The Chill-i Is On...

It is much cooler at night now (50s and 60s) but still in the upper 80s during the day. Birds don't care about temps. They just know it's time to prepare for winter. Maybe it has something to do with the angle of the sun's rays refracting through our atmosphere or maybe not. Trees are losing leaves, dogs are growing longer and fuller fur coats, blue jays and cardinals are looking for a well stocked backyard to visit when food is scarce, squirrels are squirreling away nuts, and I get to enjoy a lot of the activity from my kitchen window. I live in a densely populated subdivision (2,800+ homes built from the 1970s through the early 2000s). We attract several species of woodland creatures because of the many dedicated forest areas featuring meandering streams and hiking paths where no more homes will be built. Almost every homeowner here has some sort of wildlife feeder in their yard. Varmints are tolerated because they are seen as part of our neighborhood eco-system. On morning walks I have seen armadillo, opossum, rabbit, raccoon, mole, shrew, small deer, and if I let my chi-weenie off leash, I might see a lot more while chasing her. I am loving the respite from the torrid temps of this past summer. My freezer is stocked with food, meant for cooler weather, that I made in my crock-pot. Time to heat up the chili.