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.