Surprise! There is snow on the ground and it isn't even officially autumn yet.
The forecasted snow arrived and snow it did; non-stop for 4 days. It was a good thing that the ground is still warm. Most of that fluffy white stuff melted. We sure needed the moisture but the timing of it was really bad for the farmers that are trying to get their crops harvested.

The snow blanketed the uncovered lawn furniture and woodpiles. It stuck to the shrub branches and bent them over. It made a mess in my yard but it sure was a beautiful sight on the hiking trail.

Most of the waterfowl from the pond are gone but the local birds and animals didn't miss a beat as the flakes flew. A bull elk grazed along the shoreline of the pond. A black backed woodpecker flew from tree to tree in search of a tasty snack. Squirrels scampered up and down the towering spruce.

Back at home, the perennials are still blooming but were wearing a coat of white. The blue jays were busy hiding snacks in my flower pots. The rain barrels were overflowing with water coming off the roof as the snow melted. I couldn't do anything in the yard so it was a great time to light the woodstove and cozy up inside.

Today was the first day in the past week that I could get out and empty those full water barrels and put away the garden decor. There are a lot of tasks on the to-do list to ready the yard for winter. Here's hoping that this was just a little teaser and that winter doesn't decide to arrive early.