I’d hoped to squeeze another week out of the nice weather before I had to dig out some of my more delicate plants.  It didn’t happen.  Last night we had frost.  Now I have to find the time and energy to dig out all my black elephant ears and calla lilies. 

     Today I had planned to move some of my tulip bulbs to another part of the garden.  However, after discovering a trail of bulb crumbs that led to the base of the magnolia tree, I found that the squirrels had beaten me to them.  They had not only dug up and eaten the tulip bulbs, but they’d buried peanuts in their place.  Someone is feeding the tree rats again.  Not only have I found buried peanuts but also there have been walnuts, hazelnuts, and Brazil nuts.  The squirrels raided my tomatoes.  They absconded with all we had left on the plants.  All of them still green, but we’d looked forward to having those fried.  They even sampled one of my jalapeño peppers.  The blasted tree rats are eating better than we are. 

     The pups keep trying to catch the squirrels but have found gravity doesn’t help them when it comes to climbing trees. 

     We’ve begun to prepare the pond for the winter.  Sometime this week I’ll drag the netting from the back porch to cover the pond and keep out most of the leaves.  I’d better hurry because the leaves are dropping faster than the temperature.  We found out that we have to keep the netting raised about three or four inches from the ground, so the frogs can move about until they go into hibernation.  Last year the bullfrogs were not amused when we had some temperate weather and they couldn’t leave the pond to hunt.  I had to raise the edges of the netting to allow them access.