Rusty

What a difference a few days make. Last week it was hotter than the devil's pitchfork and today as I sit on the side porch with the ceiling fan running, I got a little bit of a chill. I can hear a squirrel down in the hollow barking at a trespasser of some kind. They are checking their winter stashes of acorn and hickory nuts. Soon they will be battening down the hatches awaiting cooler weather.
Another sign that fall is just around the corner is the humming birds. They are in a feeding frenzy at my front windows. I used to think it was a change in the weather that started them on their journey southwards but I've learned it is the amount of daylight that causes them to hit the road. I guess the little critters needed something much more predictable than the weather.
I also read that you should keep your feeders out even after they seem to have left because often there are birds that get a late start due to an injury or for some other reason. I used to think that keeping the feeders out too long would encourage them to hang around too long and get caught out in the cold. A little bit of information solves a lot of mysteries.
The Overalls are playing a gig at Moonlight Music Friday night and I'm a little apprehensive. Taking a two year sabbatical had its advantages in one way, but it takes a while for a band to get back into the groove. I've been practicing a lot, but distance keeps the three of us from practicing together as much as we would like.
We're headed to Helena tonight to practice a while. Hopefully I'll feel better after a few more intense hours of jamming.