What's happening today 2016?

[ltilton]

Bringing in the potted citrus

[mrsg47]

Same here! Three huge pots. Worst job of the fall season.

[Matt_in_Maryland]

Ugh. I gotta put my potted figs in the basement and I am in total denial like I am every fall. I keep procrastinating…

[brownmola]

Blueberry disease? They all get the same water and fert. I had a lot of glassy winged sharpshooters on them all late summer and fall. The two on the left look the way they should in my climate, the one in the right looks super dry.

[fruitnut]

Maybe stem blight. If dead cut thru one of the stems. If part green and part brown in cross section it’s probably stem blight.

[JustAnne4]

Got a respectable frost last night. All glistened this morning. Fortuinately I did not procrastinate in buttoning up the tunnels.

The plants are now nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of warmer temps danced in their heads;
Protected by poly, a frame and some traps,
They’ve just settled down for a long winter’s nap,

[brownmola]

Thanks will do that.

[Olpea]

Finally convinced my DW to let me bring down a shade tree close to the house (I’m not fond of growing shade, especially close to the house.) There was a tree crew in the neighborhood, so I let them fell it. I burned most of it, but had the sump left. My saw isn’t big enough to take it down to the ground, so I decided to make a seat.

I’m sure it’s been done many times before, but this was my first attempt.

[Auburn]

I would sit on it. Looks great

[Drew51]

I have been gone 3 weeks making repairs to my cottage. The job was bigger than expected, of course always is! I didn’t go fishing and the perch fishing was top rate. I just wanted to finish the darn thing, Then of course the leaves there are enough work by themselves! Most I use in a woodside garden, but way too many fall. The garden has a foot deep of leaves. My dogwood cherry hedge is starting to look like a hedge after 6 years! Nothing grows there well, my property is too shaded.

I may have over did it with the leaf burning!

One week, only one other person was on the island, it was so nice to walk for an hour and not see anyone.

Once the ice freezes the islanders are going to repair this walkway on the swimming dock. All new boards were delivered last week, all oak! We plan to extend the width two feet. We can walk and make repairs on the ice. The railing and walkway will be torn out and we will have a huge bonfire!

A few years ago we had this wall put in to create an area for young children to play. The water is recycled with valves installed in the breakwall.

[Matt_in_Maryland]

Drew, what an incredible place you have there.

[ltilton]

What a nice lake community!

[Drew51]

Drew, what an incredible place you have there.

Matt, it’s not only the place, it’s also the people. A wonderful group, we are all very close. I’m very lucky to have that kind of support.
Here is North Russell Drive, the other road was South Russell

The first cottage on the island, build around 1909, the one next to it was the 2nd cottage

Standing at the swimming dock, here is the pavilion we enjoy, have meetings, picnic etc.
That’s my bike.

I’m looking forward to working on the dock this winter, it will be cold, but the company of my fellow islanders at the project will be very warm indeed.

[Olpea]

Wonderful picturesque island Drew.

Your quote, “One week, only one other person was on the island, it was so nice to walk for an hour and not see anyone.” had me wondering how you keep theft off your island.

I hope it never comes to despoil such a beautiful community, but with all those beautiful cottages, I can’t help wonder how you keep the thieves away in the off season when nobody’s there (I can’t even keep thieves out of my orchard overnight.)

[mrsg47]

Very peaceful and beautiful, Drew. Enjoy it!

[Drew51]

Across the river is Walpole Island. it is Canada, and an Indian reservation. Once some kids from there broke into a bunch of places. We caught them and turned them over to the Indian Council of Walpole Island. The Walpole Indian council said they would take care of it, and they did. Now crime is very rare. The Border Patrol, Homeland Security, the County Sheriff and the Coast Guard are all over the place. Nobody is getting across the border here. I see them almost every time I go up. The whole river is under video surveillance. If you have a boat on the island, you usually get pulled over a few times a year. Once a gentlemen of Middle Eastern descent in scuba gear swam from Canada to Russell island. Homeland security arrested him on the island. The world is way to small for me these days. It’s not as it was, and never will be again.
It’s still is very serine, and I feel like a charged battery ready to handle winter after my stay there. We rush to get there, and once there, say ahhh, on island time now. It’s still like that, thank God.
Here is how many come, our private ferry. This is not a public boat, no public transportation to the island. No public facilities at all, none, nada, zip.

Once there people make carts, use golf carts, or bikes. It’s OK to borrow a cart, just return it promptly.

[Matt_in_Maryland]

Your morning gut-check:

Get those plants in the ground, folks! It will only happen if you do it yourself.

[subdood_ky_z6b]

Nice place, @Drew51. I bet it gets REALLY cold there in the winter, yes? Did you get some snow there over the weekend? I was watching the Mich St game and it was snowing pretty good there on Saturday. Didn’t you say you have wood heat for your cottage?

I was looking at Russell Island on google maps, and yes, you are right on the Canadian border. It looks like the nearby town of Algonac is a decent sized place. I saw a Kroger’s, a DQ, a NAPA and a Lumberjack’s Building Center- just about all that you need! Do y’all catch a ferry from Algonac over to the island?

I meant to ask what kind of fish y’all have in the St Clair. Any trout, muskies or pike? Has/does the river ever freeze over in the winter time?

[ltilton]

Found Pacific Rose apples for sale first time this year

[subdood_ky_z6b]

Well, Winter seems to have arrived here, it was 25 this morning, we had a couple of mornings last week’s in the 20s. That took out the last of my pepper plants.

But, we also had some days in the 70s last week as well until a front blew thru Sat morning. It was a cold, cloudy and windy day Saturday. We actually got some sleet about noon that day.

It’s been deer rifle season here for the last week, another week to go. It felt like deer season out there last last couple days in the blind, cold and windy. Saw a deer Sat evening and a couple last evening.

Leaves are just about all off the trees here, maybe 75% are bare now, with a few splotches of red on the hillsides. After hunting this morning, I hiked up to the hill behind our house, it’s quite a climb, maybe a 400ft elevation rise, over rocks and thru piles of leaves and occasional briar patches. Had some very nice views up on the ridge, could see maybe 5mi up and down the valley. Patchy clouds, but mostly sunny. Very calm and peaceful up there.

Came back down the hill, and fed the dog. Gotta work on my Accord, the ABS, and Traction Control lights came on recently. So, I took it out for a drive and made a bunch of sudden stops and the brakes seems to stop the car well. Just don’t have the anti lock system working for some reason. I’m wondering if our local mice have got in there and wreaked some more havoc!