October 30, 2009 - 1
Autumn's grace has left a predominant golden hue over the mountain as our foliage has just passed it's peak. Call it a strawberry blond sort of color if you like. Last week's fiery reds have mellowed and now seem to mix in well with the surrounding yellow, brown and gold tones, leaving a lush covering that I just want to reach out and touch. Meanwhile, the tiny and fun-spirited dark-eyed junco was seen to have returned to the backyard this week. A winter long resident, the happy little junco helps me to overlook the unforgiving cold of the season by finding other ways to appreciate winter's endless beauty.Backyard Tip of the week:
See if you can find a few minutes to spend in your backyard during one of these fine fall days. A few minutes when you can simply relax and enjoy your surroundings. A bit of time when you can shed your cares and really experience the natural world. Maybe bring along a friend and a favorite beverage or other treat. Just head outside and see what's happening. You might hear some unique birdsong, perhaps you'll see an interestingly shaped cloud or something else cool that you've just never taken the time to notice before. Twenty minutes or so is all it takes to refresh the mind and to find your way back to a peak mental state. Call it your own personal backyard zen retreat. Try it, you're sure to love it!
Backyard sightings for last week:
Including northern cardinals, blue-jays, brown creepers, song sparrows, tree sparrows. Carolina wrens and Carolina chickadees, catbirds, mockingbirds, house finches, goldfinches. Red-bellied and downy woodpeckers. Northern flickers, white-breasted nuthatches, tufted titmice, mourning doves, crows, grey squirrels, red squirrels, chipmunks, skunks, bunnies, ground-hogs, and a pair of bull frogs spotted at the same time in the pond, but one of them is shy and usually jumps into the water upon approach.
Continued on next page...
October 30, 2009 Part 2 - Cool Sightings
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