Signs of approaching winter

[rmb...@istar.ca]

The most obvious sign is that the leaves are mostly down. Sheesh!
That was fast, enjoying the colors one minute and then whooop!
They're down, except for the oaks and beech.

Baxter the Backyard Bunny, my resident snowshoe hare, didn't take long
to catch on that I'm feeding the birds, which means seeds spread
across the patio. You can see in the photo how he's transitioning
into his winter coat. (He? She? I don't know for sure, just in the
habit of calling things of unknown gender a he. At least my white
tailed deer have the decency to sport some horns.)

I'm throwing in a shot of a purple finch just because he's such a
pretty boy. Birds too usually have the decency to indicate he or she.
I've had 2 pair show up at the feeders, I'm hoping I'll get a good
flock like we had 2 winters ago. The juncos have been plentiful since
early September, there's a swarm chowin' down on seeds I throw out on
the driveway by the front door.

Rose-Marie, north of Perth Road Village