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   As we spend more time than a lot of people outdoors, we are quite in tune with the changes of the seasons. Most days, we start with morning coffee on the porch and get into our daily routine answering emails and checking the news on our iPads and phones. I can do much of my day’s work while being outside, enjoying the natural world around me.

   We have a few dozen oak and hickory trees near the house. These are natural magnets for deer, turkey, and squirrels. It is not that there are not thousands of assorted nut trees scattered about the farm, but apparently these trees have the best nuts and acorns. As autumn approaches, the nuts fall, and we are inundated with wildlife. Saturday morning was a perfect example. Billie, the trusty watch dog, and I were on the porch before dawn. I was drinking my coffee and checking email while he was at my feet on full alert in case we were attacked. Suddenly, we both heard a crunching sound down by the oak trees. He jumped up and ran off the porch in full attack mode. It was dark enough; all I could see was white tails flagging as deer ran up the hill away from the house. After a bit of vicious barking, he returned, all proud of himself as I heaped praise upon him for a job well done.

   A half hour or so later, I heard a grunting sound. Billie’s ears pricked up and we both looked up the hill into the dim pre-dawn light. A ten-point buck was coming towards the oak trees, grunting frequently as he walked down the hill. Billie again took off the porch ready to do battle. The buck turned and trotted back up the hill and stopped when Billie stopped at the boundary set by his electronic collar. The big deer did not seem too concerned about the dog as he sauntered off toward the lake. We watched him as he made his way along the beach and up across the dam, grunting as he went. He is thinking fall is here and it should be breeding season. I did not see any does coming to his persistent calling.

   Unable to sleep through the second round of barking at the deer, my wife joined me on the porch with her coffee. With the cooler weather and frequent rains, the blue grass is growing vigorously. The rising sun shining on the grass covered by morning dew made the lawn look like a plush green carpet with diamonds scattered about. We were admiring the pretty view when we noticed several turkeys moving in the shadows up by the little shed. The hickory nuts on the ground up there are so numerous they are much like walking on marbles. The flock of turkeys walked around, eating their fill. Occasionally, a nut would drop out of the nearby trees and hit the roof of the little shed sounding like a rifle shot. Early in the fall, this would disturb Billie greatly as he thought someone was shooting at him. It happens so frequently now, he has become accustomed to the sound and only gives a passing glance. Apparently, this was not the turkeys first trip to the hickory grove as they did not even flinch when a nut would ricochet off the metal roof. When they had their fill and moved out into the driveway, Billie spotted them. He was off in a flash to again protect us from the invaders. It is a full-time job to be the guardian of the farm. My wife went in and got him a treat for his job well done.

   The wildlife moving closer to the house for the best food source is a sure sign of fall and that winter is just around the corner.

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