Scattered Seed

It’s getting dark early,  but it doesn’t yet feel like fall.   The temperatures have been up,  last week in the 80’s,  today in the 70’s.    The morning fog keeps the birds away,  then,  as it lifts,  they appear in great numbers,  especially the house sparrows, goldfinches,  and house finches.   George hung four cobs of corn on the twirler yesterday,  and it was comical the way three blue jays would perch and peck at them,  and be sent into a twirl when one  hopped off.    I counted 13 species in view of the backyard this morning.   A newcomer is a yellow-bellied sapsucker,  which took two days of observation before I was certain of its identity.     Our flowers continue to blossom,  but I pulled the remaining rhubarb that looked sad and spindly.    A few more tomatoes might turn before a frost,  so we are letting the plants be,  a little while longer.