Fall or Fell?

     Most of the leaves have fallen from their branches but a few remain.  Traveling the Gunflint Trail  now visitors are greeted with splashes of bright red against a green pine tree background.  The Mountain Ash Trees are full of red berries and stand out in stark contrast with the rest of the forest. 

     Wildlife and tracks of wildlife can be seen all over.  Resident moose, deer, fox and grouse have been leaving tracks along our road.  The other morning on a walk the snow buntings were teasing Rugby.  They would flitter up into the air as Rugby got close then land a few feet away.  When he got closer they would fly up into the air again only to land just out of his reach and take flight as he closed the gap between them.  This game continued for quite some time without causing Rugby too much grief.

     The snow buntings play this game with vehicles too.  The only problem is vehicles are faster than Rugby and sometimes they don’t quite make it into the air before being struck by a vehicle.  The buntings are just here on their way south and won’t stay for long.  Once the snow covers the ground they will continue on their journey.

     Fall is here and will be gone before we know it.  Old Man Winter is just chomping at the bit to greet us on the Gunflint Trail.  I’m sure he’ll be giving us a taste of snow one day real soon and then before we can get out our shovels out of storage the snow will be here for good.  Better get the plow on the truck and the boats out of the water, winter is on it’s way.