Crunchy Woods - Ice on Fallen Leaves

After the first two weeks of mild (60-70 F) delightful November weather, an abrupt cold front took the temperature down to 19 F on the 13th. Leaves of oaks, cottonwoods and any others still attached, fell quickly in the windy days that followed. The Woods are now fully bare of deciduous canopy, and crunchy underfoot. The remaining green in the shrub layer are the Ligustrum privet and Elaeagnus Russian Olive.
Yesterday and last night a wintry mix..mostly freezing rain moved in. At noon today, as the ice was beginning to melt, I went to the SW Gate to see what the storm had done. The fresh brown leaves of bur oak are fallen thick and crunchy along the trail. The thin coating of ice adds to the crunch. The Woods are very open now. The East Pond had 1.70 feet depth. The wash was full of water beyond the Elm Bridge but did not appear to be flowing. No water at the Beaver Dam.
This is the best time of year to wander off trail and discover new things. You can see where you are going and there are no problems with unwanted arthropods, ticks, mosquitoes etc. In the southeastern quarter I found pockets of fresh new green Stellaria chickweed growing with Glechoma Creeping Charlie.
I did not see any deer but I did see the stray dog Nate had noted earlier when she was still pregnant.. (coon hound size.. black with white chest) and her 5 puppies.
In the Woods, the colors are saturated rich. Crossing over the West Dune trail the Cocculus snail seed vines were coated with ice and the top of the vine canopy was bright icy white. Made a beautiful contrast with the masses of bright red snail seed berries.

Fall Colors

Nice weekend just past. I spent most of Saturday out in the Woods along the Tree Tutorial Loop. The leaves are beautiful. The rich deep buttery yellow of the black hickory is my favorite. Hackberry and elm leaves are also yellow but mottled, withered and falling now. Kentucky coffee tree leaves are yellow and rich. Virginia creeper leaves are wine red. Chittamwood leaves are still full green and will probably remain so for another month or more. Pin oak leaves are still mostly green.. particularly on the young trees. Pecan leaves are yellow.. almost as rich as the black hickory but more mottled with fungi and more beginning to fall. Red bud leaves are mostly all down now. Walnut leaves are down too. Locust leaves are down. In the wider lower Woods green ash leaves are about 99% down. Cotton wood leaves are still there, mostly green; but now turning yellow. Abundant young Soapberry tree leaves turned a bleached out yellow gray and are now mostly fallen.
Sunday I walked more briefly around the Woods and spotted a doe with her yearling by the East Pond.