Another fall morning on the back porch that luckily actually feels like fall. Whispy clouds hide in the first light color. The sunrise should make them pop. The stars are fading rapidly in the lightening bowl of the sky.

Birds are singing. Crows are cawing. The whistling ducks flew over high in a rough vee. A lite ground fog hazes the grass next door. A group of five whistling ducks fly in counterpoint towards the sunrise.

The peculiarities of light… have you ever noted how morning ground dogs are much more prevalent when gazing towards the rising sun. At least it’s always appeared that way here.

It’s really strange, now that I think about it, but the traffic sounds from the bypass aren’t as obtrusive this morning. Though, just now, they are being subjugated by steel wheels on steel rails as a train rolls through town heading toward the coast. Whistle blowing at the crossings. And then, a gunshot cracks the morning… country living.

Watching the lite fog drifting and swirling, rising and falling as the sky brightens, colors building on the eastern horizon. It’s almost as if the fog follows the petroleum pipelines on both sides of my place…

There’s been an absence this morning. Not one hummingbird has made a chittering visit to the feeders. Though, it would be hard to hear them through the ruckus the crows are raising.

The train that roared thru town has now made the turn and is heading off to the southwest down the coast. And as if on cue, a hummingbird alights to have some nectar as the train whistle fades into the distance.

And now the reason for the ruckus of the crows becomes clear, they discovered the roosting place of a couple of red-wing hawks. The whole murder is harassing the hawks to chase them from the area. It’s  a long, loud, drawn out process. As the sun breaks the tree line the cawing begins to slack… but only begins.

And as the sun lights the world my red oak shows a hint of what’s to come in the coming month or so…

Once again, the coffee cup is empty. And I have to wake grandkid number two for another day a virtual school.

Y’all stay safe, stay healthy, and Pray for our Nation and the world. We now have less than one month till election day… Everyone needs to plan their vote and vote their plan. With all of the obstructions our friendly Republican politicians have thrown up for mail-in ballots if you possibly can vote in person and vote early. But, whatever you do… Vote!