Cold autumn day...

Finally the foot was feeling better. I talked DH into a quick walk before the threatened winter weather closed in.

I have been meaning to capture the changing colors of the foliage in the neighborhood for days, but never had the chance. It has rained many days. On others I have raced to the office and returned after dark.

Today would have to be the day.

The grey sky kept the full brightness of the leaves from showing, but perhaps these photos will document that we do have seasons here...though some are very short.

DH and the pups and I were late this morning, but there was little traffic. The cold temps seem to have kept people in their beds. There were still newspapers to be moved closer to the doors of our elderly neighbors. [DH was in control of the dogs for part of the walk. I was taking pictures. He made a point of gesturing to the newspaper and the neighbor's porch, reminding me of my duty as the dogless one.]

We noticed more trees, weakened first by the drought, damaged by recent storms.*

Our intermittent park creek was still flowing from the rains. We wondered if it would be only edged in ice tomorrow, or if the ice will cover the surface. We will walk and see if there is only snow. We won't walk (slide) on the ice.

OK. That's it. Well, that's it except for the tuxedo cat we saw in a window. He watched us as we walked by, probably wondering why we were out on this cold day.

I have been watching THIS TREE! It has been so lovely.

Tuxedo cat watching the dogs.

Seriously - this guy was not sure what he thought of the pups.

1/3 of this pecan split in the last bad storm.

Pecan in the park damaged as well.

Dogs weren't sure what I was doing, but stopped to look. Movement of camera into and out of the pocket is the same as cookies in the pocket so I suspect they were looking for a treat.

Stream with water!

Stream was running clear.

One of my favorite park trees.

China berries - need a sibling for a china berry fight!

Red leaves in places in the neighborhood.

Walking companions

I think our neighbors planted this tree just for me.

Look at these maple leaves!

Just outside our back door - the pecan leaves and nandina berries remind me of my grandmother's house.

* http://stateimpact.npr.org/texas/2012/09/25/the-final-numbers-are-in-over-300-million-trees-killed-by-the-texas-drought/