Red Sky at Morning

The sky donned its Halloween costume at dawn this morning, dressing up as a huge serving of rainbow sherbet. While waiting to put Liam on the bus, we watched the ever-changing hues, tones, patterns.

The driveway oak shook off its leaves like it had no further use for them. Yesterday it wore an orange-brown dress. Today that dress lies scattered in several thousand pieces on the muddy ground. The oak is readying itself for cold weather ahead.

I guess all the work going on around the house and farm is our way of dealing with the changing seasons, particularly the onslaught of winter. The feeder activity has increased noticeably this week. Fox sparrows got in yesterday morning, and the junco numbers have tripled since last Sunday.

As we walked out the drive, I spotted a red bat foraging overhead. The Chinese believe that bats are a sign of good fortune, and that a red bat sighting signifies "vast fortune." I certainly hope so.

Then there's that old rhyming bit of folk wisdom:
Red sky at night, sailor's delight
Red sky at morning, sailors take warning.

I'm hoping that this morning's red sky was just a simple blessing.