Flowers, Foliage and Friends

Every now and then I have a bunch of photos left on my hard drive which never got posted in their time. These were taken during my last couple of weeks living at my old home. The weather stayed warmer there and flowers lasted longer than they did up here. It was as if summer had lived on when everywhere else had turned to autumn.

So enjoy a reprieve of the season with these summer-like images before yet another snowfall arrives. There's a big one due today.


When forsythia are in bloom, we usually know that spring has finally arrived. This typically occurs in April or May. The unusual thing about this particular plant is that it was photographed in partial bloom on the 17th of October. Don't try telling the blossoms or ants that they're out of season. It doesn't appear that they would believe you anyway.






The spindle berry is one flower which is at its peak during the autumn season. This bud is green throughout the summer and slowly turns pink in early autumn. It eventually splits open to reveal the bright orange berry which fades very slowly throughout the winter. You can often see the orange seed wearing a snowy winter coat well into February. Right now, in this October 29th image, they're at their colourful prime.






One of my favourite wildflowers it chicory. Its brilliant blue petals contrast nicely with the autumn leaves behind it. This too, was near the end of October.






Pretty pink flowers which kept blooming late into October at a local butterfly garden.






Maple leaves shine brilliantly against the deepening blue sky.






Another sweet yellow October holdout.







And the sunflower - a little worse for wear but always lovely from every angle.






One of my favourite vine-growers - the morning glory. I think I'll have to plant some of these next year.






Even flowers which have lost their petals can be lovely in autumn.







The mighty oak is especially beautiful in October.







A decorative cabbage catches the sunlight and produces a brilliant magenta glow.






I don't know what it's called but it's fluffy and wispy and it caught my eye.






Backlit by the sun, these leaves almost seem to be able to catch its fire.






A tiny ladybug making her way along the boards of the pond's dock. This was one of the last walks I took at my old place.






My ex-neighbour (that still tugs at the heart) and still-good-friend Caroline's house. I already miss our morning walks and chats and our weekend drinks and laughs. I think you're overdue for another visit up here, Caroline!

That's it for now. More coming up soon.

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.



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.





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.





I like this view even better.





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.





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.





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.





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





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





But there is the occasional rebel still clinging to summer.





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.





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





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.





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




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

More coming up sometime soonish.