Saturday, I cleaned geese and ducks in the garage. Down feathers flew everywhere. It took selective sweeping to collect them all.

Sweeping down feathers is like trying to make sense of Herman Cain's positions.

But I digress.

This morning, the neighbor's car was covered with heavy dew when the meathead and I set off in the darkness. Coming back in the half light before dawn, frost glistened on their car roof. I was tempted to write a message.

But I suspect nature has written a surer message.

Not sure which is the surer sign of the transition.

Duck/goose down blowing or frosty mornings?

Nothing stirred this morning, not sure if it was the weather change or the earliness.

Even more hedge apples littered the ground on the back side of the pond. There's got to be at least four dozen. So many hedge apples are piled in a bowl for my wife that I no longer pick one up each morning and bring it home.

If there's truly magical powers in hedge apples, our house belongs in a Harry Potter movie.

Did I hear flurries later this week in one forecast or was that just my imagination.

Checking the list of transitions, and checking it twice.

Guess it is time to dig out the gloves. Or at least put the kids to raking leaves.