Thursday, October 15, 2009

Seasons

Ahhhhh Autumn.

My most very favorite time of the year.

Cool days and crisp nights.

The smell in the air changes.

Sweaters come out of the attic, jackets are kept nearby for those nights when it's a bit nippy out.

"They" predict that it will be a very cold winter. They don't expect too much snow, but it will be cold.

I think the birds, chipmunks and the squirrels are able to predict the up coming winter. I have seen more activity on my bird feeders this year than I have in a while.

At the park where I walk my dogs I have been picking up extra hickory nuts and black walnuts to throw down for them.

One over appreciative squirrel came up to my back door this morning looking for more I think. Thank goodness Margie wasn't there. You would have heard her scream from whatever part of the world you are reading this from!

I try to feed them on the other side of my fence to discourage them from coming in the yard. #1 - because I'm afraid the dogs will kill them. #2 - Margie isn't a big fan. She has a bit of sciurophobia! (I think this is a made up word but someone actually has a website about it. of course)

I even found a video called "Fear of Squirrels" by a group called Scarlett Angel. There aren't any real words to it, just a lot of crazy music. Perhaps it is supposed to be symbolic of what someone feels when they see a squirrel?

Anyway - where was I?

Oh...winter. Cold. Furry animals stocking up.

Hibernating.

Winter appeals to the lazy part of me. Staying inside bundled up. Snuggling. Not doing a whole lot of anything.

School will keep me busy. Painting I hope will as well.

I will probably blog on a more frequent basis since I won't be outside as much.

By March I will be going stir crazy and looking forward to Spring again, but for now...bring on the Autumn and the Winter!

I think I'll go up to the attic and get down all of my mothball smelling "winter" clothes so I can air them out a little.

Yeah...this is good.

3 comments:

8thday said...

In my neck of the woods (upstate New York) I predict a bad winter by the number of pine cones and acorns falling. (nature providing for the little critters I suppose) And we are having a bumper crop. Better get the thermals out soon.

Shazza said...

8thday - yes. I've seen a lot of them as well.

Stay warm!

neetzy said...

I go by the number of nuts on the ground. The walnuts, hickory nuts and acorns are piling up. I cannot walk through the woods without crunching. As far as I am concerned, The Old Farmers Almanac does a lousy job at predicting mid-Atlantic winters. There used to be one in Lancaster that was more accurate. I predict cold. I also think there will be more snow than last year. Heck it is October 15th and there is snow just north of us already.

Disclaimer: No scientific methods have been used to base my hypothesis.