Signs of Fall

As the calendar nears November, the signs of fall are visible everywhere across Ilinois as the farmers continue to harvest their crops and the leaves continue to display a splash of autumn colors.

Last weekend, we took a trip to the Mississippi River and toured some various river boats as well as examined a museum detailing a brief history of man's dealings with the big river. It was very beautiful along the river with an abundance of colorful leaves and waterfoul gathering to embark upon their yearly migrations.

Another reminder of the cooler weather is the fact that the house is starting to get chilly! One of today's chores will involve getting the fireplace ready and lighting the first fire for the fall season. We have burned wood for several years and find it a nice alternative to the ever increasing costs of LP. It is a lot of work and as we utilize a fireplace insert in the living room, all the wood has to come in to the house and all the ash has to be carried out! It's somewhat dusty and occasionally I let some smoke into the room when collecting the ash, but it is a warm, cheap fuel.

The boys have chores stacking and carrying firewood from where we store it to the house. I enjoy cutting and splitting wood, although my work in my shop sometimes leaves me little ttime to spare. Thanks to the help of my neighbor and a couple of windstorms, we have more than enough wood for the winter with a random assortment of oak, elm, maple, and birch cut, split, and dried and ready to make heat!

As a final completely unrelated remark to the midwest and fall colors, I just read that Hurricane Wilma has deposited 64" of rain north of Cancun. That's incredible! "The Lord has his way with the whirlwind, and the clouds are the dust beneath his feet."