Wednesday, November 7, 2012

When Every Leaf is a Flower

Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower. ~ Albert Camus


I've only made a couple of brief pit stops at home over the past two months. I've been spending most of my time at Frank's and some of that time up north as the search for a home continues. On one of my stops at home, I snapped a number of foliage and other photos. I hope you enjoy them.


wabukayne trees in autum
Behind the houses across the street from my own is where I find these trees, along the park path. They look lovely in any season but they're particularly pleasing to the eye in autumn.




wabukayne park autumn2
Moving along the path, a bit closer toward home, the previous trees are behind me, and this is the view that Benny and I take in.




wabukayne autumn Frank
I like this view even better.




wabukayne autumn2
The dam usually attracts a fair number of ducks, geese, and the occasional heron, kingfisher and mink but just the mallards were hanging around on this day.




wabukayne autumn leaves
Though none were around at this time, this is a favourite spot for the herons. The Great Blue, Night and Green - they all visit whenever the water is not frozen over.




yellow maple leaves
Frank and I couldn't help noticing that some maples are this brilliant yellow while others turn traditional (at least in terms of our own nation's flag) scarlet. We figure it's probably dependent on the kind of maple. Frank has a Red Maple which looks reddish in the spring, mostly green in summer and turns brown before losing its leaves in the fall. We'd love to have one that turns bright red in autumn.




red squirrel
This little red squirrel was watching me closely as I wandered around snapping photos.




qal deadhead
Most of the Queen Anne's Lace have closed up shop for the winter. They still look quite pretty to me.




qal in yellow2
But there is the occasional rebel still clinging to summer.




spindleberries2
One of my favourite autumn treats is the Spindle berry. It spends all summer as a green bud, growing slowly, fading into the surrounding foliage. When autumn arrives, it sports this brilliant pink colour just as some of the leaves begin turn red. The bud eventually splits open to reveal a vibrant orange seed. When all of the other colours of summer are fading, this wonderful plant comes into its own. The colours slowly fade throughout winter but they still offer a colourful contrast to snow well into the season.




spindleberries
Here's a small cluster of them after a rainfall.




mallard eating apple
Someone was tossing apple bits to the duck and these sweet mallard was enjoying hers very much. The peel almost makes her appear to be sticking her tongue out at us.




leaves glisten
Shortly after a rainfall, browning leaves glisten in the newly-emerged sun.



hawthorne autumn2
Bright red Hawthorn berries contrast nicely against the orange leaves behind it.

More coming up sometime soonish.

54 comments:

stephen Hayes said...

Looking at your pictures is like pulling on a cozy sweater. Warm and comforting.

Glo said...

Just a gorgeous walk through the golden leaves of autumn. Especially loved the Spindle Berry photos. There is such a tree in the Woodland Gardens close to home, and when I've seen their little red fairy feet dangling, as they do, I was reminded of the poem by Cicely Mary Barker:

THE SONG OF THE SPINDLE BERRY FAIRY

See the rosy-berried Spindle
All to sunset colours turning,
Till the thicket seems to kindle,
Just as though the trees were burning.
While my berries split and show
Orange-coloured seeds aglow,
One by one my leaves must fall:
Soon the wind will take them all.
Soon must fairies shut their eyes
For the Winter's hushabies;
But, before the Autumn. goes,
Spindle turns to flame and rose!

ADRIAN said...

Despite it looking a bit damp the colours are realy vibrant.
A beautiful walk.

Dave said...

Lovely photos Hilary. I specially liked the yellow maple leaves.

Andy said...

Beautiful scenery. You must have a good reason for wanting to move away from all of this.

Sueann said...


Beautiful...your pics make me want to pull on a cozy sweater, stoke the fire and sip on a hot chocolate!
With marshmellows!!! Of course!!
Hugs
SueAnn

Nadezda said...

Hilary, I love these autumn photos! Our fall was very short, all colorful leaves were raked up now. Great photo of Hawthorn, lovely combination of colors!

Betty Manousos said...

there is certainly a lot to see in this post.
so beautiful! wish i could be there.

breathtaking photos as usual. the light looks absolutely gorgeous in those pictures.

big hugs~

Brian Miller said...

haha....i love the perky little squirrel...and love the title, so true...the beauty of the season is in that last brilliant breathe before the leaves fall and die....

Kerri Farley said...

Oh Hilary - these are magnificent! I haven't ever seen a spindle berry (that I know of) I wonder if we have them here ?

Gail Dixon said...

Gorgeous. You really live in a pretty area.

Tabor said...

Your photography is wonderful and really captures the feel of a lovely fall. Spindle berry? We have two versions of that here called something different. One is invasive and one is native. Man always gets to make those calls!

Suldog said...

Thank you for the beauty this morning, Hilary. I needed that.

Are spindle berries edible?

DJan said...

Beautiful! I've been experimenting with different ISO settings with my camera and am actually looking forward to our next hike without sunshine! I love the picture of Benny pulling you along... :-)

TexWisGirl said...

thank you for the peaceful respite this morning. truly beautiful, as always. the spindleberry is very interesting. love that mallard close-up. not sure i'd want to leave that beautiful area. :)

Kat said...

What brilliant photos. And what a beautiful walk.

Anvilcloud said...

Enjoy your autumn pics while you can. The bleak months are upon us.

Maggie May said...

Your photos are, as always, really magnificent. The duck and the squirrel appeal...... but do you know what? I think Benny straining on his lead is such a good one. He was so desperate to be let off!
Bless him.
Maggie X

Nuts in May

OmaLindasOldeBaggsandStuftShirts said...

Such a gorgeous walk. Thanks for taking us with you. As I have told you before, I envy your views. We have fall in the desert but subtle is the name of the game here. Brilliant just passes us by. Thank you again. Oma Linda

Bossy Betty said...

These are just gorgeous. Thanks for the fall color. We don't have it here and I miss it! You are such a talented photographer.

Gillian Olson said...

You have captured the colours of the season beautifully. I can't recall ever seeing the spindle berry before either. Hope you are successful in your quest for the perfect place soon!

Daryl said...

envious of all the real fall color you have .. here its green and then gone

Anita said...

The image that you liked better - was it the trees, or the backside of Frank? :)

I love the mallard. It looks like it could be a yard decoration!

Out on the prairie said...

Lovely shots, i like the spindle berry. it adds additional color when all leaves

lime said...

oh these are just stunning shots of my favorite season! hawthorn, you say? i never knew i had hawthorn in my own yard! now i do. thanks!

messymimi said...

You make me forget the coming cold with the beauty of these images.

Hilary said...

Makes me remember everything I love about autumn. Lovely, all.

Mental P Mama said...

Love that duck! Love it all;)

Ruth Hiebert said...

Gorgeous! I love all the variety of colours in those trees. It really does look as good as any flower garden.

Barbara said...

Hilary, your autumn colors are the Belles of the Ball! Almost worth those winters you have. I'm grateful to you for sharing your photos so I can see them without getting cold! I adore that spindle berry.

Dianne said...

there's something about a curved path that is so wonderful
cute dogs and hunky guys help :)

Scott Law said...

A wonderful selection of beautiful autumn images. Great post.

Linda at To Behold The Beauty said...

Wow, Hilary! I can't see how these could be any better. Love the Spindleberry and the Hawthorn berry. But the gorgeous trees, lake reflection, duck, squirrel, and Queen Anne's lace, and yes Frank...they're all just perfect. I hear cameras being hung up and put away all over the world. :)

Lynne with an e said...

Gorgeous examples of how Nature splashes the exciting colours of her autumn palette about with great gusto and enthusiasm before settling down to the monochromatic tones of winter.

Lisa Gordon said...

Hilary, these are just beautiful!
It looks like you are having a wonderful autumn.
I hope you've had a wonderful day!

Wendy said...

That cute duckie made me smile. I thought it was a random leaf falling on her beak. But it does look a little like she's sticking out her tongue at us. LOL!

I hope you get some heron shots at some point. I love watching those majestic birds wading and fishing in the shallow water.

Nice leaf shots. Fall colours are so pretty.
Good luck with house hunting.

Jo said...

So beautiful, Hilary, I'm just in love with the colors. That red squirrel has the sweetest face!

Love the thought of your little family taking walks among all that fiery wonderness.

Anonymous said...

What wonderfully vibrant colours! And I do love that vivid spindle berry.

CiCi said...

The Mallard does look like she is sticking her tongue out. Nice pictures. I like the squirrel. I still have a soft spot for squirrels. Living in cities so much as an adult dimmed my love of critters until I moved to Nebraska. I watch squirrels in the yard and they skitter around when I am walking. One small squirrel raced up the tree as I walked by, squeezed into a hole, turned around and watched me with his head peeking out the hole. The squirrels chasing and playing are entertainment for my cat, Lola, as she sits on the back of the couch at the windows.

Frank Baron said...

Very nice collection, Hil. Although, I'll admit to being a tad annoyed at your public ogling of that chubby guy with the camera....

Mage said...

You inspire me. Thank you.

Sandi McBride said...

You know Hilary, looking at these photos remind me that this time of year, they could be taken nearly anywhere...looks so much like our lane, our woods...and the little red squirrel makes me smile
hugs
Sandi

Bob Bushell said...

A beautiful autumn photos.

photowannabe said...

Love your Mallard, Hilary, with his apple tongue sticking out but as usual all of the photos are delightful. the autumn leaves scattered on the path and Benny straining for home is great too.
I sincerely hope you find your "Forever" place soon.

Grayquill said...

NICE!! - I loved the variety. Good house hunting - I hope you find a good one.

Cloudia said...

so lovely!!!!!!


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Indrani said...

Superb images!
A joy to see the details!

Don said...

So beautiful!

imbeingheldhostage said...

So stunning. I want to live somewhere where there are four distinct seasons. It was so wet and cold here for so long, the trees kind of just unceremoniously kicked their leaves off.

yaya said...

So beautiful...since our leaves are all gone I just had the nicest walk with you to revive my memory! Plus, I've never seen or heard of a spindle berry. Thanks for the lesson!

Aritha V. said...

Your pictures are amazing. I love them.

Unknown said...

Is Benny walking Hilary or the other way around? lol! I love these photos. I have a wreath with fake Hawthorn berries already hanging on my outside door!

Reena said...

Such a joy to visit here and take a walk with you!

Aritha V. said...

Wow, I enjoy your pics. They are so beautiful.