This is a view into the lofty regions of the cypress tree in the backyard of my home in suburbia. You see that it hasn't finished dropping all of its leaves. When they do finally reach the ground, Queequeg will collect them in his long fur and bring them into our house. They will then break apart, and their leaflets will scatter, accumulating in cracks, corners, and clothing. By about February, we'll have managed to pick all of them from Queequeg's fur and otherwise rake out the few remaining the yard. Then we'll have some respite from their constant presence. At this point, Flike's fur it too short and soft to gather more than a couple of these evil leaves, but I expect that next year at this time, he'll be bringing them in too. Until then, though, he is finding it delightful to roll on the cones that drop from the tree, collecting their sap in his fur. He's a big dog to bathe, and he's getting bigger every day. Missouri calendar:

• Bald eagles arriving in northern Missouri; view them at Squaw Creek National Wildlife Refuge.

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