Beware on Halloween Night.....

.....for who knows what may lurk in the darkened forest!

Today's Sunset

 Today the sunset through the same trees as my last post was more vivid, looking for a short while like there was a fire over the hill.

 

As you can see, still no snow.  In fact, today's temperature was a record at 54 degrees.  No snow is expected until maybe Halloween night, along with some colder temperatures down into the teens and staying below freezing through the day.  I have a feeling we aren't going to beat the record for the latest snow cover set back in 1938, but there's a good chance it'll be second.  And, yes, it would be a good thing to get the snow.  We really do need a good snow cover before the really cold temperatures move in.  It acts like mulch and keeps the ground warmer.  Without it things like septic systems, water pipes, and plants can run into problems.  While it's been kind of nice to have a few weeks of extra fall weather, now it's time for it to be winter.  So let it snow!

Late Afternoon Sky

 This afternoon as the sun was working its way down, the contrast of the blue sky, the white clouds, and the dark outlines of the trees caught my eye.  The first three photos were taken a bit before 5:00.

The mood changed a bit 45 minutes later as the sun  sunk behind the hills.

No, there is no snow on the ground and although it's cooled off a bit, temperatures are still above normal and will be in the low 40s through the weekend.  Next week snow is predicted, but with daytime temperatures above freezing it's hard to say if it will stick.  We are wondering if we're going to have a white Halloween--not something most people expect, but here we do.  The only time there hasn't been a white Halloween was back in 1938 when it took until November 6th to get an inch of snow, and in 1969 it snowed on Halloween.  Will records be broken this year?  I'll let you know.

Rusty Goes For a Ride

 You may remember Rusty, who has sat in a corner of our yard for many years, waiting his turn for a bit of TLC.  

I've taken many photos of Rusty buried in the snow.

 I even played around a bit and printed up a shot for framing and hanging on the wall.

 Well, last week Rusty got to go for a little ride across the yard.

Right now he's sitting next to the shop, and in a few weeks he will likely be pulled inside the shop to start getting some of that TLC he's waited so long for.

I do believe I detect a happy grin on his face!

Still Waiting For Winter

I know it should be here somewhere!

With temperatures 20+ degrees above normal, we're having daytime temps in the low 50s and well above freezing at night and that's predicted to last through the weekend.  Maybe winter will come next week......  

Waiting For Winter

At Creamer's Field, the birds have all flown south and the trees have lost their colorful leaves.  All is in readiness for winter.  We've had a bit of snow several times but we're still getting temps in the 40s.  Many years the snow has already settled in for the winter by this time, but we're getting a little bonus right now.  We had a late spring, so it's very welcome. 

Fall LarchTree

When I was at Wander Lake on the 27th, I took some photos of larch trees.  They are also known as Tamarak trees.  They are a conifer but are not evergreen.  Their needles change color in the fall and they are bare throughout the winter.

They are really quite a beautiful tree.  They grow in the boreal forests throughout Canada and through Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, and east through New England.  Alaska's population is in the Interior, but over 400 miles separates them from the population in the Yukon.

They grow quickly and are one of the first trees to grow where there has been a fire.

They add a great deal to the fall beauty.  I might add that that fall beauty is mostly gone now and the trees are bare.  Our fall weather has lasted longer than most years, but it won't be long before we'll be seeing snow covered trees.  From the weather forecast it doesn't look like it will be happening this week though, with temps in the 40s and around the freezing mark at night.

Wander Lake Surprise, Part 3

I finally caught up with the Swan, back on the part of the lake where I had first seen him.

It was only a matter of a few minutes, though, before he decided to take off.

I love being able to get a series of shots of a takeoff.  In real time you don't see the feet going madly as they run across the water.

A tighter crop shows that a little better.

Finally, lift off!

I followed him with my camera as he flew across the lake.....

......and higher against the trees.....

.....and even higher against the hill in the background.

My last shot was of a speck as he cleared the hillside and headed in a southerly direction. 

In an attempt to make him more visible, I added a Comic filter.  I was intrigued by the resulting circular aura around him.

I hope you've enjoyed chasing the Swan around the lake with me!  I likely won't see any more Swans until they are heading north in the spring, unless I head south too and see the flocks that overwinter in the Skagit Valley in Washington where my son lives.  Click HERE to see Swans in the Skagit Valley.  I've posted quite a few photos of Swans in the spring over the last several years, and you can see those by clicking HERE.

Wander Lake Surprise, Part 2

 After grooming himself for a few minutes, the Swan swam out onto the sheltered corner of the lake.  Although most of the lake's surface was rippled from the wind, in this corner the water was still and provided some lovely reflections.

For several minutes I sat quietly watching him.

The reflected colors were a lovely backdrop for the white Swan.

Ever alert, the Swan spotted someone coming down the trail....

.....and it was time to begin evasive action again.

He kept an eye on the intruder.....

......and paddled quickly away.

He headed back up the lake.....

......leaving me to follow around the lake after him.

He paddled much quicker than I could walk!

Continued tomorrow......