To all the birds I could not name….I saw you out there, in your winter plumage and bird glory and you made my day!
It sat and watched. Barked once more. Then, it flew away, somewhere deeper into the stand. I saw it land on another branch but couldn’t see the silhouette any longer. The morning light was still too new, too dim, too low on the horizon. Bark.
Let Leaves Lie.
In doing so you create shelter for wild creatures. You retain the eggs and larvae that are attached to the leaves as they fall. You provide a food source for many wild animals. You protect delicate plants by surrounding them in leaves, protected for the winter. You retain soil moisture and reduce the need for watering.
Fall in the Piedmont of NC is a rollercoaster of heat waves and stunning fall weather. It’s the slow transition from green to auburn, crimson and gold. It’s the last bloom for flowers before winter settles in on us. It’s hard to drive around town and not admire the resilient tickseed wildflowers in full fall bloom this October.
One hundred and seventy five butterfly species reside in NC and that summer, in my devil’s strip alone, I documented on camera 18 different butterfly species; who knows how many I’ve missed over the years. Since transforming my yard from an HOA approved, socially acceptable landscape to a more wild space I’ve gardened by one motto: If no one is eating your plants, then your garden is not part of the ecosystem.
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