Went to the arboretum today to catch up with what’s going on in the plant world here this fall. We saw 2 dead armadillos by the highway on the way out. The weather has been kind this year in terms of moisture- often by August and September everything is sere and brown; this year leaves are still green, creeks and rivers still full. The bumble and honey bees were busy, pollen sacs full. Lots of butterflies too, mourning cloaks and tiger swallowtails. Yesterday saw a fine preying mantis on the car; we moved her before driving off. We were surprised to find a few paw paw fruits still on the trees. Persimmons are abundant, not yet ripe.