Previously, before gardening (BG?), I never thought much about the Autumn season - other than the changing of the leaves. I certainly didn't get "up close and personal" or think of November as a month with a lot to look at. THAT is a lot of lifetime to be missing the views I captured yesterday, on a simply gorgeous Autumn day.
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Sugar Maple in sunshine
- one of the last trees to shed leaves for the Winter |
It actually started when I was out running errands, and stopped for a 'to go' coffee. As I pulled up to the store front, I immediately noticed the Autumn-themed landscaping in the sidewalk garden:
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| Note to self: add Dusty Miller (Centurea cineraria) to gardens next year |
Even though the Garden Mums were starting to fade (it is November in the Midwest after all!), this garden looked so robust. As the bright colors of summer start to pale, the russet colors autumn are a warm & welcoming segue to the change of seasons. Once my errands were done, I took a '
San Antonio Stroll' around my gardens... it was an eye-opener.
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| November Images in the Garden at the Bunnies Buffet |
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| Stole a quick photo of the neighbors' Burning Bush |
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The garden glider blanketed in late Autumn leaves...
(... and playing with the color saturation in Photo Studio) |
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| Hollyhock - robust in November |
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| The last of the Pink Guara |
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| Sugar Maple with an Azure Sky backdrop |
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| The last Double Pink Knockout Rose bloom... |
The colors just blew me away. The fact that so many plants were still hanging in there was fantastic. And we will take all the sunny, 60-degree days we can get! There is still garden maintenance to be done, and yard art to be put away (while the ground isn't frozen) - so I am due for a 'power day' cleaning up. In the meantime, I will enjoy the last fading images of the 2011 garden season.
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| Sweet Potato Vine - paling in the sun |
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| Weigela - with burnishing leaves in November |
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| Sugar Maple in sunshine and shadows |
I've missed being on the Blogosphere. Our 'shared' home PC has been dedicated to school use recently, but I'm getting a foothold back on the family 'schedule'. Looking forward to catching up on your blogs!! Happy gardening...
I like your colorful shots today. No bunnies though. I guess you just can't find them everywhere. LOL. Welcome back!
ReplyDeleteLovely Photos, Shyrlene!
ReplyDeleteIsn't it amazing how much we covet the colors we find in the gardens at this time of year? Every plant I find still blooming is like a precious jewel. Love your pictures, very nice.
ReplyDeleteGWGT - Thanks! Funny you should mention bunnies, they have been suspiciously scarce lately? But knowing their past record - those ravenous beasts will be in fine form this winter!
ReplyDeletePaulette - thanks for your kind comments! I was amazed how many photo ops there were yesterday. Today, not so much - cloudy, super windy and many leaves hit the ground since yesterday.
Karen - SO true! I had no idea the treasures I was missing until yesterday. Thanks for the props on the photos - one or two might find their way to a frame on the wall?! :D
Love that last sugar maple shot! What a beautiful color. Reminds me of brown sugar. (Maybe i'm just hungry!)
ReplyDeleteHey Shirlene,
ReplyDeleteI am just amazed at how long fall has lasted in certain areas this year. Your fall photos are splendid, and such a treat to see. For me it is already winter!
Holley - Thanks! Brown sugar is even more dangerous in my house right now; my daughter is making Apple Cinnamon cupcakes with generous amounts of brown sugar!
ReplyDeleteHey Rosey!! Believe me, it's really good I took those pictures yesterday. Today, it was grey, cloudy and the wind was blowing so hard, that most of the leaves are off the Sugar Maple. (I pulled up most of my yard art - because it felt like the 'party' was over.) :(
Welcome back, Shyrlene! Mmm, apple cinnamon cupcakes! Sounds really good!
ReplyDeleteI know how busy the senior year is and how much work the college applications require. My daughter was consumed by them for weeks. It all paid off though. Best of luck to your senior!
Like HolleyGarden, I think the last shot of the sugar maple is delish!
Yes, that last photo is beautiful -- you have captured autumn in a photo. I have not been as active on the blog this fall either. So busy with jobs. Always amazed at those who can fit it all in. Just not enough hours in the day, it seems. Glad you found some time to enjoy an autumn day and some time blogging again :-)
ReplyDeleteWe used to fight for computer time, but the GIG went up, and the speed went up, and I got a laptop. Now we have more than enough for the 2 of us.
ReplyDeleteHi Shyrlene :) What beautiful photos of autumn - so crisp that I can almost feel the cool air. It will be quite the opposite here soon!
ReplyDeleteShyrlene it looks like your garden is certainly giving you lovely color...we are done...so enjoyed your fall images and glad to see you...missed you!!
ReplyDeleteYour hollyhock looks great. All those I've seen at this time of year have got rust, including mine.
ReplyDeleteSome beautiful photos there Shyrlene, I'm glad you got some time on the computer. I'm not sure I could cope with sharing one nowadays!! I love that bench supported by leaves like that.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed your scenes of autumn. There is so much to see. Your photos capture its beauty so very well!
ReplyDeleteHello, Shrylene! I so appreciate your comments on my last few posts. It is great to hear from you! I am loving this magnificent fall we are having. The colors are stunning. Your photos are wonderful. I particularly like the garden glider and the last shot of the sugar maple. They are essays in themselves.
ReplyDeleteCat - thanks! I was thrilled with the results...of the photos AND the apple cinnamon cupcakes (it's good to be a 'taste tester'!)
ReplyDeleteToni - Amen to not enough hours! (It feels great to connect with my garden blog friends after such a hiatus.)
Diane - I would give my right eye-tooth for wireless connectivity and a laptop! Just about the time it all comes together, we'll be "empty-nesters"!
Heidi - thanks! It was an amazing day. It's always great to visit you, knowing Oz is in the opposite season, not to mention the awesome native plants in your 'neck of the woods'.
Donna - it seems like I've been in the Twilight Zone until recently and could have missed so much! It feels so good to be back in the saddle, and catching up! Thanks!
b-a-g, Thank you. Believe me - this is 'beginner's luck' and buying the hardiest variety of Hollyhock at the nursery! We'll see how it goes in 2012.
Janet - I'm so excited that the photos have gone over so well! Thank you. Sharing the computer is not easy with this "Facebook" generation - since there is only so many hours in a day for them to catch up with their "597" friends???
Sage Butterfly - thank you! I was so shocked these views were right in my backyard? It was a whole new world, and one more day I would have missed it (with the 50 mi/hr winds that emptied the trees).
Deb - It's my pleasure! It's definitely been Autumn "Nirvana" this year, and thank goodness for digital technology with LOTS of memory! That glider has gotten some impressive "mileage" over the years; it's a favorite place to read or just veg out.
I believe you have the spirit when you stopped and noticed the autumn colors. Don't really need to be a gardener but just the spirit to stop and notice nature wherever you are.
ReplyDeleteTufa Girl - what a cool thing to say! It certainly was an eye-opening experience, and made me love my zoom lens SO much more...
ReplyDeleteHi Shyrlene, you captured fall beautifully - I love the blanket of leaves around the bench. I can picture the shade those leaves gifted the bench.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful pictures, Shyrlene. I too enjoy fall while it's here in MI, but I do with the winter wasn't so long!
ReplyDeleteBG Fall was still my favorite time, and I've always loved the smell of dropped leaves. But that said, your sentiment is spot on... I notice so much more now when I look at growing things.
ReplyDeleteHello dear Shyrlene, just dropping my to wish you a very happy festive season! Hope you are well and keeping warm :) Heidi
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