What Is That Sound?

For the last few days I have been hearing a wonderful trilling call. I only hear it two times a year. The first time it thrills me as I know spring is truly here but this time it sent a chill and a dread through my body. Fall.... Fall... Already? Where did the time go? How can it be fall already when I have so much to do? The tomatoes have not yet yielded up one delicious ripe fruit and yet the call I am hearing is unmistakable.

I went back to peeling and coring apples for canning with a bit of a heavy heart. For many Fall is a lovely season filled with beautiful colors and wonderful harvests. There is no disputing that. For me however, Fall while beautiful is also brief and heralds the time of mind numbing cold to come. I refuse to think about it. It can't be fall yet! The trees are still as green as the tomatoes on the vines.

The calls came again and I in my desire to ignore them turned up the radio and bent my head to my task. Not half an hour later Mountain Man burst through the door, told me to grab my camera and my boots and hauled me out the door. This is a normal occurrence here. He will not allow me to wallow in my self pity but insists that every day, every moment must be enjoyed for what it is. So, we ran... and ran... Across the field which is almost a good quarter mile wide, him spryly and making silly faces at me while I huffed and buffed behind him angry with myself for being out of breath. When did I get so out of shape? Then we stalked silently through the woods and to the edge of another field being careful, so careful, not to make too much noise. There they were! Those shy birds we only see in passing. Sigh.... How can I feel anything but joy at the sight of them? Sandhill Cranes. Wow! I wish my pictures would have turned out better. Perhaps today I will take the time to try to get closer.

With a wing span of up to 7 feet these are huge birds!

At first we thought there were only a few of them. We were so wrong! There were at least fifty scattered throughout the field.

And then we got too close and they took off.

On the way back to the house we spotted this flock of geese heading South. It is official. Fall is here. Sigh.... No more pity parties! I will enjoy every minute of it!