....bittersweet berries growing wild
....leaves crunching under my feet
in shades of red and gold~such a colorful treat
....chlorophyll doing their thing~or should I say 'not'
....and squirrels doing their thing~adding nuts to the pot
....lawn mowers put away~not to be seen
....saying goodbye to southbound migrations
....hello to a fuller moon
and large family gatherings coming soon
A 'must' re-visit to the gorge...with views much different then 2 weeks ago, but, FALL's magic was still seen and felt. The trees along the banks are mostly bare now but beautiful, nonetheless.
Hey, what's this guy doing here? A scavenger hunt, I'm thinking, started by someone with a sense of whimsical. Whatever the reason, it made my eyes go a-hunting a little more closely and several treasures were found.
Look at this...I would have totally missed this secret door! Must be where the gnomes and fairies hide in inclement weather....thinking of you, Frances :)
When I came across this beautiful oak tree, the song "Tie a Yellow Ribbon..." started playing in my head, and there it stayed, all day...annoying everyone within earshot!
This was my favorite find of the day! Of course, I had to climb a split-rail fence and sneak into someone's yard...good thing I didn't see the 'Beware of Dog' sign 'til after....yikes!
But isn't this sweet? And romantic....
Capping off the perfect day...
Clusters of pearls are what these beauty berries remind me of...
Amazing that only an hour south, annuals are still looking great!
So what's my excuse for neglecting the garden? Can I blame it on shorter days? Adjusting to daylight savings is easy...what's one less hour of sleep for this insomniac...it's the time I can spend outdoors after work that I miss. Pitch dark now by 5pm...that's the hard part!
I must plant these! Pronto! Before the ground freezes...
Am I alone in my procrastination? Have you, too, been bitten? Somehow, I think some of you can relate....
Drats! Just another deer! Or maybe an alien in disguise!!
After his quick rest, Bandit was rearing to go again. As soon as I opened the door, off he went, chasing more intruders! And boy, do they run!!
Many chores on my To Do List but, first, someone desperately needs a warm bath! Then I'll take care of Bandit's feet...lol! Oooh, the joys of owning a little white fluff!
So, friends, I hope you realize that I was willing to risk my life...hey, it could've been a bear!...all for the sake of a good picture/post...just sayin'! Maybe next time! Happy Day, all! 
Absolutely! For me! How could I resist not sitting and staring at one of the most gorgeous sunsets I've ever seen! Could you?
There are still beautiful foliage to enjoy, at least in my neck of the woods. But soon, these deciduous branches will lay bare, and oh how we will miss their multi-colored coats!
Seemingly overnight, the glowing fans of this gingko tree will create a golden carpet at its trunk, which in itself, is a beautiful sight.
Though presently living up to their name, these burning bushes will soon be naked, huddling tight and shivering through winter without their dense, fiery coat of red.
Haphazard blooms found here and there but the majority of plants/flowers have bid their farewell and settled in for the duration.
The annual visitors, sadly, make no plans to return.
A final visit from this colorful moth brought me much joy.
As do the fruits and berries decorating these trees. Captured here for posterity before they are picked clean by our feathered friends ;)
My collection of chrysanthemums vary somewhat, but mostly, I go for bold, rich colors.
With the daisy-like mums being my favorite!
Of course you need white ones to make a vase arrangement 'go together'. Hey, how'd that little geranium sneak in there!
Imagine my surprise to find this beautiful rose in bloom! Five days later, they still look great on my bedside table.
And somehow, attending the last daylily club (GSDG) meeting of the year, makes saying goodbye to the garden that much more final. But, as we gardeners know, now begins the fun phase of dreaming and planning our projects for 2010. My 'Wish List' of daylilies increased tenfold...thanks to our wonderful speaker on hybridizing...Mike Huben. I can't wait for that first pollen cross next summer!
Have yourselves a great week and enjoy the last Hurrah of Autumn!
