I watch the birds fly south across the autumn sky

October 21, 2009 | Iowa,Weird things

For just a few hours one day in October, my yard was filled with thousands of birds. When I first pulled into my driveway, I noticed the grass in my yard was black. Then I looked again. My grass wasn’t black. My grass was covered with black birds. As I neared the garage, they flew off in a mass. I parked the car, grabbed my cameras and followed them around the yard.

They flitted about and flew from tree to tree in droves. It was fascinating and a little creepy in a Hitchcockian way.

They were so high in the trees, I figured there was no way they could hear me over their own noise. But as I walked through the yard, it seemed as if I disturbed one and set them off to swarm away in a group to the next tree. At that moment, the chirping would stop, and all I could hear was the fluttering of wings. (I’d also get that dippy feeling in my stomach that maybe I should duck or run for cover.) Then the chorus would start again.

I listened and watched for about an hour. By the time I brought the kids home from school, all the birds were gone.

There’s a full moon rising, let’s go dancing in the light

October 17, 2009 | Iowa

So the season of the fall begins

October 16, 2009 | Iowa

More fall colors. Before the snow.

Leaves are falling, autumn leaves are falling

October 13, 2009 | Family,Iowa

Before I was so rudely interrupted with it’s-still-fall-dangit snow, I had lots of fall colors to share. We took a road trip Sunday to the Mississippi River — we’re only a couple of hours away. We fed the fish in Decorah. We also had lunch at a pizza place in Decorah, apparently home to lots of Norwegian-Americans. We also stopped in Marquette and McGregor. It was tons of fun. I’ll post some now and some later.

I’m having a few, and I’m wishing summer were here

October 12, 2009 | Iowa,Winter

Because it snowed this morning, my son said, “Today is the first day of winter!”

Yes [*glower*], it SNOWED this morning. Although, the first snow was two days ago. A record. Or something.

I replied, “Well, no, actually, the first day of winter isn’t scheduled for a while yet. It’s still technically fall.” And I tried not to think about how long this winter will be if it actually starts today. Because it’s not like spring will come in February to compensate.

*sigh*

This is what they looked like just three days ago.

Oh, September grass is the sweetest kind, it goes down easy like apple wine

September 30, 2009 | Apples,Garden,Iowa