Wow!!!  Have you noticed all the acorns lately?  It seems like there are more than ever before.  We can't remember seeing this many.  It is almost dangerous to walk on the sides of the roads for all the nuts on the ground.  Well, maybe not dangerous, but it sure feels like we're on roller skates skidding out on all those roly-poly things.

 

We have noticed the last couple years that the fruit trees have been very generous, and now the Oak trees are doing it.  Does this mean a cold winter ahead?  And that Mother Nature is providing for all her children?  I better check my go-to source for folklore:  Farmers' Almanac.  I'll get back to you on that.  We have a couple months before winter.

 

 

HAPPY FALL!!!

 

 

 

I know I've shown you my Mullein, but lately in the mornings with all the fog and dew, it just lights up!!!  It kinda looks like it has snow on it.  It glows white in the gloom.

 

This is a first year plant.  The books describe this as a rosette.  This is what Mullein does the first year, and then it has to survive the winter.  In its second year it blooms, sending up those huge bloom spikes.  

 

This one is in the driveway, near the big ones I showed you earlier.  The old ones went away (onto the trash pile) but we are saving this one because it is so exciting when it blooms. 

 

 

HAPPY FALL Y'ALL!!! 

 

 

 

We are starting to see more color each day.  The Sourwoods are bright red, and the Tulip Poplars are turning yellow and dropping their leaves as we speak.  You can also see the Black gum trees have lots of red leaves.  

 

The science behind all this says that the trees are losing their chlorophyll and the other pigments are showing through.  All this occurs to prepare for the coming winter, when deciduous trees lose their leaves, and go dormant.  

 

That's all I know.  I just love to stand back and enjoy the show and the magic of autumn.  I promise to keep you updated on fall color in our mountains.

 

 

HAPPY FALL Y'ALL!!!

 

 

 

Here is a weed that we are seeing all over the place right now, blooming its head off, and dispersing its seeds everywhere.    

 

Erechtites hieraciifolius, American burnweed, is also called fireweed.  It grows everywhere around here, and I've been seeing it for years.  It grows about 5-6 feet tall, and I was never impressed with it, as the flowers aren't showy or colorful.  I certainly don't want it growing near my garden, but instead of disliking it, I have decided to love fireweed for its seeds that float on the breezes, like dandelion seeds.  We call them fairies, so I am calling this weed:  Fairyweed.  How do you like that?  

 

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

 

 

 

This is a small branch of a huge bush growing near our dentists' office.  I love seeing it this time of year:  in bloom.

 

It is Elaeagnus pungens, commonly known as Thorny olive, spiny oleaster, or silverthorn.  I never noticed the thorny aspect, but the undersides of the leaves are definitely silver.  Anyway, we call it Elaeagnus, because it's fun to say.  Here's a pronunciation guide for you:  Say Eely, like a slippery fish, then the name Agnus, like the name of a nun in a movie.  There you have it:  Elaeagnus, and the species name is pungens, which perfectly describes its glorious smell.  I can smell the bush before I ever see it.  

 

When you do smell it, look around for a bush with long, arching branches of evergreen leaves.  Up close you can see that the leaves curl under, and when it's blooming, the flowers are creamy white, and smell divine.   

 

I hope you get to see some on your walks or drives.  

 

 

HAPPY FALL Y'ALL!!!

 

I thought you might like to see this:  Poison ivy and Virginia Creeper growing together.  Do you know which one is which?  Take your time to think;  I will wait.

 

I got so excited when I saw this opportunity for a picture for you that I stuck my finger in the way of the camera lens.  Other than that, it's a good picture.

 

The answer to my question (which you probably already know) is this:  Virginia Creeper turns red in the fall, and the Poison Ivy is a sickly yellow.  

 

Now you know.  So when you're driving down the road at 45 mph and see the two together:  they aren't the same thing.

 

 

HAPPY FALL Y'ALL!!!!

 

OK, my question is this:  Who ever thought it would be a good idea to cut open a persimmon seed?  Further, why would they think it could predict the weather for the upcoming winter?  

 

Well, somebody did, and according to folklore:  when you cut open a persimmon seed and look at the embryonic leaves, they resemble a fork, spoon, or knife.  If you see a fork:  the winter will be mild.  If you see a spoon:  you will be shoveling snow.  And if you see a knife:  the winds will be sharp and cutting.

 

We found a few persimmons on our walk yesterday, so I saved a few seeds.  When I cut this one open, I think I saw a spork.  So, our prediction for the winter:  mild, with lots of snow.  Hahaha!!!  

 

Really, whatever the winter brings, I will be happy, and I'll let you know.  But for now, let's enjoy the fall.

 

HAPPY FALL!!!

 

And nothing says "fall" quite like mums.  These are my favorite.  Even though they aren't, I love calling them red rovers.  Actually, each red rover blossom is 5-6 inches across, and these are little, maybe 2 inches.  But the color scheme is the same, and I love seeing them in the fall.  They make me smile.

 

HAPPY FALL!!!

 

Another sure sign of fall is the monarch migration.  

 

We have been seeing lots of monarchs in our neighborhood:  some in my marigolds, and some in our neighbors' gardens.  The trick to get them to come to your garden?  Plant lots of flowers.  Marigolds, zinnias, butterfly bush, echinacea, asters, cleome, coreopsis, cosmos, and four o'clocks are real attractors for butterflies.  Most of these grow easily from seeds, and the butterflies just love coming to them.  

 

Another joy of autumn.

 

 

HAPPY FALL!!!

 

You know that Fall is in the air when the dogwoods start showing color.  

 

Today is the Autumnal Equinox.  It occurs at 2:19 pm when the Sun enters the sign of Libra.  Today:  day and night are nearly equal.  After today, the days will start getting shorter, and the nights longer, until the winter solstice.  

 

But the best part of fall is watching the trees lose their chlorophyll and show off their oranges, reds and yellows.  

 

I will show you our world as it changes in the next few weeks.  

 

 

HAPPY FALL Y'ALL!!!