On the eve of Halloween

It's a quiet night. A bright half moon settles in the southwest. I see it through dark, sketchy branches. Over the weekend we had winds that stripped the trees. Only the beeches and a few oaks are hanging onto brown and gold leaves. It's just right for Halloween.

A big brown mouse has been eating our sunflower seeds. The cats saw him first, of course. I used a flashlight and the beam caught him in the open milk jug. He ran so easily up the twine to the branch and then down the trunk. He's a fat, sassy mouse.
I expect he has a number of admirers -- me, the two cats, and maybe a barred owl or two. We'll see.