While I was saddened by the loss of autumn's colors, I paused and took a minute to ponder the things I was thankful for. 

The trees were bare, but the forest floor was covered. The predominant hues in the forest were brown and grey. 

Summer's flowers had faded and dotted the landscape with puffs of white. I was grateful for the seeds that will bring next year's blooms. 

I appreciated the fact that while the frost had ended the growing season outside; inside a few grow lights helped extend the lives of a several potted flowers. 

Although they drove me crazy, I appreciated my walking partners. If anything, they certainly made each trek an adventure. 

I was grateful that Sherman was still hanging on. Loss of eyesight and balance had robbed him of the chance to wander around outside. However, he had a good appetite and could still amble in and out of the doggie door. 

I was thankful for the abundance of wildlife in the area. They are always interesting even if they were raiding the bird feeders nightly. 

I was thankful for trail cameras that got the shots that I couldn't. From action shots to silly deer selfies, they never failed to amaze me. 

While I was not so grateful to know that there were coyotes afoot, I was thankful that I have never met them in person. 

I was thankful for the completion of our porch project. While I liked being outdoors, at certain times it was nice to observe the weather from behind a wall of windows.

I appreciated that I was able to obtain a microscope. I was thankful that the device has opened a new world to view and explore. 

I was deeply grateful that after some serious health scares both parents were able to return home after hospital stays. I was also eternally indebted to friends and family members help and support through those trials. 

As Thanksgivings come and go, it was often easy to forget the blessings I had received every day. However, after just a few steps into the woods, I was reminded of how naturally grateful I am.

​That's just the nature of things 'round here. 

As fall saunters on, the region's deer got revved up for rut - their mating season. Area hunters have spent hundreds, even thousands on equipment to help bag "the big one." Meanwhile, area drivers hit the brakes and sometimes hit the deer. 

Sadly, I was in the latter category earlier this month. There was a herd of doe on both sides of the road. I slowed down and braked hard, but the inevitable happened. Luckily, I had decreased my speed enough, that my car was still drivable. I believed the doe escaped bruised, but alive. 

However, I wasn't alone. In the same week, at least two Facebook friends had the same or worse experience than I did. Judging by the many deceased deer along the roadsides I traveled, it just seemed as though this year the deer were everywhere. While the region was overrun with deer, there appeared to be a rental car shortage. In fact, when I went to get a rental car, they were few and far between. The deficit was no doubt due to the rise in deer-damaged vehicles needing repairs. 

Nothing appeared to show the increased presence of deer more than the trail cameras. The apple tree in the backyard was favorite haunt. The traffic was so high that parts of the yard were transformed from grass to mud. 

My parents' front yard was a busy place as well. Their oak tree, like others in the area, had a massive crop of acorns. The acorn clean-up crew appeared pretty much daily and sometimes nightly. 

Included in the neighborhood herd were this year's fawns. It was hard to believe that they still had their spots at the beginning of September. Now they sported the darker grey coats of winter. 

There were some bucks still wearing velvet in mid-September. 

However, by October the boney antlers poked through. 

As October rolled on, the cameras in the backyard showed the does under the apple tree were not alone. Several bucks, both large and small, were pictured stalking the girls. There were also several blurry pictures of the bucks literally chasing the does around the tree. Most of this activity happened in the dark. 

While normally, my white-knuckle driving was saved for winter weather, this year I have gripped the steering wheel to try to avoid the storm of deer hitting the highways.

When driving a rental car, the driver of the truck in front of me was flashing their lights abnormally.

​There on the four lanes by the Sheetz in Reno was a very large buck in the middle lane waiting for traffic to clear. Additionally, the day I received my SUV back from the repair shop I had another close call. I saw a small spike buck in the area where I had the first accident. This time I slowed to a stop and, sure enough, he ran across the road in front of me.  

As the bucks chase the does and the hunters chase the deer, their movements will undoubtedly increase. Unfortunately, some will cross paths with area motorists and things won't end well. That's just the nature of things 'round here. 

The rainy and cold weather earlier this month had many residents, including me, huddled inside ready for winter hibernation. A brief weeklong respite was a little more like summer than fall. However, a return to cooler temperatures was predicted. As temperature went up and down, the leaves went down. I felt that fall put forth its best effort, but it appeared as if winter was just around the corner. 

According to the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources' fall foliage report issued in early October, the region saw its best color of the season between Oct. 19 to 25.

According to the report, the district manager in Cornplanter State Forest said northwestern forests are fading, but the region still offers plenty of autumn color.
​
"Oaks and hickories continue to provide the 'second half' of vibrant shades in northwestern Pennsylvania. The hillsides are dotted with rich bronze, copper, and rust colors," the manager said. 

The shedding of leaves proved to be true of the maple tree in the front yard. It seemed to me that it just started to turn gold within the past few days and was already carpeting the yard with leaves. By week's end, half of the tree's leaves were in the yard. 

To me the tree didn’t seem quite as bright as other years and this week's brisk winds helped many of the leaves fly from the tree. Interestingly enough, a photo from Oct. 24, 2015, still showed a fairly green and full maple tree. 

I was worried that this fall wasn’t going to be quite as colorful as last year. However, this autumn proved to be beautiful in its own way. It didn't seem that the brilliance would linger as long as it did 12 months ago.  Nonetheless, I found myself exclaiming daily, "How beautiful!"

As I walked forward and looked back, every view was full of intensity even on the darker days. I said to myself, "I will take photos of all the trees." After reviewing my snapshots, I'm pretty sure I accomplished that goal. Some trees may have even been pictured twice. By Oct. 24, many of the trees in my wandering woods had bare branches while the forest floor was carpeted with colorful leaves.

​In fact, in an Oct. 25, 2013, photo, the trees along the edge of the backyard were completely void of leaves. In comparison, this year there were still quite a few leaves on the trees.  By mid-week the oak trees started to show their splendor with gold and burgundy leaves. However, near the end of the week even the oak trees began to lose leaves at a rapid pace. Traveling home from work, Bredinsburg Road was covered with leaves. Bare trees conjured up visions of the next season to come. 

As autumn ambled on, forecasts differed on the severity of the upcoming winter. The NOAA Climate Prediction Center, the Farmers' Almanac and Old Farmers' Almanac were at odds in their predictions. 

However, they all three agreed that El Niño would impact this winter's weather.
​
Both the Farmers' Almanac and Old Farmers' Almanac predicted a snowy winter season for the Northeast. 
"The 2024 Old Farmer’s Almanac predicts snow, seasonable cold, and all of winter’s delights! This winter’s forecast will surely excite snow bunnies and sweater lovers alike, promising a lot of cold and snow across North America!," said a post on www.almanac.com. 

"Snowfall will be above normal across most snow-prone areas (except for the Pacific Northwest). ... Keep a shovel at the ready early, especially in the Northeast and Midwest, where snow will arrive beginning in November with storms, showers, and flurries continuing through the start of spring," the post continued. 
The post went on to explain that earth was approaching middle of Solar Cycle 25 which could mean colder than normal temperatures. 

The Farmers' Almanac predictions posted at www.farmersalmanac.com also called for colder temps and more snow. ​"Our extended weather forecast, which is based on a mathematical and astronomical formula, calls for below-average temperatures and lots of snowstorms, sleet, ice, rain for much of the Great Lakes, Ohio Valley, and Midwest areas of the country, as well as central and northern New England, especially in January and February," the publication posted. 

Under the "Weather Alerts" section of the article, the almanac offered up a few more details about its winter forecast. "An East Coast storm affecting the Northeast and New England states will bring snowfall, cold rain and then frigid temperatures, during the second week of February," the post said. 

Will it be a mild or harsh winter?  Everyone seemed to have an opinion on the subject.
Lore had it that a heavy mast or acorn crop meant a bad winter. 

While area oaks were discarding their leaves, they additionally were raining acorns down upon the region. 
Is this winter going to be snowy and colder or warmer and drier? The almanacs said "yes" to colder and snowier, and NOAA said "No, this winter will be warmer and drier." 

Meanwhile, the time to enjoy the last vestiges of the fall season was quickly passing. Below is a slideshow of "all the trees" and some fur kids. That's just the nature of things round here.  

​As autumn continued to turn over a new leaf, foliage forecasts faded for a few counties. The report issued Oct. 12 by the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources stated that the colors were starting to fade in McKean, Elk, Cameron, and Potter counties. 

A Facebook post by Allegheny National Forest Visitors Bureau on Oct. 10 featuring a photo of the Kinzua Gorge skywalk in Mount Jewett reiterated the DCNR's account.
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“Color is past peak at the park, of course, the skywalk is amazing leaves or no leaves! Color is just peaking in the ANF. We suggest visiting the park for the skywalk experience and then drive Route 6 to just east of Kane, head north on Route 321 to cruise the Longhouse National Scenic Byway … for stunning fall colors!,” the post said. 

​In the bureau’s update on Oct. 13, there was still a lot of green at the Allegheny Reservoir at Kinzua Dam in Warren.

While the autumn colors made an appearance during our yearly pilgrimage to Benezette on Oct. 4, the elk did not. Their scarceness was blamed on a hefty acorn crop.

​“This year's mast crop of acorns within Pennsylvania's elk range is a bumper crop. Acorns are extremely nutritious for elk and other wildlife.

​They contain great sources of protein, unsaturated fats, manganese, potassium, iron and vitamins A, E and B6. Acorns are hard to beat for preparing wildlife extra fat layers for the winter months. Until they are all eaten look for elk to be spending more time foraging in the woods than fields,” said an Oct. 11 Facebook post by the Keystone Elk Country Alliance. Additionally, the day we sauntered up there was quite warm. So, who wouldn’t rather spend their time in the shade of oak trees preparing for winter. Nonetheless, the early fall display did not disappoint. 

​Closer to home, Venango, Clarion, Forest, Mercer counties and more were listed by the DCNR report as approaching best color for the week of Oct. 12 to 18.
In the Oct. 12 release, the district manager in Cornplanter State Forest, based in Warren County, reported that the colors of fall are on full display. 

“Hickories are displaying their warm, golden hue, contrasting with the crimson of black gum. The orange/yellow mix of sugar maples is also standing out against the dark russet from the oaks. Some leaves have fallen, but there is plenty of color to enjoy in area woodlands. Some corridors to observe fall colors include Route 8 from Barkeyville north into Erie County, Route 6 through Erie and Warren counties, US 322 beginning in Crawford County and heading east toward Clarion, and along the Allegheny River on Route 62 north of Oil City toward Warren,” the released continued.
​
In the Oct. 5 report, the manager said, “continued cooler nights have encouraged the transition to fall colors in northwestern Pennsylvania. 

Also in the Oct. 12 report, the Mercer/Lawrence County service forester, Clear Creek State Forest District, indicated the area lost some leaves last week due to heavy rain, but there was still plenty of foliage and color.
​
“The region is approaching best color with maples putting on a fine show of yellow, orange, and red. Oaks are changing in a few areas, and there is still color on birch, aspen, walnut, and elm. Peak for the region is expected on about Oct. 18,” the forester said. 

​In the Oct. 5 release, the forester stated that the goldenrod was fading, but that the New England asters were going strong.
​
I found this to be true on my treks, too. The goldenrod radiated its brilliance for a short time at the end of September and early October. However now, even the purple New England asters have started to go to seed. Nonetheless, there were still some very persistent calico asters providing sustenance for area pollinators. 

​There were still bumblebees working over the fading flowers in my garden on Oct. 13. However, the last monarch I saw was on Oct. 5. I feared that may have been the last sighting of the season seeing as how temperatures were forecast to only reach the 50s for the foreseeable future. 

Colder weather brought on the threat of frost. The National Weather Service’s data listed Oct. 15 as the median date for the first frost of the season for Franklin.

In other weather news, the U.S. Drought monitor released last Thursday listed most of Venango County as abnormally dry.

Franklin was still running at a deficit with an accumulation of 32.67 inches compared to the normal of 37.31 inches.
​
The region has a chance to catch up with several days of rain in the forecast.

However, heavy rain meant more leaves on the ground than on the trees.
Around the neighbor’s pond, many of the early maples had already shed their colors.
My Facebook memories from 2013, showed that the maple tree in the front yard was in its full golden glory on Oct. 12.  However, this year, the tree there was little sign of color change. 

I lamented this choice as a 2013 photo showed a young Sherman watching his predecessor Moose swimming in the pond. I was sad that he may not make it to the pond again, but I couldn’t take the chance that he may become incapacitated several acres from home. 

​However, Sherman doesn’t get to retire from wearing costumes and holiday hats. The only way out of these situations for fuzzy Applegate family members is death or threat of bodily injury to the photographer.

​That’s just the nature of things ‘round here. 

​As the calendar turned the pages to the first week of October, the region was ushered into the fall season on September 23.

​I pondered whether this fast start to fall may have been due to some recent dry weather.

According to the National Weather Service, the total precipitation accumulation for Franklin for 2023 so far is at 31.97 inches, down from the normal of 36.02. The total rain for September added up to 2.12 inches which was a decrease from the normal of 3.94 inches.
​
The US drought monitor only listed a very slight sliver of eastern Venango County as abnormally dry.

​However, the Pennsylvania Department of Environment Protection still had Venango and Clarion counties under a drought watch.
​
Most of the area river levels were listed as normal for this time of year according to the United States Geological Survey’s site except for the gauge on French Creek at Utica which registered below normal.

​The National Weather Service Office in Pittsburgh reported on its Facebook page the September climate summary for a few locations across the region.

“It should come as no surprise that the final numbers were warmer and much drier than normal!," the post said. 

The office also posted about how dry September was for various cities.
 “Wondering how dry September 2023 was relative to September precipitation climatology?
• Pittsburgh, PA: 51st driest
• Wheeling, WV: 4th driest
• Morgantown, WV: 7th driest
• New Philadelphia, OH: 5th driest
• Zanesville, OH: 6th driest
• DuBois, PA: 27th driest.”
​
 I tried to look up the information for Franklin, but all that was listed were the August numbers so far. 

Despite the dryness, the fall colors seemed to prevail.
​
“Regardless of whether you are partial to brilliant oranges, dazzling yellows, or deep, rich reds, Pennsylvania’s fall season is always a showstopper,” said Carrie Fischer Lepore, Deputy Secretary for Tourism, with the Department of Community and Economic Development in a press release issued Sept. 21. 

​Meanwhile, I was still holding out hope for an influx of monarchs during their fall migration.  
​
There were a good number of fritillaries this year, but the monarchs were few and far between. I also saw a fair number of spicebush swallowtails this butterfly season.  

The Mexican sunflowers were still donning their orange blossoms. Their sunny yellow cousins and other colorful sunflowers had wrapped up blooming in the garden around the end of summer.
The vegetable garden did well this summer despite a slow start due to a dry May. Most folks I spoke to had the same report of decent harvests. Some said they had some of the largest vegetables this year that they had ever had.
However, the growing season appeared to be drawing to a close. The site www.almanac.com listed Oct. 17 as the first fall frost for Franklin. 

​As the summer blossoms fade, no doubt the leaves will provide some color in their place. That’s just the nature of things ‘round here. 

Before the onset of autumn, the main color in the forest had been green. Occasionally there were spots of color, but the sources were not flowers or changing leaves. The varied hues were provided by mushrooms and other fungi. The shapes and textures of these fungi were intriguing. ​

In fact, I spotted one that appeared fuzzy or hairy. It turned out the mushroom was moldy.
“Spinellus species are parasites that attack your basic mushroom-looking mushroom, and are, in my humble opinion, wonderfully photogenic. The most common in these parts, S. fusiger, prefers Mycena species as its victims, often M. haematopus, which, even when its cap is sprouting a crazy new fungal hair-do, can still be identified by snapping its stem to look for its characteristic ‘blood.’” Said a post on Weird and Wonderful Mushrooms.

Sometimes, the unique shape of the fungus aided greatly with identification.
A cup-shaped fungus on a timbered treetop happened to be black bulgar fungus.

"Bulgaria inquinans, sometimes referred to as the Black Bulgar, Bachelor's Buttons or Rubber Buttons, grows in groups most commonly on felled oak trunks and fallen branches, and occasionally on other dead hardwoods including Ash,” said a post on first-nature.com.
​
The post went on to say that the fungus is “generally considered as inedible in western countries, and according to some researchers even reported to be poisonous and to cause food-sensitized solar dermatitis … in northeastern China, Bulgaria inquinans is treated as a delicacy.”
​
“We strongly advise against eating these licorice gum drop lookalikes,” the site warned.

Meanwhile, the shape of the black trumpet mushroom stood out against the moss on the forest floor.
A post on Craterellus cornucopioides at forestwildlife.org said “Black trumpets are edible mushrooms. They grow in hardwood forests throughout North America and Europe.”
​
The site also added that the “mushrooms are known to have a symbiotic relationship with hardwood trees, meaning that they rely on the presence of the trees to be able to grow. They don’t grow directly from the trees, but seem to need their root systems to be able to thrive.” 

The hue of a colorful coral fungus helped in the identification of golden spindles.
​
“Clavulinopsis fusiformis is a striking and easily recognizable grassland fungus. It consists of a densely packed tuft of rather flattened unbranched yellow fruit bodies with characteristic pointed tips. These tips can be yellow like the rest of the fungus, or brown, or occasionally even red. The fungus is normally about 6 to 10 cm tall,” said a post on ultimate-mushroom.com.

“Clavulinopsis fusiformis is different from other coral fungus because it contains the lectins with an Anti- B aggulutinin. A lectin is a carbohydrate-binding of proteins or glycoproteins with specific binding sites for sugars. It’s also different because its yellow, cylindrical, and un-branched. Meaning it has an outer yellow coat, and the main fungus looks like many different cylinders branching up,” the post continued.
The site listed the fungus as poisonous. However, other internet sites said it was inedible and bitter. 

Another toxic mushroom with an interesting top is the yellow patches or amanita flavoconia.
A post on ncsu.edu said the fungus has highly poisonous characteristics.
 
The site said the mushroom is “the most common in the Amanita species found in the midwest and eastern North America.  They typically appear in early to mid-summer in forests or natural areas or landscapes.  They are found singly or scattered, usually under hardwood trees, especially oaks, occasionally under pines.”
 
“The roots of the mushroom (fungal species) become one with the roots of adjoining host plants.  This is referred to as an ectomycorrhizal relationship,” the post explained. 

​Nonetheless, the texture on another mushroom’s caps was a possible giveaway to their identity.
“Dark, scruffy, and quite unkempt looking with a fluffy body – the old man of the woods is aptly named.” Said a post at mushroomappreciation.com.
“The old man of the woods (Strobilomyces sp.) is a decent edible mushroom with a very striking appearance that makes it difficult to forget or mistake,” the post continued.  
“The top of the cap is ornamental, with black scales across a cream to dark gray surface. Its stem is woolly, and the whole appearance is very shaggy,” the post added. 

​Another mushroom with an interesting texture on its cap is the scaly pholiota. In the book "Wild Mushrooms of Pennsylvania and the Mid Atlantic" author bill Russell reported that earlier information had said the mushroom was edible but newer research may have proven otherwise.

“I had, like many other mushroomers, had eaten scaly pholiota for years and enjoyed its sweet, earthy flavor. Then newer books came out, warning that the mushroom is mildly poisonous for many people. .. " Russell penned. 
​
“The Scaly Pholiota is a beautiful late fall and winter mushroom that hikers admire and mushroom photographers adore," he added.
 I agreed that photographers adore the scaly pholiota and as well as their fellow fungi. 

Meanwhile to make things slightly more complicated, the experts were still hashing out all the details on certain mushrooms.
​.
 This appeared to be the case with the eastern American White Blusher. 

​“Mycologists are slowly teasing out all the species that go under the name ‘Blusher.’ Europe’s species is well understood, but the species in the rest of the world are just beginning to be understood. America has at least four species, although there are probably more,” said a post on fungusfactfriday.com.
The whole issue started when I posted a photo on the Pennsylvania Mushroom Identification and Aspects Facebook group. 

A group member said my photo was an Amanita rubescens var. alba. Another commenter questioned that that name pointed toward a European species.
The response from another group member explained that “it is a European species, but we still call our white variant of a rubescens Amanita A. rubescens var. alba. It needs to be changed. We could actually discard " amerirubescens group" and call it "rubescens group" since there is no species called Amanita amerirubescens, unless one of the unnamed species in "amerirubescens group" were to receive the species name amerirubescens. It's a bit of a mess.”
 
A bit of a mess seemed to perfectly describe my foray into mushroom photography and identification.
 
That’s just the nature of things ‘round here. 

(Author's note: I'm not a mushroom ID expert. Possible identities appear in the captions. If there is no caption, I don't know what it is. While some mushrooms are labeled as edible, please consult a field guide, another forager or attend a class on mushrooms. ID corrections may be emailed to saapple@zoominternet.net.)

​After some rainfall in late August and early September, mushrooms and other fungi seemed to have appeared in abundance.  Their colors and shapes were varied. They made spectacular photo subjects. 

​However, trying to obtain identities on these funky fungi was tricky if not downright difficult. Additionally, several kinds of mushrooms have look-a-likes.
A couple of helpful Facebook groups, Pennsylvania Mushroom Identification and Pennsylvania Wild Mushroom Gathering aided in some of my attempts to find identities. 

Some of the most common subjects of inquiries on these pages were the differences between Jack o’lanterns, chicken of the woods and chanterelles.

Making a mistake could be toxic for those who forage and consume mushrooms.  

I have encountered many Jack o’lanterns on the trails. However, in their stages of growth they can take on various shapes and their color will vary slightly. This can be dangerous for those who are into consuming mushrooms. 
​
“Jack o’lanterns are poisonous mushrooms often mistaken for edibles. Eating them won’t kill you but will give you a bad stomach ache plus several days of vomiting and diarrhea,” said a post on the orange mushrooms on Jack O’Lantern Mushroom: Key Facts — Forest Wildlife .

The post went on to say, “Jack o’lanterns are found growing in woodland regions in the summer and fall. They are easy to mistake for other mushroom varieties.”
​
 “They usually grow in dense clusters from dead and decaying wood. According to the University of Virginia, the source wood may be buried underground or under leaf litter, making it look like the mushrooms are growing directly from the ground like chanterelles,” the post continued. 

Meanwhile, the other two mentioned mushrooms, chicken of the woods and chanterelles are edible.

 This was my first year to find a patch of chanterelles in my stomping grounds.
 In some foraging circles, chanterelles are highly sought after.
​
 “The chanterelle is an edible species of wild mushroom under the Latin name Cantharellus.

They are most often golden yellow, but there are also white and bright red species. Golden chanterelles are the most common, though, and are the gems foragers seek in the woods,” said a post on mushroom-appreciation.com. 

The post went on to mention when a good time was to start to look for the mushrooms.
​
“When chanterelles do start popping up, though, they often do so in great numbers, so be on the lookout. The best time to go out looking is mid-summer, three to four days after a significant rainfall,” the post said.
 
I found this statement to be true of my chanterelle discovery. The post also added that the mushrooms grow around trees.
​
It said to look for “chanterelles around oaks, conifers, and in mixed forests. That’s a broad spectrum, but each species has its preference. These mushrooms are mycorrhizal, meaning they grow in conjunction with certain trees."

This year was the first for me to see them regrow in the same location as the previous year. ​

“Laetiporus sulphureus is a species of bracket fungus (fungi that grow on trees) found in Europe and North America. Laetiporus sulphureus forms bright yellow shelf-like structures on trees, which turn beige or grey as they age. Its underside is made of tubes instead of gills,” said a post on The Ultimate Mushroom Guide site.  
​
“This fungus can be a saprophyte or a weak parasite, causing brown cubical rot in the heartwood of its host trees. While it is edible when young, some people may experience adverse reactions,” the site added.
​
Meanwhile, the posting of a photo of supposed crown tip coral on the Pennsylvania Mushroom Identification and Aspects Facebook page touched on the topic of the differences between crown tip coral fungus, Artomyces pyxidatus, and members of the ramaria species.  

In the meantime, more fancy fungi kept popping up faster than I can identify them. That’s just the nature of things ‘round here. 

​So, the increase in hummingbirds at my feeder was no doubt prompted by some newer and younger faces. ​

As the number of hummingbirds grew, so did the aerial skirmishes around the feeders.

“Male Ruby-throated Hummingbirds aggressively defend flowers and feeders, leading to spectacular chases and dogfights, and occasional jabs with the beak,” said Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s All About Birds in an informational post on the site.
​
 I’m not sure that all the aggressive offenders were necessarily male, because it was hard to tell the juvenile males from the females. The juvenile males had not yet developed the blazing red throat of the adults. 

Meanwhile, the hummingbirds were not the only ones getting all amped up sugar water.

Bumblebees and yellow jackets were swarming the hummingbird feeders. In an attempt to keep the bees from chasing away the hummingbirds, I provided the insects some feeders of their own.

​They drained them on a daily, sometimes hourly, basis.  While I have had bee issues at the hummingbird feeders before, I don’t remember them being this persistent. Facebook memories from 2020 showed my bee feeders being swarmed with honeybees and a few yellow jackets. This year it seemed to be equal numbers of bumblebees and yellow jackets.
​
A nectar dearth could be responsible for the flow of bees to the feeders. 

“In Pennsylvania, summer nectar flows diminish in July, resulting in a nectar dearth or scarcity. Honeybees become more defensive of their colony's resources during this time …,” said a Penn State Extension post on honeybees at psu.edu post on honeybees.

While the term nectar dearth is used primarily in honeybee rearing, I don’t think that it would be so far off that the same condition would affect wild bees as well.

In late July, Lazy S Bees Apiary posted on its Facebook page about signs to look for in honeybees during a nectar dearth.
​
“Another sign of nectar dearth is the change in foraging behavior. They forage on plants they usually ignore … They also forage close to the ground, looking for any type of opportunity for nectar. Also, you may have noticed that this time of year, honeybees and other pollinators are scavenging hummingbird feeders, trash cans, or even the local community recycling bins. The sweetness of the pop (cola) leftover in the trash is a resource when they cannot find nectar,” the post continued. 

Hopefully as the fall wildflowers start blooming, things will slow down at both the bee and hummingbird feeders. Until then, there’s a race to get the sugar and water mixed before the feeders go dry. That’s just the nature of things ‘round here. 

​In early June, a Facebook post on feeding orioles grape jelly and its possible effects on hummingbirds caused a stir on social media. Local wildlife rehabber Maryjane Angelo of Skye’s Spirit Wildlife Rehabilitation Center in Harrisville weighed in on the great grape jelly debate in response to an email.

"I have not gotten hummingbirds (admitted to the center) covered in jelly. However, I don’t agree with people putting (jelly) out for the orioles either,” Angelo wrote in an email.  

“So much is spread all over on how to attract wildlife closer to people to view … yet it puts them in harm’s way too, so much more,” she continued. 
​
“There are no grape jelly trees out there … yet there’s big business for the feeders so that people can see them closer,” Angelo added. 

​Earlier last month on Facebook, the center posted a photo of a hummingbird that was in its care. When asked what the hummingbirds taken to the center are most likely admitted for, Angelo said that cat attacks were a problem for all birds. “Cat attack is the number one cause of songbirds to come into my center, including hummingbirds.”  

"Window strikes and getting caught inside homes (or) buildings and having them starve (are) the next ways they typically need help,” she added.

The Harrisville center just recently restarted intakes despite falling short of a matching donation.

“While we didn't reach our match goal, I raised enough to take animals for a while … so I'll do all I can,” the center posted on Facebook.
The center is not state- or federal-funded to provide care to area wildlife. It relies on donations to be able to admit and treat wild animals.
​
Donations can be mailed to SSWRC, 889 Farren Surrena Road, Harrisville, PA 16038. Folks can also donate through PayPal directly to rehab@skyes-spirit.com or cash app $SkyesWildlife.

​More information about the center can be found at skyes-spirit.com.

​Helping wildlife might just mean opening your wallet a little. That’s just the nature of things ‘round here. ​

Drought conditions in the region and throughout the state have improved according to the latest map issued Thursday, Aug. 3, by the U.S. Drought monitor site. All of Venango County was out of the moderate drought category while the top half of the county lingered in the abnormally dry state. Roughly 56 percent of the county was listed as abnormally dry. 

Meanwhile, area rivers and creeks monitored by the United State Geological Service's gauges were at normal levels for this time of year.

Actually, the gauge located on Oil Creek at Rouseville showed slightly higher levels this year compared to the same period last year. On July 31 of this year, the creek was at 2.9 feet compared to last year's mark of 2.09 feet. It was also interesting to note that on July 29 of this year, the creek crested at 5 feet. 
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The Allegheny River at Franklin also peaked on July 29 at the 5.1 feet mark, according to the gauges. It too posted levels higher than last year. As of Aug. 3, the river was at 3.4 feet compared to 3 feet last year.
French Creek at Utica’s level of 3.17 feet was better than last year's 1.78 on Aug 3. 

Nonetheless, July's rain totals for Franklin of 5.57 inches were above the normal 5.32 inches. A rain total of 1.65 inches on July 27 was most likely responsible for the hike in river and creek levels on July 29.
However, the year-to-date accumulation of 26.63 inches for this year fell short of the normal precipitation of 28.07 inches. 

Despite the supposed gains in rainfall, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection was maintaining a statewide drought watch.

The declaration came after a July 27 meeting of the Commonwealth Drought Task Force
 “While not required, residents and non-farm businesses are encouraged to voluntarily conserve water by reducing their nonessential water use,” said a press release on the issue.

Meanwhile, the National Weather Service's Climate Prediction Center's eight to 14-day outlook was forecasting above normal precipitation for the region.

Will we see enough rain to reach a "normal" amount of rain?

​Only Mother Nature knows and she's not telling. That's just the nature of things 'round here. 

Meanwhile, the garden and its blooming flowers provided a bouquet of textures and surprises. Sunflowers, black-eyed Susans and bee balm all appeared to have hairlike structures on their petals. 

Not to be outdone by the moth wing motifs, a magnified photo of a turkey feather displayed a fairly uniform design. 

While the microscopic views of wings and petals were fascinating, they failed to compare to the sights I saw in just a couple drops of pond water.

There were so many creatures.

Trying to identify them was quite a challenge for me.

​I managed to track down a cyclops.  "Cyclops is one of the most common genera of freshwater copepods, comprising over 400 species," www.inaturalist.org said on an identification page.  
Other underwater critters' identities still eluded me after several hours of internet searching. 

Meanwhile, I've been logging some specimens for some homegrown crime scene investigations. Gathering hair samples from all the pets, I planned to track down the culprit behind future vandalism and destruction of my property.

However, their hair was pretty much everywhere. So, locating the exact perpetrator will be tough.

​That's just the nature of things 'round here. 

​I inadvertently ended up in a bit of a "jam" this past week.

I posted a photo of a female hummingbird on a Facebook page for Pennsylvania birdwatchers. The hummingbird had perched on an oriole feeder that was filled with grape jelly.

Amid the comments of “cute photo” was a warning about hummingbirds and grape jelly from a group based in Antigo, Wisconsin.
 
“Earlier this week Raptor Education Group Inc. (REGI) admitted three adult ruby-throated hummingbirds from different areas, within a two-hour period.

"They were covered in grape jelly.

"One patient was deceased on arrival; the others are alive but struggling,” the post claimed.
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The post went on to take to task the practice of providing grape jelly to orioles instead of orange slices.

“Grape jelly was a convenient energy food as it is a ‘semi solid’ substance even in colder temperatures and easy to keep contained in a bowl. It provides a quick source of energy during migration. But then…for whatever reason, the use of jelly … morphed into a multi-species, year-round jelly feeding frenzied fad. A problem in hot weather is jelly ‘melts i.e. liquifies’ somewhat and therefore more available to adhere to the birds body, feet and feathers,” the post continued.
​
REGI debated the feeding of high sugar jelly verses the healthier orange slices. ​

​“It would be good if we could stop feeding jelly to birds year-round,” REGI posted.
However, the group also mentioned that “Bird safer jelly is available at specialty stores such as Wild Birds Unlimited. These stores work hard to assure safe food and safe feeders as well and will evaluate their safety”.

The group went on to write that they “are in the process of figuring out why this is happening to hummers in particular, but do not have all the answers.”
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The post had many, many shares and was even picked up by some news outlets. However, my search of the internet didn’t turn up any more jelly-related incidents other than the three hummingbirds mentioned in the post. 

​So, I reached out to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology in Ithaca, New York, and received a response from Project Feeder Watch Assistant Anne Marie Johnson.

“We saw the same story you did, and like you, we aren’t aware of other examples of this sort of thing happening,” Johnson wrote in an email.
​
“Nevertheless, we generally recommend only feeding birds foods found in nature or foods manufactured by reputable suppliers specifically for feeding wild birds. We recommend feeding orioles nectar or fresh fruit like oranges or cut up grapes,” Johnson penned.

​“Any processed food produced for human consumption can have ingredients that are dangerous for birds or that have not been tested for safety in wild birds. One exception is table sugar for making nectar, which has been tested and found to be safe for hummingbirds and orioles,” she added.
​
She additionally pointed out that the REGI post mentioned that “some wild bird food manufacturers are producing jelly for feeding to wild birds, including Wild Birds Unlimited, and those products should be safe.”

​So, for some backyard birders the jury may still out on feeding grape jelly to orioles. However, there are some options to a potentially harmful substance to both hummingbirds and orioles. I switched out some of the jelly for some cut up grapes and they quickly disappeared from the feeder.

​That’s just the nature of things round here.  

Everyone has heard the saying "Life is short." For some insects, this means that their time is up in mere days not years. While researching identities of some of the region's silk moths, their brief time as adult moths came to light. 

While on one of our daily walks, I came across a torn and tattered Luna moth and wondered if it was at the end of its life cycle?

"As with many other silk moths, Luna moths do not feed as adults. The food (energy) for the adult stage is stored during the caterpillar stage," said a post on the Clemson Cooperative Extension's Home and Garden Information Center's site. 

"Luna moths live approximately one week after emerging from the cocoon," the post continued. "Once females lay eggs, they die."
​
After some more research, they are not the only moths that live only to breed.

At the end of June I came upon an imperial moth. A few days later there were two imperial moths. 

A post on mothidentification.com, provided some additional information on the colorful creatures.
​
The post said the adult lifespan is about seven days and the moths like the Luna moths, don't feed as adults.
​
"When the wings are opened, they appear yellow with brown, purple, and red blotches. 

When the wings are closed, the color remains the same, the spots partially visible. The male and female imperial moths are a little different from one another regarding color patterns.

While the males are heavily marked with patches and spots, the female moths appear more yellow," the post continued. 

The average wingspan is from eight to 17.5 cm. 

The piece listed the moth's season in the north as from June to August. 

​Meanwhile, hummingbird moths unlike silk moths do feed. Mostly on nectar. 
​
A post on www.hummingbirdsplus.org said, "... the lifespan of hummingbird moths is much shorter. The longest living moths live up to seven months whereas some of the species live as little as three to five  weeks."

"Butterflies have a very similar life cycle to the moth. They hatch from their eggs, go through multiple instars as they outgrow their caterpillar form, and eventually form cocoons.

After they emerge from their cocoon, they must dry out their wings for a few hours.

This makes them identical to moths in just about every way," said different post on ​a-z-animals.com.

The post explained, "However, depending on the species of butterfly, most butterflies only live an average of a week to a month. Moths seem to have a longer life span in some respects, but it all comes down to the species and what they go through." 

I additionally looked up the lifespan of dragonflies. Many sources said their lifespan is about six months. 

"This however is not true as when you investigate how long do dragonflies live, the shortest the life cycle of a dragonfly from egg to the death of the adult is about six months," said a post on www.learnaboutnature.com. 

"There are even dragonflies that live for several years as aquatic larvae before they emerge and live for a few months as adults. Most dragonflies don’t die of old age but are caught by predators.  Even if they do survive, they still don’t live much longer than a few months," the post continued.
​
The post added that dragonflies "... will spend only a very short part of their life span as actual adult dragonflies. They will live as nymphs for up to four years, molting their skin between eight to 17 times depending on the species, and finally when they mature into adults, they can only live for a few months."

​Meanwhile in the plant world, lifespan are possibly a little longer.

While the lady slipper blooms may be done for this year, the actual plant can live for years. 

​"Pink lady’s slipper takes many years to go from seed to mature plants. 

Seed-bearing harvest of wild lady's slipper root is not considered sustainable.
Pink lady's slippers can live to be twenty years old or more," according to a post on www.fs.usda.gov.

Short or long, life is what you make of it. That's just the nature of things 'round here. 

​While the region gained some ground in terms of precipitation, it remained in a moderate drought according to the US. Drought Monitor’s map released Thursday, June 29.  

A narrow swath in the middle of the state had a few counties listed as just abnormally dry, but most of western and southeastern Pennsylvania were still in a moderate drought.
​
However, river and creek levels showed improvement. According to the United States Geological Survey’s gauges the Allegheny River at Franklin, Oil Creek at Rouseville and French Creek at Utica were at normal levels. The Allegheny River at West Hickory was listed at below normal levels for this time of year.

Precipitation-wise Franklin was slowly seeping up to normal levels according to climate data provided by the National Weather Service.

The total accumulation from January until June 29, was listed at 21.06 inches with the normal range being 22.14 inches.  
​
This June’s monthly total, excluding June 30, was listed as 3.87 inches which was shy of the normal total of 4.70 inches for June.

The forecast for the area over the next several days includes the possibility of showers and storms.

Perhaps July’s pending rainfall will be able to help the region leave the moderate drought designation behind.

​That’s just the nature of things ‘round here. 

Wednesday's weather brought low visibility, bad air and some different smells. 

An air quality alert was issued for western Pennsylvania and was in effect until 12 a.m. Thursday. 

The alert was issued by the PA Department of Environmental Protection.
​
"A code red means air pollution concentrations are unhealthy for general population. Try to minimize outdoor activities while under a code red alert," said a post from the National Weather Service office in Pittsburgh. 

Chief Meteorologist Eric Wilhelm, who is based in Youngstown, Ohio, posted on his Facebook page Wednesday that it was “Very likely that today's air quality is the worst our region as a whole has experienced in the 21st century.”

A Facebook post from meteorologist Chris Easlick with WNEM-TV5 of Saginaw, Michigan, was shared many times on Wednesday.
​
Easlick was able to get some information on why the forest fire smoke didn't necessarily smell like wood smoke. Easlick gained the information from a contact at the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy who asked their toxicologist for an answer on the burning plastic smell from the smoke.
Here it is from the toxicology department:
‘Wood fires emit a lot of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Most of these VOCs are noticeable to our noses as the familiar "campfire" smell, but they break down quickly when exposed to UV radiation from sunlight. Other VOCs like benzene, formaldehyde and acrolein are also released and they outlast the "campfire" VOCs. It's these chemical compounds that you're smelling as the smoke wafts around for a few days and settles to the ground and reaches your nose," Easlick reported in his post. 

Meanwhile Wednesday's view across the hills of Fertigs was just some trees and mysterious shapes in the haze. It was a far cry from last week's picturesque farm scene.

​That's just the nature of things 'round here. 

Those with outdoor plans for this weekend were most likely not delighted with the high possibility of precipitation in the forecast. However, the U.S. Drought Monitor map released Thursday still had much of Pennsylvania listed as in a moderate drought. While last week's rain didn't improve the situation in much of the state, a few regions saw an upgrade. Areas in the northeastern part of the state, the southwestern corner and Cambria County were listed as abnormally dry rather than in moderate drought. 

The precipitation that fell last week appeared to have temporarily lifted river levels. However, they have fallen back. The United States Geological Survey's river level gauges on Thursday listed the Allegheny River at Franklin and West Hickory at below normal levels. Oil Creek at Rouseville and French Creek at Utica receded to much below normal.

Specifically, the Allegheny River at Franklin has remained steady at around 3 feet. The reading for Thursday evening was 2.91 feet. 

June’s rains brought the region closer to normal level of 20.99 inches for this time period. As of June 22, the National Weather Service's data for Franklin was listing a total of 19.04 inches. How much rain will the region receive this weekend? Will it be enough to lift the state out of the moderate drought designation? Only nature knows. That's just the nature of things 'round here. 

Despite some rainy days, the region was still in a moderate drought, according to the U.S. drought monitor map released Thursday, June 15. However, the cutoff date for the date for the graphic was Tuesday, June 13. So the map did not include the rainfall that the region received after that. 

While there was a chance of rain forecasted for Tuesday, a drought watch was issued by the Pennsylvania Department of Environment Protection on June 15.
"While not required, residents and businesses are encouraged to voluntarily conserve water by reducing their nonessential water use ... No county is in drought warning or emergency status at this time," the DEP said in the news release. 

For helpful information, see this Penn State Extension guide. Or just set out a bucket to capture water in the event of rain,and reuse it to water plants or the bird bath."

​The release also mentioned the threat of fires during the dry times.
The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources urged Pennsylvanians to be aware of increased fire risk.
​
 "Low precipitation has dramatically increased the number of wildfires in Pennsylvania this year. There have already been 1,400 wildfires reported statewide so far in 2023, compared to 1,036 in all of 2022. This year’s wildfires have burned more than 8,500 acres, compared to 2,700 acres in 2022," the release stated. 

Meanwhile, the neighbor's pond has been a hotspot for deer lately as the vernal pools and spring springs have been drying up. 

Will the region continue to dry out or recover from drought conditions? Only Mother Nature knows for sure. 
The National Weather Service's Climate Prediction Center's eight to 14-day outlook for June 25 through July 1 called for slightly above normal precipitation. However, Mother Nature tends to not always follow the forecasts.

​That's just the nature of things 'round here. 

In 2013, Franklin received 1.97 inches of rain in May. This year’s rainfall in May was only slightly higher than that total with two inches of rain measured.

According to a chart on weather.gov, the normal precipitation for May is four inches. Last year’s rainfall was 5.27 inches.

So, it was no wonder that this May appeared to be very dry.
​
In 2017, the highest total precipitation for May was reported as 6.91 inches of rain.

​However, a quick check of the airport weather station on Monday only showed a total of .47 inches for the day. The weather service additionally predicted more rain for Tuesday evening. A graphic put Franklin in line to possibly receive .46 to .95 inches of rain. ​

​Hopefully the weather system that was forecast to bring rain to our region will also bring relief for the wildfire-stricken parts of Canada.

The smoke from the raging fires prompted several air quality alerts across the state last week. The region was lucky compared to Pittsburgh, Philly and other parts of the state where Facebook posts showed photos reminiscent of a red Martian landscape.
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The dry weather additionally elicited a few special weather statements in the past weeks about burning and the possibility of wildfires. Gusty winds and low humidity were unfortunately the perfect combination for the threat of fire.

​As I sat there Sunday night waiting for the rain, I watched the radar with dismay as some of it went around my location. However, it did seem like it was headed toward Canada where there was no doubt that the rain was needed the most.

​That’s just the nature of things ’round here.

Those words suggested a direct call to action that cannot be postponed.

Several sites said once the window was closed the opportunity was gone forever.

I found this to be true as I waited for the orioles and hummingbirds to appear for photo-ops at the feeders.

They would not come forward if I had the sliding glass door open.

​They would venture close if I had the door completely closed. So I seized the opportunity and took photos through the glass. While they weren't as crisp in focus as I like, I found that the glass acted as a filter. It kind of put an artistic blur on the photos. Plus, things may have been better if the window was clean, but I have slobber dogs. 

On a side note, my memories on Facebook brought up two photos from two different years that both featured snow on the hummingbird feeders. Ironically, they were both taken on May 9. Fortunately, this year no snow on May 9. 

Unfortunately while I was able to use a window for photo opportunities, they don't provide good opportunities for birds. There were multitudes of articles about bird-window collisions. An article titled "Opening the black box of bird-window collisions" on Science Daily delved into a study by ​researchers from Western University and Purdue University on the subject. 

That's just the nature of things 'round here. ​