I had a chilling note from someone who read about the raccoon that visited us the other night.  This person knew of someone in a major city that came upon some raccoons eating a dead cat, so warned us it is wise to keep Woody inside.  I guess if a wild animal is hungry and desperate enough, they'll do whatever is necessary to stay alive.  We will be careful about Woody, just the same.  It's always comforting when he's "inside for the night," even though we know he doesn't think much of the idea.

We went to Hardwick and Wolcott today - our recycling day, and I had stops to make to pick up some items for our Silent Auction on October 18th.  It was beautiful all the way over and back, and we enjoyed the ride.  Just after turning onto Brickett's Crossing Road from Route 215 coming home, we spotted a really big flock of turkeys crossing the road.  We stopped and waited while a couple of slow pokes rushed to cross and catch up to the others, and got some pictures.  We estimate there were at least 40 or 50 in the flock.  Even these two pictures didn't capture all of them - some had already headed into the woods on the right side of the road as when they spotted us.  Within a matter of a minute or two, they had all disappeared into the brush at the side of the field.  There were all sizes, but they were all headed in the same direction.  I don't know who their leader was - he/she was out of range of our sight and camera by the time we stopped and realize there were so many.  They simply melted into the underbrush.

It was beautiful most of today, and warm.  This afternoon we're seeing the rain clouds overhead and it looks like it will be a rainy evening, possibly into tomorrow.  But then we'll have good weather again, according to the forecast.  It's too bad Cabot's day to host Fall Foliage isn't going to be as nice as we've enjoyed lately, but I'm sure everyone will enjoy all the interesting things planned.  A little rain will bring out even more colors, but I hope we don't have a lot of wind because even with no wind at all the leaves are falling quite rapidly.  Our Washington hawthorn has completely turned and just today began to drop leaves.  They will be all gone in a day or so.  The small maple behind it on the left was showering leaves this afternoon.  They don't hang around long.