10.10.22
The leaves have started to fall off the maple in the backyard. Usually it’s one of the later trees to go, but this year it seems about on pace, or even ahead of some of the other trees. The cottonwoods in the swampy area down the hill are still mostly green, with just a little bit of yellow and brown tinging the edges. The squirrels have been incredibly active for weeks, but this weekend they’ve seemed particularly busy. I sometimes can hear them squabbling from the kitchen where I can watch them chase each other along the fence and up the trees. I cleaned and refilled the bird bath yesterday and it’s been popular with the chickadees. It’s easier to forget about factors like drought when the weather is cooler and I don’t have to water my vegetable garden anymore, but we’ve been in a period of very little rain for a while. I picked some last lemon balm during the warmer day yesterday also and hung it to dry in the broom cupboard. I still have some from last year, but since my tea consumption skyrockets in the winter, better to have more stored. I saw someone post photos of a wooly bear caterpillar this morning with a huge brown stripe, so hopefully that means the winter is mild. I would be perfectly happy with a less cold, but snowier winter since the winters here have tended to be the opposite in recent years.
