Our November Neighborhood

If March blows in like a lion and goes out like a lamb, then November in the South (this year at least), came in like a lamb and blew out like a lion.  We had both temperature spikes into the 80s as well as dips below freezing!  Our backyard birds disappeared with the early cold snaps, but somehow the ladybugs managed a mid-month raid. 

Our season-confused Purple Hearts

So, the HNS Outdoor Hour Challenge to observe and sketch what November looks like to us was a good fit, especially since we took it on one of the warmer days.  We set up our chairs in the front yard and observed the field across the street.  E also made note of our own Purple Heart plants which dropped at the first temperature dip but had a few perks with the surprise heat.

You know what I realized as I looked over their pages?  These nature studies have given me some nice mementos of how my kids write and think. 

Z is right.  It is "a nice place to live near."

I'm glad we took the time to do this when we did.  Today the lion is roaring and his breath is freezing!   We'll do our observing through the window panes today.
As a family, we want to try to attract some of the winter birds to our yard.  It is so lonely out there with our summer friends gone.  If you have any suggestions, please pass them on. 

See?  Pitiful.