November Leaves

Our house turns 40 in the new year. We bought an old house because we wanted old trees, and boy do we have trees. We've removed eight, and still have plenty. It takes us about 50 black garbage bags each fall. It's a lot of raking, but our kids dig in and I love that they work with us. Plus in the summer, we have plenty of shade.

I went to Portland to visit family and friends last month, and caught their leaves just falling. I'm sorry, but no matter how beautiful my leaves are all over my yard, nothing compares to NW leaves. All of the leaves in this picture are from the same tree!!

Also while I was there I saw the dark-eyed junco for the first time. It's a small sparrow-like bird with a dramatic black hood that pecks at seeds on the ground. The females have a dark circle around their eyes (me too!), and they both have white streaks down the sides of their tail that shows better in flight. I'd never seen them in Utah until last week. They started showing up in our backyard. It must have taken them a few extra weeks to migrate this far inland. I love watching them and wondering where they spent the summer.