We have reached that point in the year where fall begins to make itself known. There is a nip in the air as evenings set in, and if you look closely, a few trees are already beginning to change their colors. I love this time of year so much, but it serves as my warning sign of what's to come, and my to-do list starts writing itself. It feels like it was just weeks ago that I was cleaning up the yard from the long winter, and now I'm reminded that it's almost time to prepare the house for it once again.

One of my most prioritized tasks in the fall is making sure I take the time to prep and seal the house to prevent any critters from making it their home for the winter. I also schedule my annual late summer service to treat for lady beetles. Each year, the sealing of the cracks and holes in the house becomes easier as old ones remain sealed for the most part, and usually no more than a few new ones pop up. The lady beetles, on the other hand, require yearly intervention. Their existence is my least favorite part of fall.

One year, I forgot to schedule the service for the lady beetles. One moment I was hanging out in the living room, relaxing, and the next it seemed as though I was under attack by lady beetles in a matter of minutes. They were everywhere, coming in through the smallest cracks in the windowsills and doors. Luckily, the pest control folks were able to squeeze me in fairly quickly that year and take care of it, but for a few days it was me and my vacuum versus a gazillion lady beetles, and I was not winning the war.

Paige O. Roberts has a degree in Creative Writing from Southern New Hampshire University. Her work has appeared or is forthcoming in The Henniker Review, Sidereal Magazine, Rejection Letters, and Cypress. She has been nominated for a Best of the Net and Pushcart Prize. She lives in northern New Hampshire, where she owns and operates a pet boutique called Tailswag.