Night and Day

Autumn at Arrowhead is a treat for sunflowers and night owls alike. Daytime temps are moderate, mostly in the upper 70s to low 80s with a big ol’ bowl of blue sky upturned overhead. That’s Chamber of Commerce weather, for sure. Perfect for just about any kind of outdoor activity you can think of—like holding down a lawn chair and letting Mother Nature entertain you.

October is a superb time for bird watching, even for amateurs like me. Here’s a sneak peak at my favorites from Mark’s master bird list. All of these have been spotted at Arrowhead right about this time of year:

Eastern bluebird
Red winged blackbird
American goldfinch
Canada geese
Great blue heron
Bald eagle
Red-tailed hawk
Whooping crane
Great horned owl
Ruby-throated hummingbird
Red-headed woodpecker
Scissor-tailed flycatcher
Ruby-crowned kinglet
Northern cardinal


If you’re more nocturnal, grab a light jacket (temps often drop to the mid-50s) and check out the exquisite night sky. Jupiter is waving goodbye for the season in the deepening sunset, while the always-lovely Venus rules over the dark hour before dawn. October constellations include the swan in the west at sunset, with Pegasus and Andromeda overhead. Closer to midnight, Perseus, Taurus, Gemini, and Orion are on the rise. On towards dawn, you can see Orion, Taurus and Gemini overhead, while Leo is rising in the east at the feet of Venus.

On October 20, look for the Orionid meteor shower in the pre-dawn hours. Astronomers predict that as many as twenty meteors per hour may be spotted if we get a clear, dark night.

Now then. Wouldn’t a nice, quiet weekend getaway be perfect right about now, before the holiday season sets in? No phones, no traffic jams, just a couple of peaceful, golden autumn days? Go ahead. Pull up a chair, switch off your cell phone—Mel’s already got the soup pot on.