Fall Fancies - Is It Winter Yet?

 This is our five day forecast here in upstate New York.

61F (16 C) by Sunday?   Our unbelievable fall continues, but the end is near.

This past Sunday, though, many people were out enjoying the unseasonable weather.

A sumac seedhead stands tall.  That's normal.

But this isn't. A small sapling's leaves are at peak.  In December.

A forsythia blooming.  This particular forsythia, on the trailhead of the Vestal Rail Trail, blooms every fall.  But in December?

The grass is still green.

And the stems are red.

One thing you aren't seeing (because my iPhone camera isn't that good) is the blue jays who were flying around today on this trail, screeching from their perches high in trees.  Normally, at this time of year, you don't hear much from birds.

It's like a dream.

The Mamas and the Papas once sang of California Dreamin'.  But now, perhaps it's time for Californians to do some New York dreaming for a change.

Still, we worry and wonder:  when will Nature change and give us a horrible winter to make up for what is going on here?  After all, Nature has its ways of balancing the weather.  There is a price to pay.  Almost.

But maybe, just maybe...we paid that price last year?

For now...we are New York dreamin' indeed.  More later in the week.

Have you been experiencing unusual weather?