September 4, 2007 – I took a two-day trip sailing over to Beaver Island and the weather was beautiful.  We saw a large water snake at the marina, but I have not been able to identify it yet.  The return trip was fun for me as we had strong winds hitting over 30 knots at times and ten foot waves!

Fall is sneaking into the north woods here.  There are little splashes of color here and there where Jack Frost has spilled his paint bucket.  I saw a loon on the lake yesterday, along with some common mergansers.  Last evening there were approximately 50 deer feeding in an open field about a mile from the studio.  A family of raccoons has been making nightly appearances by the big feeder - which somebody (you know who) has yet to repair after the bear damage in August.  I have seen three little ones and what I assume to be the mother.

September 27, 2007 - How do you know fall is really here in northern Michigan?  By the loud thunk on the side of the house when a grouse flies into it!  I was working at the computer today when a loud bang startled me.  I jumped up and ran out the front door and found just what I expected - a ruffed grouse.  It was laying on it's back, gasping and kicking a little and then it lay still.  We seem to have one fly into a window almost every fall.

The leaves are falling almost as fast as they are turning colors now.  It is amazing how quickly the leaves are turning.  We have had some unbelievably warm weather, including a new record in Traverse City just a few days ago of something like 86.  We see a lot of deer feeding in the fields at dusk now.  Yesterday three tom turkeys were hanging around the side of the highway for several hours in the afternoon.