Summer's End
I'm back from our time up at the cottage and boy, do I have a lot of catching up to do. It seems that none of you stop blogging just because I'm away, and I have hundreds of posts to visit. Eventually.
None of these photos were posted before but you may find some of the items familiar, as they were photographed from different angles and used in previous posts.
To me, they represent some of the best of the summer season, as it now passes so quickly into autumn. Take a deep breath and enjoy some of the colourful summer offerings.I have no idea what this pink, spiky pod is but it reminded me of a Koosh ball. It was a windy day, so the image isn't in great focus but I still liked the look. I can't help but think of the late, great Erma Bombeck whenever I see a bowl of cherries. One of her humourous books was titled "If Life is a Bowl of Cherries, What am I Doing in the Pits?"Black-eyed Susans are always cheery to see on a late August stroll.A maple leaf, glistens after a summer rain.A coneflower, with it's beautiful deep pink petalsAnother pod - milkweed this time.And a bright yellow sunflower turns its shy face away from the camera.
70 comments:
The first one is a mystery to me too.
Lovely series of shots.
those cherries look like they are the size of apples. delicious:) like the flower photos too.
So lovely. Makes me yearn for my own home with a garden again. Hope to have that in the next year or so.
Oh, Google does this 'image finder' thing - you can drag your picture of the Koosh ball plant into the Google search bar on the Google home page after selecting "images", and it'll look for similar images - maybe that will tell you what it is.
Clearly, it's the pod of the Koosh ball plant ;-) These are all wonderful, as always. I could put my hand to the screen and pluck one of those cherries from the pile, they look so good. And the "shy" sunflower...sigh...the air has turned, summer is ending. Thanks for keeping it around just a while longer.
Love the sampling of summer colours.
I'm pretty sure you have a lot more to share. :)
Such wonderful shots - still so full of summer's colours.
Great summer summary! Can't wait to see what you share with us for the fall H!
A wonderful selection. The first is a real beauty. A beautiful what I have no idea.
Lovely, lovely, lovely ~
I was about to do a post on flowers and then I saw this one of yours. I think I may have to wait a while for the beauty of these to fade before I do mine... Some amazing, simple macros! And what a good summer you all seem to have had!
Your photography is great, the second is my favourite, red as red can be.
nice macro on the cone flower...the pink one though def is freaky....
All good. First one is very cool.
Luscious, luscious cherries!!!
Well captured! Love the Kush ball. :)
I ALWAYS stop blogging while you are away. *giggles*
Black eyed susans are so beautiful. I have a frame with sheet music and black eyed susans over the music.
Thanks for the beauty. each picture was a treat to behold.
As usual, Hilary, your pictures make me gasp with pleasure. Ah, summer!
just gorgeous, hilary! love the sunflower petals. and the koosh ball! :)
You've outdone yourself. These are wonderful.
Welcome back Hilary. It seems its so hard to get the motor going again after taking a break.
I do love your pictures. Wish I knew what that first one is called. It definitely is a koosh ball on a stem.
Ummm, cherries...yum.
A half sunflower from the back surprisingly (to me) works really well.
I've never seen anything like that first pink ball, a Koosh ball is a good description!
Sweet reminders of a season that almost wasn't in these parts. How could it end so quickly--before it had even begun?
You see and show me so much i would miss. Thank you.
Very lovely as always .... awesome pod!
Late summer beauties...all. Wonder what that spiky thing is....
Very nice to have you back. I tok a few days off and can't believe all the posts i have to read.
Hope you enjoyed your time up at the cottage, and lovely to see this post.all your photos are beautiful, Hilary.
I love cherries, they bring very happy memories for me, of a dinner party before I married, and we dipped them in chocolate for dessert. Yum!
I love the changing seasons. Wouldn't be happy living somewhere with no or few season changes.
Beautiful photos as always, Ms. H.
(What the hell is that plant in the first photo????)
Lovely photos. I like the bright yellow sunflower (even though she's shy). LOL!
Gorgeous macro-shots!
Those cherries look yummie :)
Blessings,
This Good Life
That shy sunflower is glorious as is the subdued milkweed pod. You have captured summer's bounty, Hillary.
These are super. I think the black-eyed susan is my favorite. She is a beauty from every angle!
I truly miss Erma's humor! Love that coneflower and thank you to Dawno - I never knew about the Google image finder before!!
I loved the black eyed susan picture, with the single flower in focus but with the out-of-focus flowers adding such color to the image.
Welcome back Hilary, It's been a great summer in pictures! Thanks.
xo jj
I think I love the shy sunflower the best ..
Sad to see the end of summer, but each new season brings it's own joys and beauty. I'm looking forward to the gorgeous fall colours. And the first frost. Brrrr. And then the first fluttering of dainty snowflakes.
But I'm getting too far ahead of myself, let's just enjoy the few sunny days we have left.
Hilary, your images are art drawn with colours and light. One can not decide which one is best as each and every photograph has its own magic.
I have been away too and am also trying to catch up.;) Hope all is well.;))
xoxo
Love the cherries......... they look ready to eat.
Maggie X
Nuts in May
The first one has a sci-fi feel to it. Like a bunch of worms attacking a helpless olive :)
what great shots. interesting spiky thing, would love to know what it is. i use to get such a kick out of erma bombeck. she also said "life is just a chair of bowlies". appropriate for those of us that are always reversing words.
Haha, I know what you mean about coming back from vacation to a long blog roll. Don't you wish everyone could take a blog break at the same time as you?
That first photo looks very similar to something I have been trying to identify for a couple years now, except mine is an orange koosh ball.
Great photos all, but my favorite is the black eyed susans!
Oh baby, I'm so jealous....your pictures are just amazing!!!
God bless ya and have a terrific day sweetie!!! :o)
I love that sunflower, and I adored Erma Bombeck. Those are wonderful. Well, our summer is still here....
What gorgeous peeks of nature you give us this week! I remember ordering that book in a book order in grade school (Erma Bombeck) and I thought it was hilarious!
Such mastery!
Well, I'm in a NEW place & NEW lifestyle!
Do YOU know WHO I am? WHERE I live?
I'm not quite sure.
but boat Kitty is happy and so are we.
Stop by to see the view-
Aloha from Waikiki;
Comfort Spiral
> < } } ( ° >
><}}(°>
You have such a gift for photography. I do love the first one as I have never seen anything like it.
• Thanks, Indrani. :)
• They were yummy, Ed. :)
• Dawno, thanks for the Google Image information. It yielded some very strange results.. no luck on the pod but it showed me some very prickly people. ;)
• DS, you must be right about that pod. Thanks so much for your always kind words. I'm glad you enjoyed the summer pics. :)
• Daniel, you might be right about that... ;)
• Fiona, thank you. I'm reluctant to let go of the season. :)
• Chariskalee, don't rush the season.. it'll be here soon enough. ;)
• Thanks, Adrian. I sure wish I knew.
• Welcome, Forty Pound Sack and thanks for the kind comment. :)
• Robin, thank you kindly but your photos are ALWAYS beautiful in their own right. Post away so we can all enjoy them. :
• Thanks, Bob. I'm glad you think so. :)
• Brian, thanks. It's like an alien pod, isn't it? :)
• Nick, thank you. Your website is telling me to keep out or it's going to turn malicious! Seems like you have a virus of sorts and I hope you get that cleared up soon so I can return the visit. :)
• Susan, they were! :)
• Thanks, Elizabeth. :)
• Di, you're such a loyal reader! ;)
• TB, that's sound like a photo and blog-worthy piece of music. :)
• Ruth, thank you kindly. I'm glad you enjoyed it. :)
• DJan, you're always so sweet. Thank you for that. :)
• Tex, thank you so much. :)
• Thank you, Ellen. You're too kind. :)
• Sue, thanks for the welcome and kind words. You're right about the slow start back into blogging but we'll get there eventually. :)
• Thanks, AC. I'm glad you think so. :)
• Kristina, I sure wish I knew what it was. Thanks for stopping by. :)
• Louciao, it seems like I ask myself that every year.. no matter how wonderful the season. ;)
• MessyMimi, thank YOU for such a nice comment. :)
• Reena, thanks so much. :)
• MPM, if you ever find out, please let me know. :)
• Steve, thank you. They sure do add up quickly, don't they? :)
• Mimi, we did have a nice time, thanks. And thanks for the kind words. Chocolate-dipped cherries sounds like... magic! :)
• TSannie, I wish to hell I knew! Thanks so much for the kind words. They're very much appreciated. :)
• Thanks kindly, Wendy. I'm glad you enjoyed. :)
• TGL, thank you. Much appreciated. :)
• Barb, thanks so much. :)
• Thanks, Sandy. Always a pleasure to see you drop by. :)
• Barbara, I miss Erma, too. She always kept me laughing. Dawno's advice was new to me too. Unfortunately, it didn't help. :)
• Linda, thanks. I was pleased with how it turned out. I'm glad you like it too. :)
• Joanna, thank you kindly. :)
• Daryl, she has a coy way about her. :)
• Shammie, pull back on those reins.. we're still in summer until Friday! But I understand your sentiment. ;)
• Thanks for those kind words, Zuzana. All is well but catching up takes time. We'll each get there though. Good to see you back, too. :)
• Maggie May, they're long gone.. and they were delicious (burp!). ;) Thanks for stopping by. :)
• Reb, you made me laugh out loud with your description but olives are anything but helpless. They're evil little beings which sneak their way into, and ruin my Greek salad. But yes, your description works well. ;)
• Welcome Cynthia and thanks for the kind words. I like the chair of bowlies remark. Erma was a fot of lun. :)
• Gail, blogging simu-breaks sounds like an idea worth pursuing. I'm beginning to think that it's some sort of growth on a rose hip. If you ever find out what yours is, can you please let me know? Thanks always for the kind words. :)
• Thanks so kindly, Nezzy. It's good to see you back in the Blogosphere. :)
• Karen, I'm envious if you still have summer but I can't really complain. We had a good season. Thanks so much for the kind words. :)
• Blueviolet, thanks. Erma was a very funny lady. She wrote some wonderful books in her time, which was much too short. Thanks for the visit. :)
• Thanks, Cloudia. Your new digs look wonderful. I wish you much happiness in your new home. :)
• Welcome, Shandra and thanks very much for the kind words. Much appreciated. :)
The Sunflower has been the source of positive inspiration for me all my life. The Coneflower was especially nice too!
Your images are always a delight. If you would like us to stop blogging while you are away, then you must take us with you.
Such creative perspectives Hilary! All are wonderful. I am very sad to see summer end ..... I'm not ready to let it go.
I love the milkweed pod, it's so sweet
I think I'll spit those nasty pits as far as I can. Thanks for dropping by my blog. Your photos are beautiful!
Nice stuff, as always, but for Pete's sake woman -- let go of that weird attraction you have for summer and embrace the best season of all - Autumn!
It's easy. Just put on a sweater and follow me.... ;)
Welcome back Hilary.
We are enjoying the Black-eyed Susans around here--at least for a little while longer.
I am still taking a deep breath from the first capture. They are all beautiful....so good you're home. Don't worry about catching up. Just pick up from this moment on:)
Happy day to you Hilary.
Gode billeder.
Hvor har du mange smukke blomster.
Tak for kigget.
Gorgeous! Welcome back. Definitely a Koosh ball plant. (And you tricked me... I thought those cherries were apples!)
~Karen (formerly kcinnova)
What a lovely collections of color!
This is a summer end that I am sad to see arrive. Beautiful photos, as always.
Love the pink spiky thingy! That is so fun!
I too took the cherries for apples at first glance. I love the coneflower photo, beautifully done.
So nice to have you back. and Wow. Your photos are fantastic. I love the angle of the sunflower and thought of doing one like it. Love the leave with all the dew drops and share some more, Please do.
So beautiful.
• Michael, I'm glad you enjoyed my flower selections. :)
• Mami, why didn't I think of that? Be prepared to join me for a few days sometime in October. :)
• Kerri, thank you kindly. I'm with you about summer. The good part is that it will be back again when we need it the most. Thanks for the visit. :)
• Dianne, thanks. I'm glad you approve. :)
• Welcome, Sharon and thanks for the kind words. Pit-spitting is an art. :)
• Thanks, Frank. I don't mind embracing Autumn or even Winter but if you don't mind, I'll just keep my summer simmering on the back burner. And slow down - you walk too fast! :)
• Slamdunk, thanks for the welcome. There sure are an abundance of lovely late-summer flowers around. Enjoy them while you can. :)
• Dawn, thanks so much for your always-kind words. It's nice to be back. :)
• Landbohaven, welcome and thanks for your kind words. I know they're kind because I used Google Translate to learn what you said. ;)
• Spokalulu/KC, thank you, my friend. It's so good to see you making the blog rounds again. You've been missed. :)
• BettyL, thanks very much. :)
• Sage, good to see you. I can imagine how the end of summer is impacting you, this year. But you've taken the trip of a lifetime and for that you must feel so blessed. Thanks for stopping by. :)
• Lailani, thanks. It's a strange one, isn't it? :)
• Steve, knowing that they were cherries, I never thought they'd be taken for apples but now that everyone is mentioning it, they sure can pass for them if you don't know the size. Thanks for the kind words. :)
• Lisa, thanks so much for your always-kind words. They're so appreciated. It's always nice to see you drop by. :)
I can't believe Summer is done...why does Winter seem so much longer? Oh yeah, cold and snow...great shots! I love Erma Bombeck...I love "Family, the ties that bind and gag"..
• Yaya, that's exactly why winter drags on - for me anyway. I'm glad you also enjoyed Erma's humour. Thanks for stopping by. :)
Post a Comment