Saturday, September 26, 2020

Notes on a Misty Morning

What a glorious time of year!  I've heard so many people in our area say they've never seen such distinct, vivid colors in the trees and shrubbery as there are this year.  So many more splotches of red where red has not shown up before.  What's with that?  Even our own driveway, which boasts not one maple tree, is showing reds with the yellows and oranges along with the various shades of green.

We had a heavy thunder, lightning and rain storm last night just after dusk that dropped a full inch of rain on us in a very short time.  I feared I would wake this morning to the trees stripped bare of leaves, but am happy to see that's not the case at all.


We still have pumpkins strewn about their patches in the garden, and yesterday we had a visit from three very special boys we'd invited to come pick out a favorite pumpkin to take home and carve (not quite yet, but soon) as their own jack-o'-lantern.


The small dwarf apples trees (in their enclosed "cage") are coming along beautifully.  The coloration of the apples is straight out of the camera.  The apples on our big trees out in the open, however, are being pecked to pieces by blue jays.  Sigh.


The ducks and chickens seem to be enjoying this misty morn.  Looking closely in the center of this picture you can see Mama Chicken and her flock of thirteen "chicks" . . . who are actually ducklings.  She's a good mother and doesn't care one whit if anyone tells her that here babies look a little "different."

It's curious so many bloggers have indicated in their recent posts that they are "so done" with summer this year.  And, boy howdy, I'm right on the same bandwagon with them.  This feeling of being ready for a change and to go on to another season may just have more to do with everything else that is going on in our country (and world) than simply moving away from summer heat and the plentiful outside tasks of the season.  No elaboration needed on that.  

17 comments:

www.self-sufficientsam.blogspot.com said...

What beautiful colors you have! We have very little so far but I can see it changing ever so slightly when I take my morning walk. You have a pond too? Is that picture on your header from your property? It's all gorgeous! Love the pumpkins. It is cooler here in them mornings ....60's so I'm happy. Enjoy this special time of year!

Mama Pea said...

Sam - I'm betting your color season (when it gets going) lasts a lot longer than ours! Ours will probably be completely gone within two weeks now. Yes, we had a pond dug on our place when we first got here 20-some years ago thinking when we had geese and ducks they would enjoy it. It's also good for ice skating in the winter time! My current header photo was taken from a beautiful overlook at the highest point of a hike we took. To my mind, this is the absolute best time of year for getting out and about either hiking or canoeing. Yay for autumn!!

Susie said...

I like the misty photos. I was not so eager to release my hold on summertime. I loved it...even though it was so very hot some days. It seems all the greens have faded with tinges of yellow and brown now. Our leaves are not changing to pretty colors yet. Blessings, stay safe. xoxo, Susie

Sue said...

Enjoyed reading your notes and photos, like so many I was ready for fall!.
Thank you for sharing.
Sue

Rosalea said...

What a lovely 'ghostly' picture of the pumpkin patch. Yes, the colours here are vivid this year as well. They have suddenly peaked, after the last 3 days, and the red maple leaves are starting to drop. Yes, its time for a change. Just hunted out some sock wool and have a pair cast on to work on during these long, dark mornings! Still garden work to do here, and we are having a series of warm, sunny days, so hope to finish soon. Our apple trees are neither small, nor dwarf! Wish they were, they'd be easier to pick! Lovely pics of your chooks and ducks. Happy Autumn.

Mama Pea said...

Susie - Thank you! Just goes to show that we're all different, doesn't it? The heat of the summer doesn't bother me as much as it does my husband, but when summer biting insects are around they all but carry me away. I think that's part of the reason I love this time of year. I can be outside either working or playing and NO BUGS! ;o)

Sue - You're so very welcome!

Rosalea - I don't really mind it getting darker sooner at night, but being a morning person I'm already missing the early sunrise! I find it soooo much harder to get out of bed when it's dark. Maybe I should plan some handwork like you for first thing in the morning. What a lovely way to start your day!

Leigh said...

Perfect fall photos. It's hard to believe autumn is here!

Tigger's Mum said...

The colours in your photos are even highlighted by that autumnal mist. Mist can feel almost calming at this time of yearthe herald that the summer 'race' really is drawing to a close.

SmartAlex said...

With our recent cold nights I am hoping for some great color this year. Even though we have had several long dry spells this summer the trees seem to be holding on well so - fingers crossed. I think this may be our last perfect weekend. Today is supposed to be glorious again but then the coming week forecast is fifties and drippy every.single.day. This is the time for doing "things that are better when dry" like storing row covers and containers. Today I will pick the last tomato plant clean, harvest the sweet potatoes and prepare to hunker down.

Michelle said...

I'm glad SOMEone is getting fall colors! Between our very dry summer and big windstorm that brought on an intense fire season and terrible air pollution (all now thankfully behind us here), the leaves seem be turning brown and falling off.

And I think you are correct about the "kick summer out the door" sentiment; at least it makes sense to me!

JustGail said...

Your misty photos are pretty. It will be interesting to see what fall color is in eastern Iowa this year. So many trees downed and damaged by derecho, leaves blown off, and leaves that are left are often shredded. I'm over this summer as well - endless weeding for 3 months, and all the drama (weather, politics, virus, etc). Yet I'm SO not ready for cold weather and short daylight.

Nancy In Boise said...

I'm definitely ready for autumn but my husband said he's not interested in giving up his shorts yet! he was in the mid-forties here last night was 70 is a projected High to me that's perfect weather. but I also like the cooler weather and it's nice when things are just Frozen and that is a no more yard work situation for us which is nice. I've also been preserving a lot of food the last month so I'm starting to feel like a squirrel burying nuts haha! I just hope we get some snow this year it's always so pretty

Nancy In Boise said...

Love your new header photo too gorgeous!!!

Mama Pea said...

Leigh - We're having a gray, damp autumnal week. Lots of leaves coming down which is lovely in itself, but (sigh) the trees are starting to look bare. Wish this time of year would last much longer.

Tigger - Yes! Isn't it funny but a misty or foggy day does have the characteristic of slowing life down. Maybe it's nature's way of saying it's time for a change?

SmartAlex - It is the time of year when we still have those "time sensitive" tasks to accomplish. Like you blogged about getting done over your weekend! We really need/want to mow the lawn once more but it's been so wet that we may have rice sprouting out there before we can get it chopped down!

Michelle - I've read in the past that the turning of colors in the fall has nothing to do with moisture. That it's all related to the length of sunlight in a 24-hour period. Phooey, I say. So many other things seem to influence the colors being different each year.

JustGail - You need to think of all the things you'll have time to do during the winter months . . . like not weeding! Sometimes the changing of the seasons seems like a good thing, sometimes not. Aren't we all a bit uneasy, frustrated, and not reacting normally to many things in life right now? I know I am!

Nancy - Some of us love the hot summer weather more than others! I kidded our FedEx driver the other day about still wearing shorts with his uniform. He's like your husband and does not want to give them up! Me, I'm always ready to dig out the sweatshirts. Thanks for liking my blog header. Took it on a hike to a (very!) scenic overlook. This time of year couldn't be better for being outside either working or recreating. (While wearing a sweatshirt.) ;o)

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

My husband and I are both ready for October. I love the cooler temps and the colors and the fact the garden is slowing down. I am actually looking forward to getting some wood cut too.

Mama Pea said...

Kristina - Yep, we're ready for October, too, but what the heck happened to September?? I don't remember a month ever going by so quickly. For us I think it was the relief of the heat and humidity we had all summer. September weather was so, so welcome. We've got plenty of dry, seasoned wood under cover for winter, but we also have some big chunks of spruce wood that aren't drying one whit as they are and need to be split and stacked before snow falls. But as you say, working up wood actually feels good in the cooler weather.

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