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
The sun disappeared very early in the day but it did peek out very briefly near sunset just long enough for a rainbow to shine in the sky.
A Brief Rainbow
The sun was playing hide and seek today and when it felt cooler in the blowing wind when the sun was lost behind the clouds.
Sun Peeking Out
The rain last night and the rain coming tonight will probably wash more of the fallen autumn leaves downstream.
Leaves Washed Away
The pine trees are also shedding needles now too, even though they are evergreen trees, but pine trees can hold their needles for 2-5 or more years, depending on the species and spruce tree hold on to theirs 5 to 7 years. The white pine is more noticeable with its needle drop as it only holds its needles for two years so the ground is covered in needles, which makes a nice place for this mourning dove to stay dry from the light rain under the branches.
Dove in the Needles
Some of the mighty oaks are still hanging onto their leaves even though the strong winds have stripped some of the other varieties of trees bare.
The Mighty Oak
The neighborhood was filled with machinery sounds the last few days from combines harvesting soybeans and corn and tractors picking corn as farmers try to get the crops in before the rain moves back in.
Corn Picking Before the Rain
