October 14 It's Autumn...Same Rain, Different Season

It's been raining all week. Not storming, just that gray, cloudy, dreary rain that pisses down from the sky all day long. I've worked the midnight shift the past two nights. As I try to sleep during the day, the dogs drive me crazy. So I took advantage of a small window with no rain to take them for a walk in Jurgensen Woods. This tree was the only tree that I saw where most of the leaves have turned already.

 

These giant seeds were all over the ground along the trails. The dogs didn't mind but my old man white boy ankles took a beating as they twisted repeatedly on the walk.

The constant drizzle of rain for the past three days should be perfect for the mushrooms. This beauty was about 8 inches across. Once again the dogs were covered in stickers & burrs. I never even saw a plant with them but the dogs found every one along the trail.I usually say fall is Chicago's best season, but our year long miserable weather continues. The temps have been in the mid 40's for the high so far this week. That has to be about 20 degrees cooler than the average. Winter is already in the air.