Transitions

I've FINALLY got my camera (a venerable Nikon D100) and lens back after their cleaning and "spa" aka repair at the Nikon facility (in the lens' case).  It's been months, thankfully much of it filled with travel with a small Panasonic (my hubbie was the photographer), and many images to post...

Read More

It's been a wonderful fall

The cold and wind is pushing out the last fall leaves, but I'm reminded of what wonderful fall color that we've had in the Southeastern U.S.The maples just went on and on and on.view from Biltmore terraceI was reminded about how beautiful it's been, as I looked back through some recent photograp...

Read More

The fall colors keep coming...

Even in the mountains, there are still plenty of yellow and reds illuminating the landscapes.In the Piedmont this morning, I felt like I was saying good-bye to fall color, but maybe not, even as the arctic cold front (and wind) descends this weekend.oak-leaf hydrangeagingko, sassafras, viburnum, and...

Read More

Gingkos: with and without leaves

After the coming weekend's fall blast of cold air, unusual for mid-November, we won't have much fall color left.  I'm thinking the wind will bring down all of the yellow, orange, and red maple leaves, and probably most of the oak leaves, too. A touchstone of our seasonal lives in the Eastern US...

Read More

A look back

Amazing to search for sassafras (which is a vivid color right now) in older posts, and pick up this post from several years ago - on this date.It's remarkable to see how much larger some of these trees are -- even just three years later (we've had a LOT of rain). http://naturalgardening.blogspot.com/2011/11/more-fall-color.htmlThe...

Read More

More fall views

A morning hike in the mountains of Western North Carolina:view beyond the fielddistant viewreflections on Bass P...

Read More

Ginkgo fall colors

a luminous ginkgoFrom my study window, the ginkgo under the power line corridor is amazing right now -- both from the study and our bedroom.  We planted it almost 20 years ago, so it's tall now.  And beautiful this year.view from my st...

Read More

Fall's ebb and flow

It was cooler today, and with the time change, it's now dark earlier in the evening.Happily, in late afternoon, light streams into the living room and dining room, as the sun is lower in the sky as fall progresses, so it was lovely to spend time there late today. My study is in shadow by then,...

Read More

Storm time

I've been reminded again today, as Sandy approaches the northeastern U.S., of the power of storms.We've had nothing but some strong winds and a bit of rain today, mainly from a Gulf-based system, not Sandy.  But leaves blew off, raining down on the lawn and mulched beds. I wish we'd got some more...

Read More

Evening porch view

A wonderful September day (in late October) found the porch a perfect spot for dinner.  It's still normally nice at lunch, but at dinnertime -- how pleasant (although a bit unnerving, too).eveningThe reds and purples have been deepening noticeably over the last few days, along with the yellows...

Read More

Fall color

 A beautiful fall day had me admiring the purples in the dogwoods and the exuberance of the (non-cut-back swamp sunflower) in the border that we see from the porch.from the porchNormally, I would have reduced the stem height in June, but didn't this year.  The tall stems are now flopping dramatically,...

Read More