A full frost moon

Frost moonFall moons are often luminous, especially the harvest moon (in October), when the moon is low on the horizon as it rises.I'd thought the frost moon might have been a no-show here, as rain was predicted, but rising in the back of the house, it's peaking through the shadows of the old black...

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Witch hazel

We have a wonderful witch hazel in front of our garage that's now in full flower, with a few remnant yellow leaves. It has a wonderful shape (it's now a small well-rounded tree).in fall 2009Its fall color this year wasn't the equal of this image -- an early freeze hastened leaf drop.But it was...

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The beauty of apricot-colored tulips

Sometimes, my screen around "plants that work for a living" includes plants that bring joy.Tulips are in that category. They're totally "useless" in their cultivated form for anything beyond that (not producing nectar, feeding insects, etc.), unless you count feeding deer.  In nature, species...

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Late afternoon snow melt

As the snow melted from the leaves of trees this afternoon, under a still lead-grey sky and intermittent flurries, the trunks and branches of the trees in the ravine glistened with remnants of the overnight snow.As I was putting dinner together, the view was striking.  Now, as the oven hums, the...

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An unusual early snow

Overnight snow on November 1 is highly unusual, much less the soft fluffy snow that fell, clinging to leaves still on the trees and furrowed bark. The contrast between the glimpses of fall color cloaked in snow with the vibrancy of a couple of days ago in clear light -- remarkable.November 1 snowscarlet...

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A lovely morning walk

Beaver Lake in mid-morningThere's a human-created lake (Beaver Lake) in North Asheville that's truly magical. It's a neighborhood lake, supported by the surrounding community, with the only "fee" being for boaters and dog-walkers.I admit that we've been scofflaws, bringing Woody for walks without...

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Fall colors

I'm grateful to have two wonderful places to enjoy fall color and inspiring views.The views from the windows in our small mountain house are glorious right now - at their peak.Black gum from studio windowkitchen window viewview from the deckview from my small studioThe views from the windows in our...

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