Cold Weather Coming

We are about to get our first sustained dose of winter weather. 
I cleaned the ashes out of our woodstove this morning and laid in a nice fire but did not light it.  It is all ready though so in the morning all we have to do is strike a match to the kindling that I laid in under the logs and we will be cozy warm in no time!  I love our wood stove!

 No.  I have not decorated our house yet this year!  (This photo was taken December 2012.)

I had lunch today with a couple of my Saddlebag friends, Deb and Lanette, who were not planning to go to the Thursday ride.  Even though I have lost all interest in riding my horse, I still very much enjoy the fellowship and camaraderie of my Saddlebag women friends.
This is my friend Deb and me (photo taken December 2012). 

And this is my friend Lanette and me (photo taken December 2012)

I couldn't resist adding another photo of the beautiful fall foliage!

 Our little country road is bursting with colors!

Yesterday we had a nice southerly breeze all day and our "resident bird" was all hunkered down in the front yard with its back to the wind and its feathers were still moving in the wind!

 I'm having to point my camera out the window, thru the slats of the mini blind, zooooom in on it so it is not too clear.  If I make the slightest noise from in the house, he flies away.  He flies away anyway after a little while.

Lo and behold this morning when I looked out there he was again with his neck extended checking out the neighborhood!

I thought maybe it has a nest nearby in the woods but my friend Lanette said it is the wrong time of year for it to have any babies so I don't know why it is still hanging around. It better fly south or find somewhere warm to hibernate for a few days because when the sun goes down today the warm air will gradually slip south to be replaced with that cold wintry air that is on the way tonight!

Got a fire in the woodstove ready to light.  I'm ready.