Fall into Winter

I'm told that the winter weather has arrived early in the Treasure Valley.  It has been cold...mighty cold...so cold that though the house is heated, Sierra has decided her dog bed is just not warm or comfortable enough on the floor has has made a habit the last few nights of jumping up on the couch and sleeping there.  Don't be confused, though...I am not complaining.  I rather like taking long walks, bundled up, along the sunny sidewalks of my subdivision where the air temperature is a see-your-breath-make-your-nose-run-like-a-faucet 24 degrees Fahrenheit.  I do...I really, really do.

But as much as I am enjoying the dip in temps, I am disappointed that the hues and shades of fall are fading so quickly...giving way to the austerity of winter.  Here are a few pictures from around the neighborhood of the last vestiges of autumn:

Fall leaves on the left, winter's frost on the right.

Just last week this tree was full of leaves.

This tree thought it was winter already...
guess it didn't get the memo that winter doesn't begin until the third week in December.  

Still beautiful though losing its leaves.

Fall colors still abound on the main drive through Bridgetower Subdivision.

This picture kinda says it all...fall leaves making way for icy winter in a puddle near a patch of grass in the park.

Instead of gracefully blending into gray, I think autumn really is going to "fall" into winter!