Three signs [UPDATED]

Three signs that winter has arrived on Berry Road:

1) The cats began using the litter box.
2) The pond down the road where Tom's ancestors built the first farmhouse in the 1840s is frozen over.
3) Juncoes are back in the trees and around the feeders.

A fourth, more personal sign: Michael has on his long underwear bottoms. (I know, Kristin: Ewww!)

We are expecting a major winter storm to move through beginning tomorrow (Tuesday) afternoon and lasting into Wednesday evening. Predictions of 9 to 14 inches (22.9 cm to 35.6 cm) of snow accumulating before it ends. This is to be followed by a major drop in temperatures, lows of 0 (-17.7 C) for a couple of days and highs of about 4 (-15.5 C).

So the railroad lucked out with closing up just in time to avoid being shut down by the weather anyway. Poor Tom agreed to be the snow plow dude over there this winter, though, so he will be running around with the Bobcat for hours later in the week. I'll have to cook up some spicy Texas red chili to thaw him out.

Peter, who went to visit friends in Ohio and Tennessee, had planned to drive back up here Wednesday, which will be during the worst of the storm. We will see what he decides to do. He is scheduled to work at the bank Thursday afternoon ...