Friday, August 18, 2017

Changing Seasons

I've been meaning to write about the changing seasons; signs of the change have been accumulating for a week or two.  I'm not quite ready to use that four-letter word 'fall', but it's certainly late summer.  Here are a few things that strike me about the change that's started.
 
The big sign of late summer here at home for me has always been the Goldenrod that takes over the meadow.  Everything looks yellow.

This year it's actually a little different.  Queen Anne's Lace has taken over for the Goldenrod, whether that's just this year's weather, or the gradual succession of plants in the meadow.  Those yellow flowers in the back are Grey-headed Coneflowers.

Some mornings we have a little mist or fog, though it quickly dissipates in the morning sun.

And for weeks now we've usually had heavy due in the morning, after cooler nights.  (In fact this year I don't think we've had even one really hot night)!

Most of the migrating birds are gone now, and remaining birds are much more quiet.  I caught this Bluebird feeding young last week though, a very late brood.  Most of the birds we see now are those that will stay all winter, the Goldfinch, Chickadees, and Blue Jays.


In the garden, the spreading False Sunflowers take over from the Day Lilies and turn the back of the garden yellow.

A single leaf on the Burning Bush by the front door has turned bright red.

And down in the swamp the first maples are turning a dark red.  It's only been 3 months since they leafed out!

And of course there's that wheat harvest, a big mark of late summer in the farm landscape around here.  Late summer, with its cooler weather, the imminence of school restarting, and the last chance for family vacations, is well underway.  I'm not complaining - just maybe about the rainy day and drizzly evening we're having again today!




16 comments:

  1. Say it isn't so! I lament the passing summer days!

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  2. Fall is a dandy season, full of beauty and nice weather.

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  3. Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness.

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  4. Yes the days are getting shorter, and a bit cooler, summer is winding down, but still a nice time of year. soon time for us to be thinking about heading south again with the birds.

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  5. Hello, we are seeing signs of fall too. I am not ready yet. Love the cute bluebird. Great photos. Happy Saturday, enjoy your weekend!

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  6. I'm with you on the complaining about the wet day AGAIN!

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  7. I've noticed seasonal changes around here, too. A few leaves beginning to turn, and I don't mind a bit! This has been a very nice summer, not too hot for the most part. :-)

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  8. your gardens are lovely, just lovely. i am a mist/fog lover, it adds such a special element to pictures!! i am ready to say goodby to summer, it's 3 counterparts are my favorite seasons!!!

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  9. Beautiful late summer images.
    We seem to have more of the Queen's Anne lace around here too this year. The goldenrod is here but not as much as usual.

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  10. Terrific shots!

    I've noticed the shorter days. And we haven't really had a heat wave.

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  11. Certainly the onset of goldenrod changing the landscape matches the 'back-to-school' flyers we see in the mail these days, so autumn can't be too far off.
    I'm curious about the Grey-headed Coneflower.....it must be a planted population, right? Its normal range in Ontario is limited to the extreme southwestern tallgrass prairie remnants.

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    1. Yes, it's a plant from the garden that's self-seeded quite madly in the meadow.

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    2. Ah...okay thanks for the clarification on origin. It can be a little aggressive when given the chance.

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  12. The CNE opened yesterday so that means summer is coming to an end!

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  13. We are seeing these signs around here...kids are back in school. There have been a few foggy mornings, and the dew lays heavy on the grass.

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  14. Boy we've had such hot weather here in Oregon lately, I'm wishing for a bit of rain...or even heavy dew!

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