Kiss Autumn Good-by...

 ....because winter is nipping at our nose.

We decided the best place to enjoy the last enjoyable day of fall would be the rims.

 

 The views are great- and our warm weather this fall created some of the best autumn leaves I've seen in a long time.

The rims are a great place for examining nature up-close,

and collecting new rocks

 because you never know when there may be a rock shortage, but it's bound to happen just when you need a good rock the most.

There are hills to climb

and (surprisingly enough) hippopotamus and

dinosaur tracks.

We even found some bones, which Hailey positively identified as definitely "not hippo bones".  

I told Hailey (with a great deal of know-it-all authority) the crack behind her is to mark the spot she should never cross lest she falls over the edge.

She promptly demonstrated her trust in my interpretation of nature.

 You can't tell in the rest of the pictures, but we were enjoying the first snowfall of the season up here on the rims, which can only mean two things.  This is not dandruff on my coat sleeve and

 farewell beautiful, warm, enjoyable autumn,

hello cold, miserable, dreary winter!!!