Wisconsin in Pre-Winter

It is a damp and chilly day, and tonight it is supposed to go below freezing. The rest of the week may warm up a bit, but right now they are predicting rain showers from Thursday through next Monday. That won't be good for the railway. In the summer, rainy days are good for us because people look for things to do besides hit the waterparks. Once it is damp and chilly, though, they think twice about taking small children out on a train ride in open cars. Maybe the crew will decide the time has come to put in the Plexiglas windows. The cars will still be open at the doors and unheated, but it would make a difference. People were already wrapping up in blankets to ride this past weekend.

This morning the possum showed up to scavenge around the bottom of the bird feeders. Last year he didn't make an appearance until the snow had fallen, if I remember correctly. Hope this is not a sign!

If it is a sign, maybe the good part is that the possum (assuming it's the same one) survived last winter with all its snow. He looked pretty pathetic back then with a messier than usual mangy back, and he (or she) left bloody tracks in the snow. But we have only seen the one before, so I am guessing it's the same animal.