Plan your vote, then vote your plan!

First the important news: our early voting ballots have arrived. We (the Better Half plus your friendly local blogger) will soon fill them out and then either mail them or return them in person when one of us goes to pay the second half of this year's property taxes. Some of us (no naming names) had been getting concerned that the ballots hadn't arrived "yet" but that's because, until recently, we had been spoiled by timely mail delivery.

The morning's rain has moved on. Fluffy clouds and sunshine, and autumnal warmth, now prevail. This is the kind of afternoon we should can or bottle and stock up on for late January and February. Female ruby-throated hummingbirds are still visiting the sugar water feeders. Leaf color on the local maple trees is rapidly increasing . A week ago the tree to the right showed almost no color and the one on the left had only a small patch of orange/red showing. Sometimes changes are incremental; others they are sudden and radical.

local maples showing more color

Photo by J. Harrington

Last night at full dark, much later than usual, we brought the bird feeders in. That's when we noticed, perched in the bird bath, illuminated by the deck light, a gray tree frog. S/he's someone else that one day will disappear for the winter. According to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources:

Some gray treefrogs spend the winter in a partially frozen state under leaf litter, rocks and logs. People often see them on windows on summer evenings where the frogs feed on bugs attracted to the lights inside.

 

gray tree frog in night-time bird bath

Photo by J. Harrington

Most Minnesota winters yours truly often feels partially frozen himself but that's a different story I suppose, since I don't have to wait until spring to thaw out. We believe last night this frog found the bird bath an acceptable autumnal substitute for hanging out on a window.

The mums we planted along the North side of the drive seem to have survived the transplant trauma rather well. We'll see about some pictures next week since some of plants haven't yet developed a full crown of flowers. 'Tis a season of change we're enjoying and many of us hope it will lead to a radical change.

America

Florence Earle Coates - 1850-1927

Patient she is—long-suffering, our Land;
   Wise with the strength of one whose soul is calm
Weights and considers, and would understand
   Ere it gives way to anger: fearing wrong
Of her own doing more than any planned
   Against her peace by others deemed more strong.

Mother of many children alien born,
   Whom she has gathered into her kind arms—
Safe-guarding most the weakest, most forlorn,—
   The mother’s patience she has learned to know,
Which passes trifles by with smiling scorn—
   The mother’s hopefulness, to anger slow.

Yet, oh, beware! nor, over-bold, presume
   Upon a gentleness enlinked with Power!
Her torch still burns, to kindle or consume,
   And ’gainst the time when she must prove her might,
Vast energy is stored in her soul’s room—
   Undreamed of strength to battle for the Right!

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