Ode to the Golds~

 After two days of rain & very gray days, the sunshine was so welcome!   With a couple cooler nights, the trees are reaching the height of their color.  I could spend all my time just sitting out.  Such a glorious afternoon, I had to capture the moment.

Long Shadows~

I have spent a lot of it working out.  The soil is so soft, it's easy to pull weeds.  A friend also gave me several of her big healthy rhubarb starts!  The one's we've purchased have never taken hold.  I'm hoping  local plants will do better.  

Looking west~

Now that all the of the bush honeysuckle, with it's green leaves, are gone, the trees take center stage.  The orange of the still blooming marigolds, accent the shades of autumn.  40 mph wind gusts, did take a toll on many of the colorful trees around town.  The wind also managed to take down the biggest of the dead snags at this end of the woods.  It hung up in a smaller tree, but otherwise didn't do any damage.  More work with the chainsaw & more firewood.

Lower Corner~

We're to have at least one more beautiful day, before the temperatures drop & the wind returns.  Next weeks forecast is for the mid-40's.  Chilly, especially if we have wind.

The Owls~

It's been a almost a year now, since I brought these owls home from WA.  I'm planning a trip up north, maybe for the holiday's, but it will depend on Butch's schedule.

Along Tinkle Branch Trail~

Today, I started transplanting some of the daylily's.  One splurge on an expensive variety - Green Inferno - has yet to produce blooms.  My guess, is not enough sun, we'll see if the move helps.

Top of the hill~

Last week I attended a presentation by Shirley Miller, Mills County Master Gardener Coordinator.  Shirley's topic was Iowa Native Flowers.  The slideshow was totally inspiring.  The biggest challenge for me again - is understory shrubs.  We moved the remaining three serviceberry's planted by the Cabin, down to the edge of the woods.  I'm hopeful they'll recover & add some reds in a season or two.

Almost Halloween, October has gone by way too fast!  

Leaf Fall~

 Stunning - high clouds - mid-50's.  It had already been a week - again - since I'd been on my bike & on the trail...  We had our first freeze last night.  The weatherman said we're about a week or more behind on our fall color.  Nighttime temperatures had been so moderate up to now.

Say Ah...

Mari Jo is back from her vacation, she was walking Gracie as I was leaving.  We're planning on a ride next week.  Rain is supposed to move in over the weekend.  The farmers were out in force, harvesting the fields.  There was just enough wind to take the leaves off the trees.  It was like riding through a rain shower of gold.

Gorgeous golds~

The walnuts are almost done with the short span of yellow color they provide.  Some of the other trees though, still sport their green leaves.  It won't be long, until the trail will look more open than it has during the summer months.  This is my first year riding in the fall & I'm enjoying it so much.

Breezy~

Breezy wanted a fall photo, so we found the most colorful spot on the trail so far.  I was only going to ride to the trestle.  When I got there, I decided to go a little further, it was just too nice, not to.

Can you guess?

Above, is the absolute standout for color right now.  Can you guess what the vine is?  It was striking even from a distance.  I rode out to 305th, just a mile from the Hwy 34 underpass.  I didn't have as much time & the days are getting shorter.  My round-trip was eleven-miles.

Rolling hills of home~

I've been wanting to stop to get this photo my last couple trips.  Now that the fields are coming down, our wide-open spaces are wide open!  The terracing really highlights how rolling the hills actually are in our corner of SW Iowa.  All those gradual grades I work to peddle along, on the trail.  

I hope we see more of these amazing days.  Fall is for sure, one of the best season's of the year.  I don't want it to end~

Walk-a-bout~

As unusual as gray days are here, we had a couple this week.  Moderate temperatures, no rain, just gray days.  Somewhat of a shock to the system after all the gorgeous, perfect sunshine days.  I hadn't had Nika out on a walk of our woods for a long time & felt guilty about it.  She just loves walks of any sort, but especially when it's the woods.

Timber Trail~

The trail above is the one I used the walnut chips to cover.  When they first went down, I didn't think they would do much good.  But in the last couple weeks, they've settled & make walking much nicer.

The Lowlands~

The far west end, has really changed.  The Creeping Charlie has taken over & I don't mind!  Since I've been mowing, it's spread & chokes out the bigger weeds.  Nika & I enjoyed our little bench too!

View east~

There is a view here now.  Originally the area was mostly overgrown. You can just see the old log with the high end in the photo below.

10-20-2019

Now, with the invasive shrubs gone, the native flowers have been making a comeback.

Great Blue Lobelia~

I sure didn't expect to find the bright blue splash of color along the creek this late in the season!  It's the fourth native wildflower species I've identified.

Looking east toward the back of the Cabin~

With the new mulch on the trail, now it's easier to see the curving path along the bottom of the hillside.

The Marsh, looking west~

The Marsh too, has changed dramatically in the last couple years.  It's more mowing, but so quiet & private.  I've planted hosta's, day lily's & Zinnias'.  The tulip & daffodil bulbs survived & add so much color in the spring.

Kitt's Garden~

This was the second corner I cleared.  We call it Kitt's Garden, because the small birdbath became our dog Kitt's water bowl in the woods of the Homestead.  If it didn't rain enough to keep it full, I had to carry water up to fill it!  We had a creek there too, but you'd have thought it was the only water on the place.

Flowers instead of weeds~

This hillside is still a work in progress.  Flowers I planted that were in full sun, are now in shade & will have to be moved.  The trees have grown & with them, the shade.

Lower garden~

This area is one of my favorites. Tinkle Branch Trail starts here & it's a pretty place year-around.  Here we are, already past mid-October & the color is coming on strong day by day.  My first October home since the clearing was completed March of 2020.  It's easy to enjoy such amazing days, even the gray ones~

Windy Ride~

 We are enjoying some of the best weather Iowa has to offer.  Perfect October days, temperatures from the mid-60's to mid-70's.  Cool, crisp mornings & velvety soft evening's.  The western sky aglow with the deep orange/pink of the sunsets.  

Breezy & the Explorer~

I was well overdue for a ride.  Silver City was quiet when I arrived, except for the gusting wind.  Just one other vehicle at the little parking area.  I was planning a more positive ride experience than my last time out.  With that in mind, I decided to ride to Hwy 34 & back, rather than the longer ride to Malvern.

Soy Bean field, harvested~

The land has a more vacant look, after the lush, growing greens of the summer months.  I shifted Breezy to the second set of higher gears.  If more experienced riders use those gears, I might as well give it a go.

Virginia Creeper~

I couldn't help but notice the brilliant red of the Virginia Creeper.  Now, it's easy to see how high into the trees it can climb.  Such a bright red & a standout among the still green leaves.

Leaves all around~

It smells like fall out here too!  A dry, but rich odor of wind-blown leaves.  The gusts had drifted them to the east side of the bridges.  The wind was mostly out of the north, but now & then a big gust would hit from the west.  The ride back was looking more challenging.  The temperature was perfect, probably upper 60's, my favorite.  I'd started off with a hoodie but it came off after the first few miles.

Soy Bean harvesting, next to a corn field~

Equipment was out in several of the fields along the trail.  With this perfect weather forecast almost through the end of the month, the farmers are happy.

Sumac, where I turned back~

I was at the underpass in just under an hour.  One of my best times to Butch's shop was an hour.  Two-miles further...  Of course the wind didn't help.  I stayed up in 11th to 13th gear the entire way.  Those gears do give more bite to the pedals.  

Mushroom?

I saw a large spot of light color on the trail & stopped to investigate.  At first I thought it was a large mushroom, but the growing end just wasn't right.  Continuing on, the surrounding beauty of the countryside was enveloping.  I could have done without the wind, in places almost bringing Breezy to a standstill.

On the Trestle~

Up one of the last long grades, I dropped down to 3rd & 4th.  Once I'd passed the apex, I went back up to 12th.  My knees were feeling the strain.

Just a little water in the creeks~

Our half-inch of rain last week, added a trickle of water to the creeks.  We've been so dry.  My phone rang when I was just a couple miles from Silver City!  It surprised me, as before the entire trail hadn't had reception.  As I was scheduling another appointment for Butch, I looked up.

A tiny gnome home~

The very same type of mushroom/fungi I'd found on the trail!  I expected to see the little face of a tree gnome peeking out at me!  This was quite a distance up in the tree & I had to zoom to get the photo.

I was more than ready to be back to the trail-head.  Happy I'd listened to my common sense & ridden twelve-miles rather than the usual seventeen.  My knees told me I'd used those higher gears, but I'm going to continue to work with them.  Just under two-hours for the round-trip, against the wind, not bad.  Now, if I can find the time to get out more often while this weather holds!

Difficult - Beautiful ~

 For all the months I've looked forward to fall riding, it's taken a while for me to get back out on the trail...  Life happens & sometimes takes an unexpected turn.  After our birthday celebration at Matt-Makers for the birthday ladies, I was almost late getting to Silver City.  With Happy Trails now only open weekends in October, Mari Jo was waiting to get me back on my bike.

Corn now dry~

The last time I did this ride, was Sept. 15th. With only one other short ride in the interim, I'd had some difficulty with motivation. Once we were out - I realized how much I needed the exercise. I'd taken one day this week to mow the Marsh, but otherwise had been either sitting or driving for the last few weeks.
High overcast, cooler temperatures, but the humidly was over 60%, somewhat muggy. The little black biting bugs are out too. They hatch this time of year & like to hang out in the grassy areas. I ended up stopping to spray down.

On the trestle, we ran into riders Mari Jo knew, so stopped to chat for a while.  We hadn't decided on any particular distance.  I'd thought about asking to turn back, but me being me, we continued on to Malvern.  One of the trail board members was at the depot.  Again, we stopped to catch up on trail news.  By the time we were heading back, it was later than usual.  I knew I was tired.

Virginia Creeper~

Mari Jo was patient with me, but I was feeling pretty stupid for taking on 17-miles.  I made several stops & told Mari Jo more than once to go on without me.  I'm in awe of Mari Jo's fitness.  She's biked forever & rides in the highest gear on her Marlin.  That takes so much  leg strength.  I had her ride Breezy & when she returned, Breezy was in 18th - the Verve's highest gear.  I was riding in 3rd & 4th & still struggling.  I tried the Marlin too.  It's an extra small frame & fit me SO much better!  I wish the Verve had been available in a XS.

Harvesting Soy Beans~

The air was full of the dust from the fields, thicker in some places than others.  It is fun to watch how fast modern equipment can take down a field.

Mari Jo, on the trestle~

Another stop on the trestle.  I knew I had two decent uphill grades yet to go.  My mojo had gotten up & left.  I can't remember being so tired.  We'd stored the remainder of my friend Doris's birthday cake in the cooler at the shop.  Mari Jo went on ahead to take her bike home & get the cake out - which she accomplished by the time I arrived.

Almost back to Silver City~

So late in the afternoon, after five, the sun was already casting long shadows over the trail.  It was so beautiful & in the next couple weeks will be more so.

I made it back, barely.  My leg was hurting & I was mad at myself for overdoing.  Next time, I'm going to go for a shorter distance & work back up to what I did today.