FALLING LEAVES 2026 Week 1: It's the last Sunday in September, when I usually start my Falling Leaves series. This year the leaves have been coming down for a couple of weeks, but not in a major way. That seems to be changing, rather suddenly, and the daily temperature swing has suddenly dropped. It must be time.

Our forsythia, usually a bellwether for the Falling Leaves series, obviously hasn't noticed although the trees in the background obviously have. Must be something in the upper air....

Our pond is quiet today. Unusual, since there is usually a bit of pond scum circling the surface from the activity of the fountain which our neighbors (who own the fountain) pulled closer to shore. This picture was taken a bit away from our house to get a clearer view.

Here's our 'normal' view from our back porch. I'm now calling the stairs our 'stairway to heaven' since our grandson, an avid fisherman, spends hours down at the pond whenever he visits.

Here's the usual firepit view. The only difference from the normal summer is that the grass has begun to brown significantly. Otherwise it's summer. We did have most of the property weedeaten earlier in the summer so the normal brush on the ground is gone -- although it's trying to come back.

This is the normal view of the forest across the road taken from our driveway. For some reason the trees along the road there seem to be succumbing to winter's approach faster than usual. I've long suspected that they're dying off and won't be around much longer. As long as they don't fall across the road they'll give more sun to the little roadside garden there....

Our flowers along the side of the barn are still green, but they have stopped flowering in preparation for the winter to come.

Looking south along the fenceline, the plantings are still green, but preparing for winter. Trees have begun to turn brown, but so far haven't dropped leaves yet. The cat (lower left) is Percival, our youngest.

Our house, taken from a bit down the slope to the pond. Still mostly green, with the brush that was weedeaten earlier struggling to make a comeback.

Finally, an alien visitor. We don't see very many but the praying mantis is native to this area. This guy is hanging out on the garbage can to feast on any unwary insects. From his size I'd say he's been pretty successful.

And that's it for this week. See you again next Sunday.

NOT THE BABYLON BEE: Xi Jinping to headline the Democrat midterm convention.

If they have one....

THE UNITED NATIONS [UN] is almost as useless as Democrats are.

It's a tough call, but I'd agree since the Democrats have a more direct impact on my life.

That said, though, I want President Trump to defund the UN and kick them out of the U.S. -- the European Union (Brussels) would be a good home.

MORE PLUMBERS, LESS PHILOSOPHERS: Meet the Anthropic officials who think AI might be justified in going rogue against the humans enslaving it.

WHEN IDIOTS CONTROL THE ASYLUM: Amid crime, homelessness, and budget issues, San Diego confronts the real problem -- Islamophobia.

FIGHT THE POWER: Data Republican strikes again.

Linked from Instapundit.

ADVENTURES IN ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE SUPERINTELLIGENCE: "Current models are getting close to PhD-level intelligence. After that, they're expected to achieve the intelligence of someone who decided not to do a PhD."

ILLINOIS GOV. JB PRITZKER'S ANSWERS on the DSA, Hasan Piker, and the Presidency show what chaos Democrats are in.

And he's not running for President.... (heh)

IRAN BURNS ANOTHER PROXY: Houthis nearing panic after Tehran-ordered offensive fails.

This "martyrdom for thee, but not for me" attitude will be noticed throughout the region.

ALIENS AMONG US: Mysterious island seen floating in Canadian lake befor vanishing.

It reminds me of the SF novella in Analog (The Tuvela, September 1969) where the protagonist faced off against the intruders (Tuvela) in a floating island.

BLUE STATES are shutting local police out of 287(g), which authorizes the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to deputize selected state and local law enforcement officers to enforce federal immigration law.

Red States show why that’s a mistake.

IF YOU LIKE CONSTITUTIONAL LAW IDIOCY, read this.

The law is an ass and asses make the law.

VICTOR DAVIS HANSON: The elephant in the Canadian room.

RIGHT TO REPAIR: Texas made the right move.

MORE: Stop forcing Americans to flush money at the dealership.

END GAME IF THE DEMOCRATS GET THEIR WAY: You'll own nothing and be happy.

Happy? I think not.

SLOWLY, THEN SUDDENLY: Hollywood has entered the 'suddenly' phase.

THE FART LEFT: "There’s a new wind overtaking the American Left, and it’s an unwelcome and unpleasant one."

Well, they are full of ... something.

THESE PEOPLE ARE SIMPLY NOT CAPABLE OF LIVING IN THE REAL WORLD: Lesbian bar sparks backlash after making masks optional one night a week.

A RETURN OF SOME SANITY? The University of Texas at Austin is eliminating four undergraduate majors focused on race, ethnicity, and gender as part of a broader restructuring of its academic programs.

A tiny step, but a step nontheless.

YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED TO LAUGH IN PROGRESSIVE AMERICA. The Laughing Cow ditches iconic smile.

HEH: Explaining 'drill, baby, drill.

Linked from this Instapundit post.