We received the first rains 8 days last night with a total of 0.18 inches.  We are about half an inch over the normal monthly average of 3.70 inches.  The low wet spot is firm and I was not able to bring water to the surface.  The ground is damp.

The Shagbark Hickory has begun losing it's leaves where a high percentage of them have fallen from the lowest branches.  The Pyracantha berries are a healthy pumpkin orange.  There are not flowers on the Rose Bush and the Rose hips have darkened.  The Forsythia has new branches and leaves.  The shaded Glossy Abelia has lost most of it leaves and there are no flowers on it.  The Gardenia has one small flower and the other Abelia has a few remaining flowers but not many.  The Holly bush berries are bright red.

A flock of Pine Siskins arrived about 10 days ago.  We took in the Hummingbird feeder about that time. The Juncos have not shown up yet.  We saw one Sparrow a while back but have not seen any since.  The birds are migrating.