FINALLY FALL

Fall has finally arrived here on Possum Lane. For the last couple of days, the colors have been brilliant, or at least as brilliant as they get here. No, we never get the awesome reds of the maples up north and the bright yellows and oranges appear only sporadically here and there, but that makes them such a nice surprise when they do happen! A few trees lost their leaves a couple weeks ago so there are only a few leaves left on the biggest dogwood out back. This is from a week ago. The redbud is down to a few dozen big pale yellow-green hearts. The berries are “reddenin’ up for the winter.”
All the early fall camellias are in full bloom now, even Yule Tide has started to bloom though it seems a bit early. The frost got the coleus last week and the Strobilanthes next to St Francis has turned black. The Strobilanthes with the sweet potato leaves next to the carport (last post) is still beautiful, but who knows for how much longer.
It was in the mid 60s Thursday morning and calm. I went out to feed the cats wearing only a shirt (and jeans!) It was 65 and calm at 10 AM, but 52 at 10:30 with a good rain falling and winds between 20 and 30, gusts at 42 mph. Wow! By noon, the winds were clocked at over 60 mph at the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel and restrictions went up. As I was feeding Spook and Punkin, a big flock of Snows went over. If you watch carefully, you can learn the difference in Snow Geese and Canada Geese by looking at their formation when they fly. Then there are Brants – the sloppiest formation of all! If you get good at it, you can even learn which is which by the sound as they talk to each other as they fly along. Did you ever wonder what they are saying? Are they coaching the youngsters? Encouraging the old timers? Or are they pointing out the featherless bipeds on the ground and commenting on the plight of the earth-bound? Do they have someone who keeps track of the ponds and marshes along the way or which fields have corn that hasn’t been plowed under yet? Do they notice the tender wheat just coming up? Oh, that might be good for a snack!
As I looked up to see how many geese were flying over, I noticed the colors had changed drastically since yesterday. I grabbed my camera and walker and headed out to get a pic or two before the coming storm blew all the leaves off the trees. The brightest reds out there were poison ivy leaves going up a tree at the edge of the woods. I really did not have the energy to try to get out there, but it was a pretty red. I guess I will have to settle for this bush out front.
The Adirondack chairs are covered, the grill is in on the carport. I am starting to fill more birdfeeders each week as the winter crowd starts to settle in. the “butter butts” have moved on (Myrtle warblers,) and the winter robins have moved in.
Wednesday, as I sat on my walker in the sun enjoying the last of the 70 degree weather we will have for a while, one of my nuthatches sat in the bayberry bush and sang and sang. I was amazed at the range of songs that little fellow had. I had never paid much attention to their song before or I did not know who was doing all the singing.
The squirrels are planting pecans in my yard. My only pecan tree is just about 12 feet tall, much too small to produce any pecans, but I have pecans all over the place. Well, OK, so maybe I saw a dozen here and there, but still, that’s a lot for not having any pecan trees. I kept hearing a strange sound, one I was not sure about. It went on and on. I tried to move as quietly as I could to see who it was. The squirrel with a pecan in his mouth was probably saying some unkind things to Punkin who was on the ground ignoring him but watching the sparrows as they kicked up the leaves at the edge of the yard.

Ah, the sights and sounds of autumn. I think I enjoy it more than Springtime!