Fall is coming...really

According to the weather forecasts in the paper and on the radio, our extended summer will be ending this week. Today is supposed to be in the 80s and humid, but by the end of the week, it is supposed to be only around 60, if we are lucky. Sounds good to me. I am ready for cold (although, considering that winter can last until April here, maybe I shouldn't be so eager). I haven't seen the woodchuck in a week or so - can he be hibernating already? Probably not, but he will be soon. The Canada Geese are leaving in large groups, so maybe they know something. The gold finches that I saw at my feeder in August and September also seem to have disappeared, to be replaced by chickadees and sparrows. The cardinals and blue jays are supposedly the only birds that stay all year. We'll see.

Anyway, I am going to take advantage of today's weather and will be spending time in the yard - raking up some of the first leaves of the season and planting the bulbs that I bought. The major drop of leaves hasn't really started, but our driveway is covered. Most of our neighbors seem to use a leaf blower several days a week to remove every leaf - or at least to blow them into the road, where they just collect in the gutters. Ugh. I know they can save time, but I can't stand noisy power tools, and I don't see that a few leaves on the drive hurts anyone. The bulbs are a mix of tulips, daffodils and hyacinths. I just hope the squirrels don't dig them all up, looking for the wild walnuts and horse chestnuts that they have buried.

The baking continues today also. I have a loaf of sourdough rising on the stove, and plan to bake that crostata. Several people have suggested Benjamin take some of the baked goods to his office to share with co-workers, but that will definitely not be happing with the crostata! Luckily, it isn't really large so we can eat the entire thing, and once in a while can't hurt, right? Just to be on the safe side, I am heading out for a bike ride first.