Getting ready

Yesterday was the last nice day we're going to have for a while, according to weather forecasters. It was sunny and bright, and I got out and raked up some leaves in the afternoon. Earlier we spent most of the day in the kitchen, cooking lunch and getting some food items like turkey legs processed for freezing — in other words, we cut them up and packaged them in meal-size servings.

A fog bank hugged the river valley yesterday morning.

It was brighter than usual when I took the dog out for a walk yesterday morning. That's because of our time change. I actually went out an hour later than I'd been going recently because we fell back an hour. Our time difference with the U.S. East Coast is only five hours right now, not six, and eight with California instead of nine.

Spiders have been busy.

I noticed spider webs absolutely everywhere out in the vineyard yesterday morning. There was morning dew and the sun was sparkling off dewdrops, making the webs very visible. I assume the spiders are trying to catch as many bugs as possible right now, fattening themselves up for the winter. Laying in supplies, maybe.

Sunday sunset

This Monday morning a hard steady rain is falling. It's not very cold, but I needed to turn on the heat to take the chill off the house. By mid-week, temperatures are supposed to be down to or even below freezing. There could even be snow, especially in the mountains south and east of us, but maybe even as far west as Saint-Aignan.

October's last gasp

The calendar doesn't indicate it, but according to nature November has arrived. The mayor and her husband got back yesterday afternoon from their trip to California and the Far West, where the weather has been gorgeous. I bet they are not happy campers this morning.