The three big white oaks out back back drop a lot of leaves, and today we raked up two trailers-full. Normally, what I like to do is grind fall's fallen and compost them in situ, but the leaf litter in the back yard is invariably smothering, and has to go. (Of course, the method used by our neighbor across the street—wait for a very windy day and then rake upward—is another approach to the problem.)

Above are frosted catalpa leaves, primarily, beneath a catalpa tree in the park. Our oak litter was not quite this heavy.

And, the little lake in town has lightly frozen over, which is, perhaps, a good omen.