Feels like spring

I was experimenting with the zoom on my camera, and was actually surprised to catch the cardinal in the lilac bush.

It really does feel like spring! It's sunny and about 70 degrees. I've got my windows open and my sheets hanging on the clothesline. Birds are singing, and we've had so much rain this last week (about 4 inches), that the usual fall dust isn't in the air. The only drawback I've noticed is that there are billions of GNATS. If I go outside, I get covered with them. My sheets are covered with them, too, so I'll have to shake them well before I bring them in.

This is a picture of our red oak in the front yard. I love this tree. I planted it about 12 years ago. Hannah named it something -- Phil, maybe?. I think everyone, including the city, should plant these trees. It grows really fast for an oak, it's drought-resistant, it's pollution-resistant, and it doesn't drop anything annoying (like acorns). Oh, and did I mention that it's gorgeous? And, of course a picture of the boys, just because I can never resist when they're being all cuddly with each other.

We had an uneventful Halloween, with very few trick-or-treaters (maybe 20). So at about 8:00, we turned out the lights and headed to the back yard for a campfire. We even put Basil Rathbone and Vincent Price reading Edgar Allen Poe (Masque of the Red Death and Tell-tale Heart in particular) on the iPod for our entertainment. Now we're finally back to "real time." Damn, why can't they just leave it here.