Autumn is awesome!

This little guy was waiting for me on the doorframe when I went outside yesterday.

I just love woolly bear caterpillars. I love their bristly "fur" and their slightly sticky little feet. I love that when they curl up, the best they can do is a circle because of their fur, which also holds them above whatever surface they're resting on.

I've never followed woolly bear prognostication, but here's what I found with some amateur-level google-fu:

Some people believe that the Woolly Bear caterpillar can tell if the winter is going to be mild or rough. If the stripe on the woolly bear is narrow, it means the winter is going to be mild. If the stripe on the caterpillar is wide, it means the winter is going to be easy.

Whatever. I just know that fall is in the future, as is winter. This will be followed by spring, and then summer will be back once again. And yet, each year each season seems to be a surprise.