This is the first day we had to wear jackets and gloves for our morning walk. It was unusually quiet too. Sunday is always less busy in our neighborhood, but there was something in the air. A lot of the gardens by the Smithsonian buildings have been pulled up and are being replaced with seasonal plantings. I heard the cardinals in the Hirshhorn garden, and caught one standing on the wall. They are my favorite bird and I knew his partner was close by. Along the Mall were park police atop two imposing and beautiful horses. It’s been a while since we have seen those incredible animals. And of course the squirrels were scurrying everywhere. There was a chubby one munching on his latest find getting attention from all the passers by. These squirrels are constantly interacting with visitors and having their photos taken. Almost home we heard the blue jays squawking in the Botanic Garden, hiding in the leaves so I couldn’t quite get a clear shot. This summer was exceedingly hot, so this cool air was a shock to the system. One tends to walk a lot faster when the season turns to fall. But not so fast as to stop looking at all the lovely things around us.
