NIce Autumn Day in the Woods

After recent 1.5 inch and 0.13 inch rains, the Woods today were fine and fall-ish. I took a swing blade and a chain saw to the North gate at 9:30 to work on clearing trails overgrown with healthy summer growth of Symphoricarpos, Verbesina, Chasmanthium and Smilax. In the upper plateau west of the North Gate I encountered a small herd of a half dozen deer. First herd of that size I'd seen in the Woods in many months. They usually start coming into the Woods in larger numbers about this time of the year as hunting season approaches. In the lower Woods along the Main SW trail under elms killed by dutch elm disease I cleared a path through large patches of Polygonum knot weed.
The East Pond depth was 0.62 feet. Through the Woods, the canopy is still green and 70% there; but many leaves of hackberry and elm and others have fallen. No colors in any of the fallen leaves, just brown. No turtles today, or mosquitoes.. few insects of any sort. First frost (light) last night. Spotted a large barred owl flying low in the Woods near the Grandfather cottonwood. I must have disturbed it from its perch. Ripe mushy persimmons are beginning to fall along the Tree Loop.