It's that time of year! Our pumpkin topiaries that were made in-house last year are back in front of the clubhouse. My only wish is for the bears to ignore these pumpkins. The local nurseries are low on pumpkins and corn stalks because early shipments were destroyed and eaten by bears. The bear situation is worse this year because acorns and berries are minimal due to the spring we had. Food is scarce for the bears so they have no choice but to turn to garbage and other food sources.
While I am on the subject of fall decorations- many stores in Highlands carry garland and wreaths made of bittersweet this time of year. Although it is very attractive, please ignore this stuff for the sake of our natural environment. Bittersweet is incredibly invasive and once those brilliant red berries germinate in the soil, the vines are near impossible to eradicate. They will kill native rhododendron and other shrubs; not to mention it is an eyesore. Below are 2 examples of what bittersweet looks like. Bryson's Food Store, for example, sells it outside as you enter the store.
