It's snowing !!!

[Ghost in the Machine]

39. A lot have already dropped, without changing at all, *Some* are starting to change now, along with

the temperatures, but nothing like they have been for the past 13 years that I have been back here though. I also haven't noticed any of the Fall blooms yet, either... although my nose has been running like the Energizer Bunny for the past 2 weeks.

Friday afternoon I walked down to the edge of the woods line in my back yard (I live on 15 acres, mostly wooded) and checked the 2 huge Oak trees that are usually LOADED with acorns so heavy that the branches are sagging, and not ONE acorn in sight. It's less than 50 feet from my back door to the woods, and usually at night, with my bathroom window open before it gets too cold, I can actually heard the deer feeding on the acorns. It's a very distinctive popping noise, if you've never heard it (I don't know if you're a hunter or not). My son was with me, and I looked at him and said "it's going to be a bad deer season this year... no acorns!". I haven't hunted but maybe 3 times in the past 3 years, as I have a tradition of being in the woods every Thanksgiving Morning... come rain, sleet, snow or sunshine.

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. It's the ONLY ONE that they haven't been able to over-commercialize and ruin. I love sitting out in Nature, reflecting on the year that is about to pass by, and just watching nature happen. I don't care whether I see a deer or not. I like seeing the sun come up and watching the woods come alive... turkeys coming down from their roost, various birds coming through, watching the squirrels & chipmunks play, and occasional fox that comes through. I often see deer, but never shoot, too. *If* and when I do shoot one, it's for meat in the freezer to help cut down on grocery bills. I haven't taken a shot since Thanksgiving Morning 2010. It was a lean year then. This year will be too, especially with no COLA on Disability and Social Security. Grocery bills have gone through the roof, but at least right now gas is below $2/gal and the Power Rates are supposed to be going down.

Sorry for going off on the rambling tangent to a simple question, too, so I will end it here...

Peace to you and yours, Lars39

Ghost

***Edited to add: *** I just checked...at 8:34 AM, it was 31 degrees on the front porch thermometer!