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The White-wing crossbills are back. I don't know where they spend their summer, but the fall spruce cones sure draw them in by the dozens. While hubby and I were working on my new greenhouse this weekend, the trees suddenly started dropping spruce cones on our heads. Upon closer inspection, it wasn't the trees, but the birds plucking the cones and dropping them. I called for a break and we grabbed the binoculars to inspect the feathered bombers. This is the first time I've seen the crossbills since last fall.

The red-breasted nuthatches, pine siskins, pine grossbeak, and chickadees shared the same tree. All were doing their best to strip the spruce of it's cones. Lucky for them, there is a bumper crop of cones this year.

Rose

Wow, Rose, so close! Is it really fall weather there already? The evenings are definitely much cooler here and some of the maple trees have already begun to turn. I've already started collecting my first fallen laves! However, our days can still be pretty warm; just yesterday, it was very humid, muggy and quite warm (hair frizz weather! <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> ). I can't wait for that, too, to pass. I LOVE the fall weather!

Yep, fall comes quickly in the frozen north. *grin* Our morning temp. are in the high 20xs (F) or low 30s (F). The day temp. are still hitting the high 50s or low 60s (F), but that won't last real long. We can get snow as early as October first.

Rose

Speaking of weather...We are getting RAIN!!!!! from Hurricane Francis. It started yesterday evening and has rained non-stop through the night and all day to day. Supposed to rain until Friday afternoon. Our pond was at draught stage on Tuesday, about 2 feet below our dock with a ring of mud about 5 feet wide around the pond. Now the water level is touching the dock floor planks and there is no mud border around the edge. It's pouring out of the overflow pipe into the spillway pond and a wide stream is flowing down through the valley. I'm glad the pond is up, but I don't want it to flow over our driveway and wash away our new gravel.

Speaking of collecting leaves,Shelley. I was out in the rain this morning collecting leaves for an art project to do today. I had on my new raincoat so I stayed pretty dry, but it was pouring while I was out there.

I haven't noticed the birds collecting things so much as I've noticed our squirrels busy at work. Fall isn't really showing its face yet here, but it is letting us know it's around the corner.

Lucky you Rose!
Seeing crossbills!
We have none here in western Ohio..
I must say your 'frosty' forecast sounds pretty inviting to me!
I have had it with the summer heat! :rolleyes:

Fall is definitely coming. It's just barely making it to 100 during the day and the mornings are in the high 70's. Soon it'll be cold enough to wear a sweater. I remember my mom making us wear sweaters under our Halloween costumes and us complaining the whole time, LOL.

Ooo...that reminds me, I have to check out the "kid potential" for my new neighborhood and see how much candy I'll have to buy.

Marian

Marian, I remember the "cooling" of fall in Arizona. When the temp. stayed below 100 it meant summer was over. Here in Alaska, most children have to wear Halloween suits big enough to fit over snowsuits.

Lois, Hubby and I were just talking about you this morning, wondering if you were getting the rain that we have been hearing about. Keep us posted.

Brenda, our frosty weather is great. I love all seasons, but I think fall is my favorite. We had draught conditions all summer so most of the leaves started turning early. This will give us a much longer fall than normal. Uusually, fall seems to come and go in a couple weeks.

Rose

The rain stopped yesterday morning, earlier than our weather guy predicted. I can't complain about that. Our pond is still up of course, but now it's muddy brown and probably will be for several days. Supposed to be sunny and low 80s for the next 6 days or so. I love that kind of weather. Now I can relax and actually enjoy the new patio now that it's finished - at least my part is. Cap rock for the retaining wall still hasn't come in yet.