Autumn Anticipation

View of our house from the main road (the dead tree on the left was cut up for firewood)

Our road

                             The changing of the leaves is underway. We love our mountains, the awe-some beauty. Our fall registration for our homeschool co-op classes was yesterday. J will be taking a Zombie Apocalypse class and C will be taking a Day in the Life in Medieval Times class (We just finished our previous session where they both took a Lego Challenges class I facilitated). They had fun playing on the island with their friends and they found a baby snapping turtle. The kids were so excited! Too bad I don't know how to post pictures from my cell phone.

Our beautiful maple tree in our front yard

View from our front yard

 

Leaf couple holding hands



Another leaf couple

Can you see me?

Boo-yah!

Whoo-hoo!

We have been reading a lot about insects and birds. There have been lots of birds at our bird feeders, including chickadees, goldfinches and titmice. We love the chick-a-dee-dee-dee and peter-peter-peter (the titmouse) songs. I mentioned some of favorite bird books in a previous post here.

~Our favorite insect books are:
Science Nature Guides: Insects
Eyewitness Books: Insects
Song of the Water Boatman
Fun with Nature Take-Along Guide
Simon & Schuster Children's Guide to Insects and Spiders
Peterson Field Guide: Insects
National Audubon Society Pocket Guide: Insects and Spiders

The woolybear caterpillar who is overwintering with us (he will turn into a Isabella tiger moth)
 joining the cecropia moth caterpillar already residing here. The boys do love insects!

 

A type of ground beetle

Pregnant praying mantis

 

Fungi under one of our play stumps

It is beginning to stay cool at night, so we have been loading up the woodstove. Soup is a popular meal. Woolies are pulled down from the attic and walking around barefoot is no longer a frequent occurrence. The wood floors can get cold! Hope you all are enjoying the beginning of autumn.

Warm wishes,
Jenny

Edited to add: I forgot to mention the Tuesday movie night the boys had with Daddy and brothers from church. The men's group sponsored a showing of the movie Courageous, along with dinner. It was great for Mike and the boys to have a "boy's night". And I enjoyed my own "girl" time!