I made it to the trails and back yesterday before the rain began falling.  The pond at the end of the drive way is usually filled with waterfowl but there was none to be found.  

The green poplars are changing to a brilliant yellow.  The wild rose bushes add a pop of color to the underbrush with their reds, oranges and yellows.  Their branches are filled with ripe rose hips that the birds have not yet picked.  The dogwood is laden with bunches of white berries.

Some of the trails have been mowed; ready for the first snow and the beginning of the x-country ski season.  A carpet of fallen leaves covers the freshly mowed grass.

I could smell autumn.  There are specific odors associated with the season.  The smell of the wet leaves and the ripe cranberries signals the beginning of fall and the time when Mother Nature slows down and readies for a winter nap.

Wildflowers are still in bloom.  Purple asters seem out of place amidst the earthy colors that are appearing along the trails.

I heard woodpeckers in the tree tops.  A raven called from the forest and a flock of Canada geese honked overhead.  The black capped chickadees sang their 'cheeseburger' song as they flitted from branch to branch collecting seeds.  

Rain began falling in the evening.  It was and is much needed.  There has been close to 2 inches that has fallen and it is still raining.  

It will soon be time to put my yard to rest for the winter.  I harvested my lone pumpkin from the garden bed and picked a handful of berries from the strawberry patch.  The scarlet runner beans are still blooming but the hummingbirds that feasted on the red flowers have left for warmer climates.

I love the laid back lazy days of fall and the sounds and colors that signal that autumn is here.