happy first day of fall, ya’ll!

yes, it’s september 23rd and my favorite season of the year is finally here!
there is a definite “change” in the air here on the west coast of florida.
maybe not as noticeable as our northern friends enjoy.
but the mornings have been cool enough to sit on the porch
and enjoy a cup of coffee. hallelujah!!

we have a large hickory tree that provides us with lots of shade
and its beautiful bark and lanky branches are pleasing to look at.
but the nuts it produces are about to drive me NUTS!!

BUCKETFULS of nuts!

the squirrels must come from all corners of the county

to gorge themselves on the delicious nuts…

{well, at least i assume they are delicious since we have never been able to eat one} and in the process they leave a royal mess.

every september we go through this and end up with a patio filled with stains from the nuts. lovely isn’t it!?

 the first year we pressure cleaned, bleached, and scrubbed with no success… the stains remained.  once the tree sheds its leaves, the sun will bleach away the stains over the winter season. go figure!

anyone know a humane way to eliminate a tribe of squirrels or sterilize a hickory tree?