Fall Color

I realize that the fall color is pretty much done here in SW Ohio, but my computer died a couple of weeks ago, so I didn't get a chance to post these before. My river birch--planted my first year here, it has thrived in its location, in spite of this summer's drought--and one of my rosy barberries (with a cotoneaster hiding behind)--just the greatest color!

Deer Strike Again

Look what he did to my poor baby weeping willow! As if the poor tree hadn't been through enough this year, between being turned into an archway by the ice storm and thirsting through the drought. At least the damage doesn't go all the way around the trunk. Then, look at my poor dwarf Alberta spruce! I have never seen a deer rut on an evergreen, so I didn't think to protect it.

The neighbor says she has lived here 40 years and the deer have never come up so close to the houses. They decimated her lilac bushes, too. And her weeping cherry. Not to mention the damage they did to our flowers and veggies all summer long.