is a large local goose
population that was started by one person who thought it would be nice to have
a local population.  Where we once had a
migratory population, we now have geese that nest here and spend their entire
lives locally.  

Strangely enough, species that are later labeled invasive,
noxious and so on, are sometimes introduced with similar good intentions.
English sparrows and starlings were brought to this country by someone who
thought it would be nice to have all of the birds mentioned in Shakespeare’s
works living in America.

Other species that become pests are accidently introduced.
Many of the weeds that are now classified as noxious apparently were introduced
in imported hay, bedding and feed as seeds. A current concern is the spread of
various aquatic plants and invertebrates such as snails that are moved from
waterway to waterway on boats, trailers and other equipment. Obviously weed
seeds, snail eggs and tiny organisms are difficult to control and easily spread
in other activities.

According to the USDA, an invasive species is a non-native
or alien species whose introduction causes or is likely to cause economic or
environmental harm or harm to human health. 
They note that the vigor of invasive plant species combined with a lack
of natural enemies can lead to outbreak populations.

You have probably heard in the news about some of the
species listed as invasive on the USDA web site: Africanized honeybees,
Mediterranean fruit fly, soybean cyst nematode, Burmese python. Once a species
is considered invasive, it is usually opposed with regulations.  Before a species reaches the level requiring
regulation, we can all do our part. Do not release or allow the escape of
animals, particularly exotic pets. When dealing with natural materials that could
contain unwanted seeds, eggs or tiny organisms, be sure that you are working
through legitimate business channels. Even buying plants at nurseries, for
example, may not ensure that you don’t receive some unwanted seeds or organisms
in the soil. More casual sources, such as buying an exotic potted plant at a
flea market, will certainly not ensure unwanted pests.

Nursery catalogues sometimes contain notes that particular
plants cannot be shipped to specific states. These guidelines are sometimes in
places to prevent the sale of nursery stock into areas where it can become
invasive.

I purchased water hyacinth for a decorative pond. By the end
of summer, I was raking it off the pond and allowing it to dry out and die off.
After a winter of freezing weather, I no longer had water hyacinth. In a warm
climate, I can imagine it taking over every square inch of water surface and
living from year to year.  Water hyacinth
may overgrow in our zone 10 but in other areas they can likely can overwinter
and become invasive.

Last week, I blogged about the challenges of driving where
you may encounter big game. Alas, small animals also use the backroads and can
become victims as well. Squirrels and rabbits seem to be the most common
animals encountered on roads. Like deer, they often appear indecisive and can
be difficult to avoid.

Our local resident geese population can also be obstacles.
Their slow sedate march across the road sometimes causes them to become the
victims. Geese and also ducks with young will not fly and if they start across
a roadway are totally at the mercy of drivers. Most drivers will try to avoid
wildlife but even animal lovers can sometimes cause deaths simply because the
animals don’t behave as expected or other traffic make car animal collisions
unavoidable. Considering the size of a grown goose, drivers would do well to
avoid collision with them. Imagine what one would do to a windshield?

Turtles and snakes are certainly at the mercy of drivers.
Few turtles are seen on the roads in this arid area but of course they move so
slowly that they are on the road a long time once they start a journey across
it. Snakes apparently enjoy the retained heat in the roadway and will sometimes
lie on the road for warmth. Sadly, many people will run over any snake with the
justification that they thought it to be a rattler. Most dead snakes that I
have seen on the road dead are bull snakes, a harmless and useful snake that
somewhat resembles rattlesnakes. Although many motorists can’t be bothered to
identify a snake before they run over it, I see a lot of people on back roads
stop to look at dead snakes apparently to verify the species.

Like the larger species, small mammals and snakes are often
active at night and can hit when they are suddenly in the headlights. Birds are
more likely to be hit in the daytime.

Although larger animals such as deer may survive a collision
at low speed, smaller animals are nearly always killed outright. Of course
collisions should be avoided at all times but considering the possible impact
on young animals, collisions in the spring can be particularly tragic. A female
mammal killed in the spring will usually mean young that die of neglect.
Likewise female birds that are killed usually mean that the young are at
serious risk. In some birds species, the male also tends the young but ‘single
parenting’ in animal species can mean that the young are left alone for long
periods while the surviving parent forages, and the predators often move in.

Animal vehicle collisions can not all be avoided sadly. If
you enjoy wildlife, a routine drive can be an opportunity to see nature.
Looking for wildlife can mean looking out for them on the roadway. Be
especially alert in areas where you may have seen wildlife in the past and at
the times of day when animals are most active. Often an animal on the roadway
at night is visible by variations in dark and light patterns. Slow down if you
see animals near or on the roadway. Not only may you save the animals life, you
may avoid some expensive damage to your vehicle!

Fortunately members of the deer family now roam about everywhere in the United States. One of the down sides to the deer population is that the deer are sometimes hit on the back roads and highways.  I can speak from experience that even a small
deer can cause significant auto damage and sadly most deer that are hit die.

In my area, mule deer, white tailed deer and antelope are all residents. Traveling to the mountains means the white tail deer and
antelope are not present but even larger elk or moose can be encountered. How can we enjoy the wildlife and not have these encounters?

One of the best strategies is to keep wildlife in mind and be particularly watchful in wooded areas, near streams and where deer crossing signs are posted. Of course the deer could care less about the signage but such signs are often posted where many car and animal collisions and near collisions have occurred.  Mornings and evenings are prime times for collisions because the animals are active and the vision is less clear.

Besides considering the surroundings there are some strategies to use for avoiding collision with wildlife. Many people describe
collisions with deer as, “the deer jumped in front of me”. Recently when driving at night, I saw a doe and two half grown fawns. True to their character, they took a long time to decide which side of the road and then which side of the fence they wanted to escape to. I slowed down and let them make their decision without pressure. Usually a group of deer will stay together but it is hard to predict what their plan is. The expression, “like a deer in the headlights” may have some validity. Some deer seem to panic whether because of the lights or the motion.

Many times antelope are more wary than deer. Certainly they are less likely to use cover and are as likely to be encountered along a wide open stretch of highway as anywhere. Like deer, they will usually stay in a group. Unlike deer, they rarely seem to be about during the night, although it is not unknown. The dangers with antelope on a road are due to their habit of crawling under fences as opposed to leaping over them. A fence that would appear to be an easy leap for them to make, may seem like an obstacle and they
will stop and mill around or crawl under it. Another habit that is dangerous is their tendency to determine their course and stick with it. While it sounds easier to avoid collision than when dealing with the flighty deer, antelope may determine that their path is across the road and even the presence of traffic doesn’t always deter them. If you see them on the road or even running toward the road, stop. Their definition of right away only applies to them! Elk and moose on the highway are definitely something to be aware of when driving in the mountains. These are very large animals and their long legs may put the bulk of their weight at windshield height with a potential for disastrous accident.  

I am actually ahead of schedule for holidays this year, having celebrated Thanksgiving early. I am thinking ahead to Christmas and a
Christmas tree and other traditions. A live tree in the house, or even some green garlands or a centerpiece give a wonderful scent. Somehow the scent of evergreens is so reminiscent of the forest that nature lovers find it irresistible. Of course all evergreens, even those cut from the forest fresh, are dead and sooner or later shed needles.

An appealing alternative seems to be the live tree that can be planted later. If you have space to add a tree, this seems ideal. Reading
the care of live trees in the winter, adds some real challenges to the ideal solution. Trees should only be kept inside for about a week and then stored in an unheated garage, barn or other building. Also root balls add significant weight. In my house, the tree and root ball would have to be taken up or downstairs to living space or perhaps displayed in the unheated garage. While living trees seem to be an ideal solution, there are challenges.

Of course, artificial trees are available for the practical, those allergic to greenery and those constricted by time. Many designs have
came and gone over the years and the “realistic” ones have improved though it is doubtful that anyone would mistake one for a real tree. Of course any scent has to be somehow added.

Another solution is to have a potted tree in the house year-round. Norfolk pines or similar trees that do not grow to large size can
be used this way. During the remainder of the year, the small tree is a part of the indoor plantscape and never planted out-of-door.

The after Christmas season always involves taking down the tree, which for a living balled tree or a cut tree involves some extra work. Cut trees from my house and sometimes relative’s homes go into a brush pile for wildlife habitat. The work of dragging the tree there is only complicated if there is deep snow. Keeping the tree there is more of the challenge. January winds have often brought the trees back to the house or other places where they are not wanted. Apparently the brush pile is good for wildlife and the tree is kept from the landfill. Of course this is not a solution for everyone and many trees go to landfills. Another solution offered in some communities is to donate trees to landscape operations so they can be chipped for mulch. Trees should never be burnt in a home fireplace. The dying needles and still present sap create sudden intense heat that can cause a home fire.

While it is tempting to keep a live balled tree indoors for an extended time after the holidays, nurseries caution against this as the tree
will respond to the warmth and begin to grow. For best success in planting, the advice from nurseries is to remove the tree after a maximum of a week and hold it in a cool place until the normal spring planting time. If you can be sure that the tree will be undecorated and removed promptly, can be cared for appropriately and planted in the spring, this is a good solution.  

Several years ago, the National Wildlife Federation printed an article that intrigued me. The article started with the idea of what would happen over time if you quit tending your lawn. Of course your neighbors might be aggravated and things would look shabby. In the long run, your lawn or garden would return to nature. Of course, nature looks different in different areas of the country. In some areas, trees sprout and eventually turn into woodland. In other areas, trees die out and grass returns. The article scenario was for the east coast so only mowing was eliminated from the plan. Living on the plains, I would suggest that watering would also be eliminated from the plan as most lawns and gardens would be quite different living only on natural precipitation.

These scenarios are interesting and useful as well. Certainly we all like to improve upon nature, whether growing food, trees or sod but the improvement can take a lot of effort.

To see nature in your area, look about at land that is not cultivated or tended. It might look like some of the prairies in my area or it could grow taller grasses, or trees. Nature moves in stages and initially, weeds and other species that are sometimes described as growing in “disturbed” areas will invade. Rural roadsides are often like this. With frequent grading or mowing, only the first wave of the natural vegetation can become established. It can take twenty years or more for an area to return to nature.

Another area that can become very natural is near a creek or river where the land is either too wet or too rough for agriculture. In many parts of the country, these areas area are also rich in wildlife and used for hunting, bird watching and other wildlife activities.

A lesson that we can take away from studying these natural areas is the possibilities of what your land will support. I have seen numerous abandoned farmsteads on the plains and inevitably they are marked with dead or dying trees. Once trees are not regularly watered, they eventually become stressed by the cycles of precipitation and most die out in time. To have a tree shaded lawn here, I must either water trees regularly or select very drought resistant species that can more likely withstand the dry cycles.

Some in this area advocate xeriscaping, planning for very low water usage. One part of this plan is using Buffalo grass for lawn coverage. While, I water a lawn, I can see some befits to this tough, low growing grass. It never becomes tall or needs mowed. While it is more of a grey green, it is tough and endures with very little water. 

Natural areas can also provide an inspiration. Rock gardens were initially planned as a bit of alpine landscape where plants from mountains could be grown and displayed. I am afraid my rock garden doesn’t look a lot like an alpine area, but certainly both the inspiration and plants are available to create such a spot here on the plains.

What would a Western movie be without a few scudding tumbleweeds? Yes, they add to the atmosphere but beyond that, they are weeds! 

Stories are told of messages being tied to tumbleweeds, much like messages in a bottle to be found who knows where and when. Other stories tell how they stabilized blowing soil during the dust bowl years and actually help create drifts of soil. At one time, crafters gathered the larger ones and spray painted them for a natural looking Christmas decorations. They have also been blamed for spooking horses and various other mishaps.

There are several species that can be tumble weeds including the imported Russian thistle. During the growing season, they are just a weed. With autumn weather the stem breaks off near the ground and the wind takes the weed away scattering seeds as it rolls along. Since many species can tumble, the sizes range from small to 3 or 4 feet across. Some species form very round bush-like growth and tumble very well. Other species are not so rounded but do break off near the ground and blow very well in the wind. The rounded types seem more prickly and still manage to catch hold and lodge. Once dead, the plant may not decay for two or more years.

Besides reseeding themselves, they lodge in fences, shrubs and any other convenient place.  Many home and business owners make a regular patrol after high winds to gather up tumbleweeds and place them in trash so as to avoid the reseeding.

Famers sometimes burn tumbleweeds as a part of clearing irrigation ditches in the spring. Of course tumbleweeds collect in ditches as well as other places and can interfere with the irrigation system. Burning certainly eliminates them but can create other hazards as the burning tumble weeds can still blow about if a breeze comes up. On at least one occasion burning tumbleweeds spread a fire by floating on a ditch that was already flowing.

Occasionally people new to the west will refer to confuse sagebrush or other woody shrubs on the plains as tumbleweeds. This is an error as sagebrush and the more woody type shrub, while part of the landscape, do not break and blow about.

Is there any solution for tumbleweeds? Probably not. You can spray your own property to eliminate the tumbling types but living in a high wind area, you will likely get them from some distance away. If you are traveling in tumbleweed country and they blow across the road or lodge under your vehicle, don’t worry about it. They are quite brittle and have very little actual substance.  

Yes, they are part of the western landscape and even gave their name to a famous cartoon but they are really just weeds that become mobile and not really loved by anyone.

Of course you have dirt! You probably own real estate. Some days when the wind or feet deposits soil inside the house, you probably think there is an excess of it everywhere. Dirt or soil is at once one of our most valuable resources, a nuisance and even a carrier of disease. Without soil, plant life doesn’t have a chance and neither do animals or humans.

Scientists describe three basic components of soil, clay, very fine particles, sand, coarser particles and humus, decayed materials. Generally in water, the decayed materials float. The sand and clay particles can be distinguished by feel with the sand being gritty and the clay smoother. A mixture of clay and sand provides ideal drainage as clay alone holds ample water while sand alone drains water too quickly. These mineral components of soil are the results of erosion from rock. The organic component of humus is from all sorts of decayed materials, grass, leaves, dead animals, manure and so on. Because soil has an organic component that contain about anything including possible disease organisms, we tell our children, don’t eat dirt! Without the organic component though, soil would lack much fertility.

My garden spot is sandy and initially was not particularly fertile. Over the years it has received all kinds of organic materials, grass clippings, kitchen scraps, leaves and other things. My rule is if there isn’t a reason to not put it on the garden that is where it is going. Last week, the additions included charcoal from our wiener roast and decayed material from cleaning the decorative ponds. This week, I hauled leaves off the lawn to put on it. Does this work? I haven’t had a soil test in some time but if earthworms are a test,
then my soil has increased in fertility. 

This kind of effort takes longer than buying a bag of fertilizer and spreading it but it builds the soil and cuts down on things that
otherwise go to a landfill.  Whenever feasible, I take grass clippings and leaves from friends and relatives as well. A friend of mine plowed some old rotting hay into the soil for quick enrichment. Another friend has used old newspapers to enrich soil. This requires wetting or other strategies to keep them in place but can help build soil. A compost pile is useful for some of the messier materials.

My compost pile is presently deep in tomato vines, corn stalks, rhubarb leaves and the like. Due to the dry climate, I will try hard to
water it over the winter to ensure that it is rotted before spring. If spring comes and these materials are still recognizable, I will need to rake them out into the garden area for plowing under, really a way to accelerate the rotting.

Of course extremely sandy or extremely clay-y soil may need some help besides composting. If drainage is a problem, you may need to find clay or sand to mix in with the existing soil. When adding soil, plan on a strategy to spread the soil around on the surface and then plow deeply to mix it well.  Buying “top soil” can be rather expensive although much of what is sold as top soil is stripped from building sites and may or may not be better than what you are starting with. At the other extreme, free fill dirt, may contain many rocks and have very low fertility. Shop carefully. When used for growing things, soil is truly a valuable resource.

Halloween seems like a good time to talk about bones. Have you ever found bones on the ground on your farm or acreage? Almost all bones on the surface are going to be animal bones and not human bones or dinosaur bones. While found bones are usually not a subject for crime investigation or archeology, they can tell a story. Scattered and perhaps broken bones can mean that an animal met a violent death or that at least a scavenger found the carcass and ate on it. However ligaments that hold bones together to make a skeleton usually deteriorate long before the bones themselves so bones may be scattered over time by other forces. Some predators, particularly those that create dens for young, will often take prey to their den to feed their young. Entrances to animal dens may be littered with bones. If you see a den with bones on the outside, think about the time of year and the possibility of meeting the den occupant who may be on the defense of hidden young before investigating such bones.

Identifying found bones can be interesting. Some such as snakes or turtles are readily identifiable by their unique shapes. Turtle shells will in time lose the outer plates, "tortoise shell", and be simply a bony shell. Four-legged creature bone identification may be trickier. Look for feet and the skull for the best clues. Do the feet have hooves or claws? What kind of teeth does the skull have? The picture below shows what is likely a cat skull. Look at the teeth and compare them to tabby’s teeth. Of course ears have their shape due to cartilage, so no ears will be visible. The eye sockets will appear to be much larger than the visible eyes of the living animal. Some skeletons may be from young animals so will appear much smaller than what we expect for the species.

Occasionally horned or antlered animal bones may be found. While these are easy to identify, the manner of death may be the most interesting aspect. Although I have never found deer or elk skulls with the antlers entwined in a struggle to the death, these fights do occur and the remains are occasionally found. Hunters sometimes bone out deer or elk and leave an essentially intact skeleton behind. Bones from hunting occasionally will show marks from cutting.

Bird bones are hollow so bird skeletons are more obvious. Look for the beak and the feet for clues. If the foot bones are present, are they for walking or perching? The overall size is a good clue and of course skeletons may be from younger, smaller birds as well.

Sometimes the location of a skeleton is a good clue. In the case of bird skeletons, the location may be the habitat where the bird nested. Thus a skeleton on a lakeshore may well be from waterfowl.

Although the sight of bones may seem strange, consider the story that they tell and learn more about the wildlife in your area.

Was it a wasp? A hornet? A yellow jacket? A mud dauber? Actually the questions are rather moot since there are about 100,000 related species using these various names. Additionally, almost all stinging insects give me adverse reactions. I am not a person to be rushed to the emergency room but I have more swelling and itching and it lasts longer than for most folks. Also, unless there were one or more of those species that I was acutely allergic to, I am not really interested in catching and identifying the culprit.

Now that fall is here, and many of these stingers are dying off or suffering from the cooler temperatures, being stung is not really a problem and I have more time to learn what might be out there stinging me. I confess that I have generally viewed all of the above as species that are on earth to cause me pain. I avoid them unless they really give me a problem and then out with the spray!

I found one, see pictures, crawling on my floor. It was not healthy and the picture was taken after its demise when I felt that I could safely look it over.

Doing some online research, I found that "mud dauber" and "yellow jacket" are common names and may refer to various related wasp species. Hornets are described as a type of wasp. Probably the name that most people agree upon for all of these species is simply "wasp".

One way of describing wasp species is by they manner of living, solitary or social. Social wasps tend to be more conspicuous because we see their nests of mud or paper and we see many insects at one time.

Many social wasps can release an attack pheromone, which signals the danger to the entire nest. For this reason, killing a wasp near its nest by physical means, swatting it or stepping on it for example, is not a good idea. It is better to use a spray to kill the entire nest with one shot and avoid the possibility of multiple stings.

One of the most interesting facts that I learned is that wasps tend to focus on one or a few types of insects or spiders for food. Many of these insects or spiders are considered pests either to people or in agriculture. One example of food that I found is the black widow spider. This certainly refutes my idea that wasps are here to sting humans! Wasps may also feed upon flower nectar, overripe fruit and carrion.

I have often found dead wasps under shingles that I removed for replacement or in crevices of siding and other tight spots. I learned that only the queen wasp survives winter temperatures in this area so I can not explain why wasps take refuge in these spots. Perhaps they are looking for shelter from cooler weather but with or without shelter, they all appear to perish over the winter. The queen emerges from hibernation and starts a new generation.

In spite of the adverse reaction that I have to their stings, I generally will leave wasps and their relatives alone unless they build nest were it is inevitable that someone will be stung. A nest under a tractor seat can stay! Any insect that preys upon pests is not all bad!

You probably have read that aspens qualify as the largest organisms on earth because an entire mountainside grove of aspens may be actually one organism appearing as many trees but actually interconnected by their common root system.

Something that successful and pervasion would seem to be a likely pest but people love aspens. They are one of the signature species of the Colorado mountains. Although Colorado doesn’t have the multi-color, multi-species woodlands of the east, people drive to the mountains in the autumn to see the golden and orange hillsides with areas of spruce and pine interspersed. The tree is truly lovely. It is not huge and has a graceful white barked trunk. The name quaking aspen comes from the way the leaves flutter at the slightest breeze. The stems are particularly limber and the tree always seems to be in motion, whether the leaves are green in the summer or golden in autumn. The golden leaves settled onto snow-covered spruce boughs are a beautiful sign in early winter.

But back to not so endearing habits of spreading. Every spring, the female aspens produce catkins similar to willows. The trees produce only female flowers and others only male flowers. Apparently some aspens start from seeds that fall to the ground. However, good many appear to start from the root systems. If you should try digging up an appropriate sized aspen for transplanting, you are likely to find that instead of a root system that somewhat mirrors the top structure in form, two horizontal roots and very few roots going vertically down. One of the horizontal roots, if followed, would lead back to a larger parent tree, and the other horizontal root would lead to more small aspens. These aspens do not transplant well because of the root structure.

The advantage to the root structure is that the homeowner can easily create the aspen grove effect with several trees of various sizes by only planting one or two aspens. The disadvantage is that there will be many small aspens that will grow where they are not wanted. Mowing them off in the lawn usually keeps them in check. If allowed to grow for two or more years, they will need more substantial tools for cutting, as the truck will be woody. About once a year, I clean out flowerbeds and locations too near buildings to keep the aspens from taking over. Since they don’t transplant well, most of these that come from the roots simply have to be killed off. I am not sure how they are propagated for sale in nurseries. Perhaps they sew seed to raise transplantable trees.

So does this lovely tree that can become a pest have other value? I am sure that it provides homes for birds and it is food and dam material for beavers. The wood is very soft and about the only commercial application that I have heard about is toothpick manufacturing. For all the drawbacks that it has, people continue to love and plant the beautiful aspen to have a touch of mountains in their lawn.

Last week several rainy days changed the landscape and the outlook. The grass is greening up probably for the last time and the dust is gone. Often these rains bring cooler temperatures and signal the beginning of fall weather. Leaves are starting to fall and even with rain the gardens are slowing down. While we all look forward to fewer lawn and garden chores and lower water bills, there are still some things to be done before we get to winter.

In my area, many trees still show the signs of damage from heavy snows in last October when leaves where still on the trees last year. Usually there is more of a warning and time to prepare. Pruning trees is a good chore for the autumn and helps prevent that type of damage that can occur either in autumn or spring. Watering trees in the fall also helps them get through a potentially dry winter.

While many people plow gardens and fields, many others do not. A common pattern of winter weather here is for the mountains to get heavy snows and the plains to get winds from those storms but no snow. If this weather pattern occurs, a lot of topsoil can be lost. Thirty mile per hour winds are not uncommon and 100 mile per hour winds can happen as well.

Lawn and garden irrigation systems must be winterized to prevent damage. This involves using an air compressor to blow out the lines. The trick is to let your lawn go as long as possible so that it is in good shape for the winter but not to be out there with an air compressor on a frosty autumn afternoon when people are saying, "It is snowing in Cheyenne" or "It is snowing in the high country" and knowing that you must get it done now! It is possible to provide some protection for above ground components by covering with old blankets or other insulation but it feels good when you know that you are safe for the winter.

I have hoses and as well as in ground irrigation, so I drain all of the hoses and store them inside while getting the irrigation system winterized. If winter provides some warmer temperatures, I can pull out some for watering trees but generally they stay stored for the winter.

Cutting off the tops of perennials makes life a little simpler. When iris, phlox, day lilies and various other perennials die down, their dry dead foliage can provide wintering places for insects that can hit the ground running the following spring. Depending on the amount of moisture that falls, removing dead foliage the following spring can be between messy and impossible.

As long as you are planning for spring, fall cleanup can be a good time to locate and carefully remove wasp nests and other over wintering undesirable insects.

The mulched leaves from the yard go on the garden and hopefully stay there for the duration of the winter and enrich the next year’s garden. Okay, everything is clean and put away, let that storm move down from the north or the mountains, I am ready!

I have 6 pumpkin plants and between 60 and 70 pumpkins maturing. Like growing every vegetable it is a challenge to know how many pumpkin vines to plant. I actually had another hill where the seedlings were so damaged by rabbits that they died. Apparently this year’s weather was good for pumpkins and many people did well with them. My upcoming challenge is getting rid of the pumpkins that I have in a responsible way. I don’t like to leave them to rot or to supply Halloween ammunition that creates a mess on roads and lawns.

Obviously each pumpkin provides a lot of food value. How many ways can we have pumpkin besides pie? I am researching recipes that create side dishes rather than desserts. The pumpkin pulp itself is not overly sweet so this angle looks promising.

Of course Halloween carving and decoration should take some of them off my hands. I usually host a pre-Halloween pumpkin gathering for family, friends and neighbors. Kids seem to enjoy the idea that they are helping harvest and of course they can pick out and take home as many pumpkins in the sizes and shapes that they like. After we haul in a few loads with the garden tractor and trailer we roast brats and wieners and have a great time around the fire.

I am sometimes able to donate pumpkins for the fall festivals. A lot of people like to use pumpkins and any leftover corn stalks as yard decorations. The smaller pumpkins can even be used for inside decorations. One of the most cleaver uses that I have seen is to use a pumpkin with the top cut off as a seasonal cut flower container. People who live in town and can’t imagine growing pumpkins are happy to get them for free.

By Halloween, if I still have 40 pumpkins or so, I am going to have to find other strategies. The demand and interest drops way off after the holiday. Some people will take them for food. I always share my tips for preparation to those people who usually buy canned pumpkin. Cut the pumpkins in half (quarters for very large ones). Remove the seed and pulps. The seed can be gently roasted for snacks as well. Place the cut pumpkin on baking sheets and bake in a medium oven until a fork can be stuck through the skin. When the pumpkins cool peel off the skin. Often no knife is necessary for removing the skin. The chunks of pumpkin may be stringy and still too firm to mash up for pie. I use a food grinder but a blender or other tools can be used to turn the pumpkin into pulp. The pulp can be divided into portions suitable for your favorite recipes and frozen or canned.

Pumpkins can be stored for later in the season use. If you plan to keep pumpkins, be sure that they are completely ripe. Leaving on some of the stem seems to help them ripen even when they are removed from the vine. Store them in a cool but non-freezing location and you can enjoy them well into the winter months.

Still have pumpkins left? One of the best uses I have found is offering them for cattle feed. Even old jack-0-lanterns can be used this way. Cows LOVE pumpkins! It is a good idea to cut or break them to give cattle a start. If the cattle belong to someone else, ask first but most cattle owners are happy to have the treat for the livestock. If children see that cows enjoy their jack-o-lanterns it can make the Halloween clean up that much easier.

Every year I try to grow a reasonable number of pumpkin and every year I have more than enough. I make the most of them though and kids and cows are happy!

Meadowlarks are a wonderful compliment to nature on the high plains. They serenade. They build wonderful hidden nests on the ground. They walk around the lawn much as robins do on a quest for food. As pleasant as they are, they are not the only birds of the high plains. I would guess that there are more bird species in the wooded areas than on the high plains, but there is an amazing variety here.

If you are a waterfowl hunter, you might first notice the large resident and migratory geese population. There are many other waterfowl that visit or reside at the many lakes and reservoirs. Numerous types of duck such as mallards, red heads and teal are here at least part of the year. Many shore birds such as killdeer and avocets live near the lakes as well. In the spring, the seagulls are very noticeable as they flying screaming overhead. Yes, seagulls live far inland and forage in farm fields as well as at the waterside. They are so common inland that perhaps their name should just be "gulls" to avoid the confusion. Another bird associated with large open water, the white pelican lives here as well. They prefer the larger reservoirs and can sometimes be seen riding thermals or winging in formation. It is hard to realize how large they are just seeing them in the air. Their wingspan is about 9 feet!

The high plains have a full compliment of icterids, the blackbird family. Besides common blackbirds, there are marsh loving redwings, the less common yellow heads and an occasional bob-o-link. We also have crows and in the mountains, ravens.

Robins are quite common both on the plains and the mountains. The jay family is also well represented. The blue jays seem to visit me spring and fall but nest elsewhere. In the mountains the gray jay (camp robber) and Steller’s jay are common.

We also have many raptors, bald and golden eagles and numerous hawks, owls and ospreys. Small animals beware!

Some of the less common types seen on the high plains include woodpeckers, finches and hummingbirds. Less common means that you can see them fairly easily but may not see them everyday. Flycatchers are another bird that is around seasonally. In the case of my lawn, they are here to nest and then visit sporadically during the late summer. Swallows are also rather seasonal in appearance. Many can be seen during mosquito season but they are less noticeable later.

One of the loveliest birds to make a seasonal appearance is the mountain bluebird. Some springs they hang out on the high plains and foothills and other years they are not to be found.

Will all of this variety, what is the Colorado state bird? It is the lark bunting. They really are lovely to see and to hear. In fact I wish that I could say that I see and hear them more often. They are not endangered but like many of the other mentioned species, they are not in the same place every year so are not seen frequently.

A small pond as the center of a tranquil spot in the lawn sounds so inviting. Besides the tranquility that it can provide you, it will serve as a place for small animals and birds to obtain water and for some to live. A pond truly is a beauty spot.

If you dream of a pond, consider some of the realities before you dig. A liner, either a hard plastic one or a flexible rubber type on is probably essential. If you live in a wetter climate, there may be other strategies. Location is important. Trees can shade a pond but more debris will fall into the water. Obviously traffic patterns and safety can dictate placement as well.

A larger pond requires quite a bit of digging. You might even consider power equipment in some cases. Rocks or pre-cast stone-like edging are nice touches that will make a pond appear more natural. Plantings around a pond or plants in the water are also nice.

Once you have a pond installed, surrounded by rocks and plantings, you can truly enjoy it. There are still other things to consider. If mosquitoes are a problem, use dunks or other controls. String or hair algae can be a real problem but there is a simple solution. Removal of the algae on a regular basis can help but it also seems to help in the reproductive cycle and can be a losing battle. Adjusting the water pH is also supposed to help. Allowing the algae to grow is a bad option. Eventually the algae will have a mass die off and the water will become a lifeless smelly mess. The easiest and most effective solution that I have found is to place barley straw in the pond. For some reason, algae will not grow where there is barley straw. I put a handful under an overturned flowerpot and the problem is cured for the season.

Plants in the water will need some attention to prevent overgrowing. Water lilies should be cut back at the end of the season and the dying tops discarded. Water hyacinths, although pretty, can cover the surface of a pond very quickly. Iris or flags grow amazingly well and can eventually take up a pretty large area.

Rather like an aquarium, which also provides tranquil viewing, a pond must also be cleaned out occasionally or the tranquil view will turn in to muck. I plan to clean mine at the end of the growing season after plants have died down but the air temperature is still high enough to be able to work outside and get wet without being miserable. It is a nasty smelly job, but better than letting the muck continue. A wet and dry vacuum can help a lot, but it is never a neat job. For smaller ponds, less than 2 feet deep, drain, clean and leave dry over the winter. In the spring, there will be leaves, sticks and whatever to clean out before filling them and adding the barley straw but it is quick work. For larger ponds, over 2 feet deep, you can refill with clean water and put trimmed plants in to over winter.

Presently, the only animal life that I have are toads, frogs, salamanders and whatever else may make their home there. Caring for fish is another challenge. While I have power available to run a pump for a waterfall, fountain or other accessories, I am also not using that at the present. There really are a lot of options. Plan carefully and remember the maintenance. A pond is more than just some water. 

Summer time brings babies and protective Mamas. I may start wearing a hat to get the mail as the flycatchers are nested in a tree by the road and always remind me that I am too close when I pass by daily. So far, their dive bombing as stopped before they actually made contact and I hope it stays that way. They really don’t like the dog or cat and I suppose that I am suspect by association.

A more aggressive species, paper wasps also defended their nest against me this week. In that instance, I was simply changing an outdoor light bulb and trying to let them be. Again, I was deemed too close.

A lawn tractor is not a tractor. I mainly drive lawn tractors. That is probably about right for my driving skills. I am not always successful at backing a fertilizer spreader. I have knocked the grass catcher off a couple of times. I have been stuck in loose dirt and high centered. Mostly these things have taken place where other people can see me in my embarrassment. I can only imagine what kinds of things could happen if I spent much time on a full-sized tractor.

In my defense, I have a lot of grass to mow. Also, most farm tasks that require a full-sized tractor are not the obstacle course that lawn-mowing presents, although maneuvering is certainly a useful skill for all.

I can certainly see the value of the bigger tractors. They can do a lot of work that can not be done either way. Perhaps someday my tractor driving skills will improve to where I can "graduate".

Some things that I have learned on the garden tractor: Watch for low hanging limbs, swings and other things that may be out of your main vision as you watch the edge of the mower platform. Not only can you do real damage to yourself, but also the mower or grass catcher can be damaged. Also, you can do damage to the shrub or whatever is above you.

As tempting as it is sometimes, I don’t take passengers and I don’t disconnect the interlocks to allow getting off the tractor while it is running. I read the safety instructions and I am pretty sure that these warnings and interlocks are present for a reason.

I don’t mow when it is wet and I always wear shoes. While those may sound unrelated good tractor for tires and feet are important. Dry grass cuts much nicer also.

I plan my mowing and remove all reasonable obstacles first! It is almost impossible to remove an obstacle while the tractor is in motion. I would say, just don’t go there! Do it the safe way and clear the path first or at least stop the tractor to remove obstacles.

An ongoing project is smoothing out the contours so that I can avoid backing and tight squeezes. Sometimes due to growth of shrubs and other factors, backing, tight squeezes, multiple passes and the like are just impossible. Of course these situations increase the possibility of hitting something such as a fence, a rock or other landscape feature. I haven’t seen a rear-view mirror for a lawn tractor but it wouldn’t be a bad idea. I try to plan my direction of travel to give the grass catcher side more clearance and thus avoid some scrapes and rubs. I also try to check behind me to be sure the way is clear. We all think we know the exact placement of things on the lawn but backing into trees and the like can happen.

Another good strategy is to mow in a very low gear. Not only does this give a better cut but it certainly helps avoid problems. A few seconds with the eyes on the mower deck and watching clearance can translate into several feet of travel and possible contact with some object.

Perhaps someday I’ll feel more confident on a "real" tractor. In the meantime, I am trying to stay safe and not do any real damage. Whether you drive or walk to mow, keep it safe.

Easy to grow and tolerant of dry conditions, what is there not to like about succulents? Some are even nicknamed "life forever". Succulents are especially a great ground cover in a dry climate. Part of the definition of succulent plants, is that they store water in their leaves. Although succulents include cacti, I mainly use the term to refer to those non-spiny types that typically have leaves, which are plump and shiny during the summer. In the winter, the entire plant may seem to shrink and may even appear dead. Some succulents lose their leaves during the winter and regrow them in the spring. The blossoms are often small and not particularly showy.

One of the most common and prolific succulents is called hen and chickens. A friend gave me several to start my rock garden and now a few years later, I also have plenty to share with other gardeners. The "hen" plant grows larger and larger and then sends out runners, each with a "chick" plant which roots down and soon sends out runners of its own. Some are reddish or have other interesting leaves. Since they do not root deeply, they can overgrow stones, walkways and other obstacles, sometimes creating a problem. Of course they don’t actually root into rocks and cement, so they can be peeled off these and transplanted or shared with others. Breaking the runner from the mother "hen" plant almost always results in a viable plant that can be placed elsewhere. Hens and chickens occasionally bloom, sending up a flower stalk with multiple flowers at the top. However, I notice that blooming usually leads to the demise of the mother plant. I am experiment with removing the flower stalks before the blooms actually emerge to see if this keeps the plant alive and thus avoids a bare spot. Conversely, if one plant dies out in a cluster, I can certainly depend upon the surrounding plants soon growing into the space.

Sedums are another group of succulents that are versatile and colorful. Some have interesting leaves with and exotic names as "dragons blood". For others, the flowers are the attraction. While the flowers are small, they tend to form in large masses providing an easy way to have color in your summer yard. They also bloom over a long time period.

Stonecrops are another group that is mainly valued for their texture. In Colorado, they can be found growing wild in the mountains in some areas. Stonecrops tend to stay small, topping out a few inches. A variety of leaf forms provides the textures.

What these all have in common is shallow roots, making for easy transplanting, low water usage and hardiness, being able to survive with little care. Occasionally aphids are attracted to succulents. Otherwise, almost nothing bothers them and they are usually disease free. About the only problem you might have is the over proliferation, such as in the hens and chickens.

If you are having trouble keeping flowers alive, either due to challenging growing conditions or perhaps not enough time for watering and care, consider some succulents. Gardening challenges resolved!

Along with flowers, birds and insects, spring brings spiders. I know. There is an ick factor or maybe even a terror factor for some. I don’t want a spider on me and I consider that all of them are to some degree poisonous. After all, that is how they get their prey. If it can paralyze an insect, it can cause a nasty welt or worse for me. But without touching them, there are some fascinating ways to study them. Every spring, I see nests of yellow spiderlings. I looked this up on the Internet and others report similar, but somewhat different nests. The tiny ones that I find are yellow with brownish legs. Clearly they don’t all survive or I would see a huge number of one type of spider and I could better identify the particular species by the adults.

What I first see with these is a suspended mass of yellow, perhaps as large as a golf ball in shrubs. As the weather warms, the "ball" expands as the spiders move away from each other. On cooler days, the "ball" contracts again. Eventually they all dissipate to find their ways in the world, or perhaps find themselves to be lunch.

The most fascinating spiders, for me, are the jumping spiders. They really work for their meals by hiding in cracks and other hidden locations to leap out and snare a fly or other insect. I have seen them dragging flies nearly as large as their own bodies. They also will stalk flies in the open, such as on a glass windowpanes. I wish that I could show pictures of one catching a fly, but I have not actually gotten that photo yet!

I watched one stalk a fly on a window and the fly seemed to want to tease the spider. Perhaps it had a death wish. The spider would pounce at it and the fly escaped more than once only to light again near the spider. When I looked away for a moment and then looked back, the spider had the fly in its clutches.

Besides their habit of jumping, these spiders can be identified by their large heads that you can sometimes see them turn to look at you or their prey. Some of them are rather hairy in appearance. I know that is an ick factor! Their long front legs and large head rather de-emphasize their back legs, which are actually the ones that give them the ability to jump.

The jumpers do spin silk lines and apparently use them as safety tethers when on ceilings or on vertical surfaces. Occasionally they can be seen dropping down on a line.

The females, like many egg laying life forms can become quite large before laying eggs. I have seen their spiderlings as well, but they are very tiny and I only found them by looking near a previously large female spider and her little web nest.

I can’t really say that jumping spiders do not bite but, I have never been bit by one so I tolerate them. Of course, they are much more interesting to watch than an orb spinner sitting in its web for hours. If a spider in the house is alarming, they can be carefully transplanted to the outdoors where they generally live well.

One of the local parks is a farm park with animals, educational exhibits, and even an old tractor for kids to play on. Why do kids like tractors? Even those children who live in town near the park seem to enjoy climbing on, grabbing the steering wheel and making tractor noises.

Perhaps the older, smaller tractors seem more kid-friendly. Newer four-wheel-drive tractors that have many steps up to the cab may seem a little daunting to little people. If you want to have some fun, let kids explore tractors. Perhaps you have some in the back or have neighbors who won’t mind letting kids explore their equipment. Some other ways are at farm auctions or at farm parks.

My father was a steam engine fan, and we could not drive past a steam engine without stopping to look it over. I learned the names of the steam engine and theshing machine manufacturers at a young age. And yes, I was allowed to climb around on them. Addmittedly, a steam engine is not small, and certainly when they were fired up I was less brave about climing on them. But my early introduction to old farm equipment led to a lifelong love of rural life, old tractors and history.

While my grandkids live in town, I am doing all that I can to pass along the rural lifestyle and particularly the historical aspects. We have been to fairs and looked at the tractor shows (and all of the other neat stuff), and I have thoughts of taking them to Pioneer Village in Minden, Nebraska (Pioneervillage.org), at a later date. While not all exhibits and shows will allow kids to climb on and grab the wheel, there are still lessons to be learned from the ground.

I was encouraged when the one grandson wanted a toy combine for his birthday. Admittedly, some of his knowledge of combines comes from a "Cars" movie. But I bought him the combine and later a CD on combine manufacturing that he saw on display at the farm store. We all learned a lot about combines from that CD!

If you don’t know much about older tractors, antique tractor shows can be a great history lesson for the entire family. The owners and collectors are usually more than happy to tell you all about their tractor, how it fits in the historical development of tractors, how much power it has, and how it operates. An interesting point that I have found is that many of the large, older tractors have no more horsepower than a modern garden tractor.

Tractor weight and design gave the old tractors the pulling power necessary for farm work, while the little garden tractor is fuel efficient and simply pulls itself and turns the mower blades using the same horsepower. Can you imagine plowing a field with no more horsepower than a garden tractor has?

Everyone can’t live on the farm, but we can all help pass along our rural heritage. As the weather warms up, get those kids out to see some tractors!

While the pastures are still brown, I look for cacti that I can transplant to my rock garden. While cacti grow wild here, it is only semi-arid, so pasture grass grows also, and somehow every few years there are cacti that appear in the grass. I usually take some small stakes that I can mark the location of the evergreen cacti among the winter dry grass. When it is warm enough to transplant, I return with a bucket, spade and heavy gloves. The cacti do not root deeply, but of course must be handled with care.

I try to locate the transplants in areas where I have rock and landscape cloth. Ever try to weed a cacti patch? I have a neighbor who likes to use native plants in her landscaping as well. She has transplanted various “weeds” that grow along the adjacent irrigation ditch to her flowerbeds.

Some things to keep in mind when looking for “wild” flowers to transplant; It is illegal to dig up plants and trees from public land. Likewise be sure private property owners agree to let you dig up plants. Most people don’t mind getting rid of cacti but it is good policy to ask. Transplant wild plants in the spring or fall. If you can’t get it done in the spring, don’t do it in the summer. Just like nursery stock, plants struggle greatly in the summer heat and dryness. Also many plants are in the midst of flowering or seeding and the resources that could go into growing new roots are not available. Study what you are transplanting. Is it a perennial or an annual? Is it attractive most of the year? Does it need any special care?

If you admire water lilies, for example, know what you are getting into.  They grow in water over a foot deep. You may need waders or even a small boat to get them. Once you have them you need to provide a similar habitat for them to grow. Water lilies present another challenge. While they are perennials, they need some special care for wintering over. This is a challenge for me, so I buy from the nursery every few years!

Another tempting transplant is wild asparagus. If you like asparagus, you may know that spring is the time to cut off the new shoots for a tasty spring dish. Since the shoots are forced to regrow repeatedly, this may not be an ideal time to transplant. I have to say that this challenge has also eluded me and I am planning on buying some from the nursery.

I notice some nurseries now sell “Dog Fennel” which was always considered a weed in my youth. If you don’t feel like searching out wild plants, nurseries are offering more and more options it appears. Whether you buy from a nursery or take a long walk with a shovel and bucket, wild species can add another dimension to your garden or landscape. If the plant grows wild in your area, it should do well when transplanted to your lawn or garden.

Think ahead where you want to place it and prepare a spot. Again, if you look at the plant and where it is thriving in the wild, you have a good idea of where it likes to grow and how big it gets. In the case of cacti and asparagus, they seem to do well in poor sandy soil…no preparation required in most cases, just planning. The water lilies are at the other end of the scale and a small pond will be required to keep them going. Woodland plants may require a shady area and lots of peat or other soil enrichments to survive transplanting.

While it takes some effort to transplant wild plants, it gives a look, or taste, of nature to your own little corner of the world and a sense of satisfaction that you can create the environment that they thrive in.