Leaves and Stuff

It's fall here in North Dakota and it's beautiful.  I take Shakk Ti on extra long walks every afternoon and just amble along the Greenway and watch the river (which is really high due to recent rains) and feel the cool wind pull the leaves from the trees.  There's nothing quite like leaves rustling as they tumble across the ground. 

Shaak Ti loves it as well since it's the height of squirrel activity, they're scurrying around making winter preparations.  She gets to run and bark and bark and run, pulling me along and chasing them back up their trees.  It's good fun, and good exercise for both dog and human. 

The park near our house.  Slowly cooling temperatures have allowed for the traditional leaf color changing, contrasted with last year where it got very cold very suddenly and many trees dropped their foliage quickly, without the requisite change to yellows and oranges and reds.  This year is very different.   

The back yard.  This wouldn't be much of an exceptional picture if not for the fact that I mowed this yesterday evening and it was fully leafless.  This is the leaf accumulation in less than 24 hours.  Impressive.  It goes without saying that we have more fall leaf raking chores on our dance card.  

The front yard, same story.  This was totally clear yesterday evening.  Notice how the Grandmamobile stands as a silent sentinel over the yard.  It makes me feel safe.