My morning walk: Fall

Normally, Bruce takes the girls to the school bus. But today he wasn't feeling well and went back to bed. So I accompanied the girls on the little walk through the woods. Em is off on a sleep-out - have fun, Em!

In the summer, I took you for a walk around Long Point, so today I thought I'd take you along a similar walk on a misty Fall morning.

 I don't know if it's living in the country or living in Vermont, but one of the things I love most about being here is watching the changes every day and throughout the day. These fields were lush green when we arrived, but now the hay is mown and stacked for winter feed - and in the mornings shrouded in mist.

Most of the boats have been taken off the lake now, ready for the ice to come,

Yesterday Bruce and the girls saw deer here as they walked to the bus, but there were none today as I rustled through the leaves. 

In some places the leaves have all but gone. 

There are little creatures accompanying me on this walk. This is a little red squirrel - we don't see them so often here. Most of the squirrels are the big grey squirrels with fluffy tails. the red squirrels are skittery and hard to photograph.

People are leaving Long Point. Only 10 households remain here over the winter. One of the year-round residents tells us they cheer as each summer visitor packs up their boat and heads away.

And so I head back to the house, which we have decorated for the fall.

I feed the birds and the chipmunks.

A new resident in our garden - the American robin

We thought the blue jays were so pretty when we arrived, but locals shook their heads and said they were bullies and thieves. Now we tend to agree - they steal the chipmunks' food and terrorise the other birds

There are many kinds of sparrows here - this is a white crowned sparrow.

And then settle down with my books for the day.