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Category Archives: The land

The chainsaw fights back

Monday, September 9, 2019

The severity of the overgrowth from the woods and old blackberry stalks is directly proportional to how long Ken has been away from the abbey. He had been away for quite some time, so the overgrowth was serious. Even the weed-whacker on wheels is defeated by blackberry stalks, so Ken took the chainsaw to them.

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They’re doing well

Saturday, August 3, 2019

The white deer is now well known in this area and is frequently seen on game cameras. I had not had a chance to photograph her in a while, though. She came through this morning with this year’s fawn. This would be at least the second year that she has raised a little one, and […]

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A training ground for Highland hiking

Wednesday, June 5, 2019

Looking south from the crest of Hanging Rock, with mist, just before rain Though North Carolina’s Hanging Rock State Park is only a 15-minute drive from Acorn Abbey (through the picturesque little colonial town of Danbury), I don’t think I’ve ever written about the park here. These are iPhone photos that I took this morning. […]

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Two kinds of light

Sunday, April 21, 2019

On a rainy day this time of year, it’s hard to stay away from the windows. Above, rain is falling, and the windows are wet and a bit foggy. Below, it’s the morning after the rain, and the sun has come out. The woods are rapidly turning green, but the leaves are only about half […]

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2019 Garden: Here we go

Sunday, March 24, 2019

The first garden chore of the year is to clear, and then to burn, last year’s dead weeds. That got done today. The next garden chore of the year is the first tilling. That will get done tomorrow, ahead of a light rain that is due to start about 5 p.m. After that, the next […]

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All’s well with the white deer

Sunday, March 24, 2019

The white deer came through this morning, accompanied by four or five other does. The abbey sits in a little valley, and I’m pretty sure that the white doe and her friends and family never venture across the ridges. She is well known now in this area and is frequently seen. The photo was taken […]

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A chicken story with a happy ending

Tuesday, January 29, 2019

One of many feathers found at the scene I was sitting at the computer upstairs when I heard the chickens screaming. I dashed to the side porch, slipped on my shoes without tying them, grabbed a broom, and ran toward the orchard yelling. The battle was happening on the far upper end of the orchard, […]

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Where the squirrels live

Sunday, January 6, 2019

Shot with a 200mm lens from an upstairs window. Click here for high-resolution version. From my upstairs office window, during the winter, I can see deep into the woods, up to the top of the next ridge, and down to the little rocky stream below the house. I also can watch the squirrels going about […]

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The white matriarch

Friday, December 21, 2018

A troupe of five does passed through the yard this morning, with the white deer in the lead. She has been around for at least three years now, so she seems to have become a matriarch. I don’t worry too much anymore about her getting shot. It’s my understanding that all the hunters in the […]

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How do the birds know that snow is coming?

Saturday, December 8, 2018

Photo update: Snowmageddon arrives: A file photo taken here in March 2014 — a cardinal While looking out the upstairs windows with Lily this morning, it was apparent that the birds were unusually active and agitated. The traffic into and out of the arbor vitae trees was particularly busy, as though the birds are laying […]

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