It is officially Autumn now.  And, since this is the Pacific Northwest
and it is Autumn, it is (what else?) raining!

The Landscape Committee has had its last official meeting for the year,
and we have had our end of the year celebration and Thank You Luncheon
for the Landscape Volunteers and the Utility Crew Volunteers. This end
of the year Pizza Party was to thank all of the Landscape Volunteers and
also to show The Guys how much we appreciate their helping us out with
the heavy muscle power they provided to us throughout the growing
season.  We had pizza from Papa Murphy's and a big cake, and served
lunch to about 40 hungry folks.

There has been a lot of work done out in front at the site of the planned water fall.  

   
In the area next to the dump station the red rock and its plastic underlay and the two small trees had been removed over the course of the summer. A huge pile of broken concrete was moved up from its dump site in the rear woods by Larry and others driving the tractor.  Most recently, this pile has been shaped into the base for the construction of a mound.  Much dirt was piled on top of the concrete by Ed, Carl, Mick and Elsie and formed into the shape that Elsie needed it to be for the construction of the water fall.  Electric and water lines will be brought in under the existing pavement.  There have been many hands working on this project, and all of the work is greatly appreciated. 
 

More updating next month!

 We have had a few weeks of mild and sunny Indian summer, but we are
skidding into Fall on rain slick pavements and puddles of mud on the
pathways in the woods.  Sumac, wild cherry and vine maples are turning
red, alder leaves are falling, Lombardy poplars are golden, and people
are replacing summer annuals with autumn colored chrysanthemums,
pumpkins and gourds, and decorative cabbages. Apples are falling from
the trees out in front, but there are still some sweet ripe wild
blackberries on the briers in the woods.

 Many of our neighbors are heading south again, along with more of the
song birds, and the park has the empty look it gets when our ranks are
thinning.

Photos by J. Yates