Most of the wildflowers are gone. Gone to seed, I guess.
But there are other things to see.
Ferns growing amongst a fallen tree.
Little shadows in the stream look like footprints but are some kind of insect.
Water strider? Pond skimmer?
Holes have formed in the rock at the bottom of the waterfall.
We used to find crayfish in them sometimes.
Where did they come from? Where did they go?
We used to see newts, salamanders, and tiny toads, regularly,
but haven't for a couple of years.
Where are they?
A woman came to the store and bought a little guide to bats. She said she used to see lots of bats, but doesn't any more. I realized that I don't see as many as I used to either. That scares me. It all scares me.
By the way, bats are your friend. They eat mosquitoes. I strongly recommend Diane Ackerman's book The Moon by Whale Light, which includes a great essay on bats.
As for the store...everything is on sale and selling. Thank goodness--I don't want to have to carry too much back down the stairs I wrote so much about here! Three more weekends, then I close the door. I hope then I'll take the time to find some answers, instead of just asking questions.
Oh you will. And we'll all benefit.
ReplyDeleteI closed a store once. It's a bittersweet undertaking.
xo jane
bittersweet indeed...mostly sweet though--looking forward to new explorations on my weekends.
DeleteHello Jen
ReplyDeleteWe had lot of bats at our old farmhouse. I quite liked them and loved watching them hunt at night. We used say we had our own airport up in the attic.
Wishing you continued success as you sell the contents of your store.
Have a great week
Helen xx
I like watching them too, outside. Not when they get in the house! Thank you for your good wishes.
DeleteHello Jen:
ReplyDeleteThe disappearance of so much wildlife which years ago we took for granted is very, very alarming. As you say, what has happened? To where has it gone, and why?
And if this is a concern for individuals, why is it not for governments as well?
It's puzzling, because we are in a protected (from development) area--nothing has changed in the decade we've owned the house, but there are definitely fewer of the small creatures I mentioned. As for governments, in this country politics are so divisive, it's almost impossible to get anything done.
DeleteYour countryside pictures are beautiful.I am worried too about disappearing creatures especially since I was a young girl. There are nowhere near as many birds, even what were once very common, and butterflies are really rare,I havent seen many at all this summer.
ReplyDeleteP.S. I love the painting on the chair!
It's such a sad and troubling situation. On a happier note--I'm glad you like the painting. It's a paint by number!
Deletescares me too, so many creatures not around.... i feel such horrid guilt, as a human being.
ReplyDeleteglad to hear things are selling.
I hate feeling like there's nothing I can do.
DeleteOnce you go out you can see so many nature's gifts, even though you feel bad about the rapid changing. May the nature would be sustainable!
ReplyDeleteYes, sustainable. I hope so too. The world is constantly evolving--I hope some good comes from the bad.
DeleteI used to watch bats in my urban backyard until five years ago. It's a disease that's killing them off. Apparently it doesn't get cold enough in the winter, but it's moist, so they get a disease that causes their noses to turn white. and then they die. So sad.
ReplyDeleteClosing your little shop: that's big.
Yes, even the smallest changes to the average temperatures have far-reaching effects.
DeleteAt this point I'm glad to be closing.
I waited anxiously this year to see if our pair of bats woud appear, and was so grateful when they did. There's a disease called White Nose syndrome that has decimated bats and has many biologists and naturalists fearful about their decline.
ReplyDeleteLoved your water/rock photos...and how refreshing the fern looks. Makes me want to go wander somewhere cool and woodsy...
That's the way I feel about our frog pond--I'm always afraid one day they won't be there, and am so happy when I hear them.
DeleteSerious food for thought... in southern Cal, the hawk population is dropping and they don't know why. Used to be scads of them, perching on every telephone pole... it was so nice to see wild creatures in the suburban setting! But then people starting poisoning the 'nuisance' wild rabbits, and now they're wondering what's happened to the raptors...
ReplyDeleteI love your photos with the changing seasons. Water skippers we call them out here - that is a wonderful shot.
ReplyDeleteWhy do we have large brown hobo spiders come into the house now? When I was a kid in the 50s, it was the slightly smaller, but still large, black wolf spider that got my attention. The house hasn't moved - the fields behind are mostly the same, but drier. That's probably the answer. Climate change.
i looked up the dianne ackerman book.....love the title.....at our bookstore. i'll have to order it, as it's not in stock. i will.
ReplyDeletei sure thought i'd get to your shop this summer. but it doesn't look like it will happen. but i'm so glad you're selling well. and the answers will come with the quiet. listen to what your belly tells you. it won't steer you wrong!!!
xoxo
Your photo's look beautiful Jen, especially to a city girl like me! The funny thing is that we have bats in the centre of Rotterdam. I had one hanging upside down on my sunscreen last year and at dusk we see them flying over the gardens. How strange nature can be. I hope you will see them again soon.
ReplyDeleteHave a lovely day,
Madelief x
Such beautiful pictures. Such troubling questions. I love the bats. We watch them from the porch as they swoop for mosquitoes as the evening comes. I'm glad things are selling well. I am glad you are going to have more time to spend on the things you have missed.
ReplyDeleteheya, sorry for my absence. just catching up on your blog. I'm scared too. everywhere you go you hear the same stories. animals disappearing. the weather changing. it freaks me out big time. sometimes I just want to run and hide...
ReplyDeletegood luck with the store. and the questions. and the answers. I'm with you on the latter two...