Old Timers Say

 

I love this shot from Alan's trail cam! Click for detail

...that winter can't come until the swamps are full.

In recent years this has not been notable. The swamps were full from the first day of the first month of Janus, until the day before New Year's Day.

However this year anyone who is out and about has noticed empty ponds, barren wastelands that were once wetlands, and low, low, lakes and rivers.

Personally I have been much enjoying the way the dry has been barring the gates to my least favorite season.

But then last night that fat, blowsy trollop, Nicole, blew in on a groaning, gusty, tropical wind, and did her level worst to change all that. I am sure folks whose wells were wanting and cows were getting a wee bit thirsty are more than glad.

However, on this dark and gloomy, rainy morning I wish she would just begone and take her shower curtains...or curtains of showers if you prefer...with her.

I'll bet this is under water now.
 I was way out on the dry bed of the Schoharie,
almost all the way to the confluence with the Mohawk,
and found this tree stump buried in a crust of zebra mussel shells