Signs of the Season

So it is barely the middle of September, but I think I saw snow falling on the top of Mt. Olympus during our last rainstorm and the temperatures are below 50 degrees at night already. My gut feeling is that we are going to have a much colder winter this year, with snow levels dropping below 2,500 ft.

While I am not the Farmer's Almanac (my father worked there as a Marketing Director ages ago), and I have not seen any fuzzy worms, I have had a fair amount of accuracy forecasting weather trends. Not that anyone has any records of mine, but I just seem to sense it and I respect that intuitive feed.

I have a friend over in Hong Kong who says it has been unseasonably hot, but he doesn't live there full time so he doesn't know what that means. I think the weather patterns are all 'calli-whumpas' (turned about and upside down) because Mama Gaia is trying to sort out some things. Kind of like when you had fall cleaning and threw things around when you weren't sure what to do with them.

But all summer has been cooler than normal over here, lots more small craft and gale warnings in the Juan de Fuca Straits, and now we are getting a smattering of rain showers and plenty of cloud cover to make the temperatures plummet at night.

Canadian Geese in the Solmar Pond, Sequim, WA

I usually do not bring out my heavy duty down comforter until after Halloween, but I am not sure I will last that long since my present covers have little warming capabilities. And my cats have found their own cozy places, so I don't even have them cuddling up to me anymore.

Female mallard duck among the geese; didn't see her mate.

The ducks and geese are leaving enough feathers floating on the nearby pond to make a least one down pillow, possibly two.

That usually means they have new (pin) feathers coming in and in the effort to break the casing, they knock out older ones.

I remember when my birds were moulting how they preened and groomed significantly more often. And there were lots of feathers flying around.

Lots and lots of sleepy geese; worn out from flying south?

Whatever is going on, I am aware it is cooler, and I'm still hoping for some warm fall days. There are still some trails I want to walk and places I want to explore.

I recently saw a photograph of Thorndyke Lake in Jaffrey, N.H. It was reflecting some beautiful foliage, but my sister tells me that they've been having a drought and the colors are no where near as intense as they might be for this time of year.

So, find your color where you can, get warm, and just enjoy what Mother Nature is throwing at us... she is always full of surprises!

Already September? Fall is coming...

I am not entirely sure what has happened to summer because now the leaves are falling and we're back to cool temperatures again.

And the inside contra dances have started which is better for me since dancing in the dirt is hard on my back... the resistance of the ground is too much. But here are some photos of the last summer contra dance at the Sequim Library and I love how the late summer sun enhances all the colors that everyone is wearing.
 

Dancing bare feet, kicking up dirt and dust, a delight to watch
and once it was a great joy for me to do, too.

And now I'm over in Issaquah with my daughter's family, shopping for school clothes, kids heading off to school, helping to carry some of the burden since my son-in-law has to connect to family this week out of town. I'd forgotten the stresses on all as the summer routine fades into a more strict one for the fall and winter. Plus now there are 14 of the month-old chickens to add to the mix. It's been a little exciting at times!

There are other changes in the air, but it's too soon to share any details just yet. Enough to say that while I've been happy on my own this summer, it always adds a little sparkle to have a glimmer of more to come.