Autumn has quickly disappeared, even if the calendar says it is fall yet, as my pond has a complete layer of ice covering the surface already. Although the ice isn’t thick enough to walk on yet, winter is getting a grip. With a large lake, like Lake Superior, it takes winter months to get a solid hold of its water and some years the lake wins over winter and you can’t walk out on it like these people did.
Walking on Stiff Water
One thing about looking out over a large lake or the ocean, it makes it easier to forgot that there might be snow on the ground behind you (unless of course the ice has already formed on the lake too). Seeing the snow on the ground today did not make it easy to forget that it was cold outside.
Looking Outward
It is election day and I vote for a warmer week but it looks like it will be a loss if the forecast is right. Between the recent rains and melting snow, my pond is overflowing again. Normally the spring snow melt causes it to fill up so this picture almost looks similar except for the leaves haven’t been packed down under the snow and no ice on the pond plus greener grass than in the spring melt.
Fall Overflowed
The precipitation seems to be continuing the last few days and into tomorrow, but the form of it has been changing back and forth between snow and rain so everything outside keeps getting wet.
Wet Oak Leaf
The bare trees are noticeable against the colors of the setting sun, whenever the November days allow the sun to make an appearance and the sky is not filled with snowflakes.
Sunset Trees
During the gray days of November, any splash of color is welcomed and there are some hardy violas near the house which have survived multiple freezing nights to display some smiley faces.
Hardy Violas
There might be some oak leaves still clinging onto the branches even after all the windy days, but they are just a dull brown color now with no hint of red and definitely no green leaves left as a backdrop as the mostly bare trees brace for another winter season.
Color in the Past
Today is All Saints Day, but my little chipmunks are definitely not saints especially after I finished patching the holes in the insulation in the garage from one which got trapped inside over night and tried to dig its way out. They also must be digging out more winter dens as new dirt is being piled high at the hole entrances the last few days. I found a lot of bitternuts they buried in my pots as I cleaned out the flowers at the end of the season.
Not Saintly Chipmunk
Yards have been decorated for Halloween for several weeks, which may have included ghosts, goblins, witches and jack-o’-lanterns. It has been a long time since I have carved a pumpkin.
Halloween Pumpkin
This scarecrow is apparently too cute to scare away the clouds as the gray days seem to outnumber the sunny days this month and it probably won’t scare any kids out for Halloween tomorrow night either.
Cute Scarecrow
