D.P.P. Update with a Mystery

If you've been reading my blog for some time you know of my battles with deer.  This year I implemented my Deer Protection Plan (D.P.P. described here) and have had remarkable success.  Read that as still having leaves on my hosta at this date.

Today I noticed one hosta had been munched.

So I looked closely and could see that the fishing line was dangling between two trees. 

No other hosta had damage.

 I thought maybe the deer reached its neck over the brush fence to chomp this one hosta.

The rest of the fishing line seems to be in place.

But there's a mystery. At the other end of the yard in the perennial garden 

the clematis which has been blooming so lovely shows chomping. 

 

There's even a petal on the ground.  

Hmm.  Deer?  Ground hog?  If it was the latter it wouldn't have stopped with so little eaten.  But if it was a deer why didn't it eat the Autumn Joy 

in the same garden 

or any of the hosta on the way over to the clematis?

  

And how did it remove itself from the backyard with all my fencing and fishing line?

It's a mystery that will unlikely be solved.

UPDATE: Friday morning

Well, it's definitely the deer because hosta that were fine yesterday are leafless with only stalks showing.  The deer have made it through my defenses BUT it took them this long to do so.  In all that time I had the enjoyment of my plantings.  These hosta would be disappearing shortly any way.

This is the hosta to the left of the swing in the photo above.

Rare Bird Sighting in Baltimore

We took a walk along the harbor in Baltimore on Saturday morning courtesy of our friend, Lois.  

Despite the morning fog the day cleared off and it was quite nice to walk from Canton to Fells Point and back.

Along the way we saw several people training long lenses at something across the harbor.  Our curiosity was piqued and we asked.  Brown boobies had been sighted by a birder.  Well, the story shared was that first an unknown bird was sighted, then the captain of one of these ships, sent a message (maybe a tweet?) that brown boobies, a bird of the tropics, were hanging around the lines between the ships.

Not having a telephoto lens here are my photos.

Here's one courtesy of the Baltimore Sun.

(Jerry Jackson/Baltimore Sun)

What a funny spot to take up residence far from their usual haunts.  Wonder what's next in store for them?

Go here to see more photos in the Baltimore Sun

Joining Wild Bird Wednesday

Butternut Squash Soup

We hosted a Cards & Canapés Party last night.  Everyone had a wonderful time eating and learning the card game 3-13 Rummy.  

I served canapés in courses throughout the evening beginning with butternut squash soup, meatballs warmed in grape jelly and BBQ sauce in the crock pot, and cheese dreams.  Most of the recipes I found on line and pinned on Pinterest.

The butternut squash soup is a standby for me and I've long since forgotten where I obtained the recipe.  It was perfect for the cool fall evening.  I served it in small glass punch cups balanced on oval glass plates.  Seconds and thirds were had by most folks and this one bowl shown below is all that remained.  I had it for lunch today.

The squash came from my garden.  The recipe also calls for parsnips, shallots, cumin, and ginger.  Once cooked and pureed with a stick blender, honey is stirred in and pepper added.  It's served with a sprinkle of sunflower seeds.

Also on the menu:

bacon wrapped potatoes

pigs in blankets,

cucumber slices with whipped feta,

mustard-dill tortellini salad skewers,

 olive crostini.

For dessert:

cantaloupe, watermelon and pineapple chunks on skewers

carrot cake cupcakes.

Sorry I was too busy being the chef to take photos of the dishes.

Random Church

I think I took this photo somewhere in Pennsylvania.  I thought the church was interesting with the three steeples and the arched entrances.  It was a very gray day and this was a photo from the car.

Joining Inspired Sundays.