While we were out, we rode through the Home Depot parking lot, and our favorite trees are showing fall color.  There are about 6 or 7 groups of these trees throughout the parking lot.  They are some of the first to change, making me smile.  

 

I hope you are seeing some fall color wherever you are.

 

 

HAPPY FALL!!! 

 

OK,  I know you've seen this bush before, Euonymus americanus, but this picture shows you a bunch of different stages of the fruit.  In the center you can see one closed up still, and farther back are open pods.  See the bright red berries?  

 

It is called Strawberry bush, or "hearts a-bustin' with love."  I bet you remember it now.  

 

 

HAPPY FALL!!!

 

Here is my little dogwood tree, showing a bit of fall color.  Every little bit is nice.  

 

Looking for more!!!

 

 

HAPPY FALL!!!

 

Guess who loves the hot, dry weather?  Tomatoes and eggplants.  The peppers are totally wilted, but these other Nightshades apparently love this weather.  They just keep making fruit.  Well, the tomatoes are winding down, but the eggplants are growing great.  We have picked over 50 eggplants.  Last year we got 8.  Ya never know...

 

I'm happy.

 

 

HAPPY FALL!!!

 

While we were checking out the Boogie-woogie aphids on the American Beech trees, we noticed this fuzzy fungus blob.  It appeared to be right next to the black sooty mold that feeds on the aphid honeydew.  I took its picture on the Seek app, and here's what I got:  its name is Scorias spongiosa, it is a sooty mold fungus that grows on aphid honeydew, and is only found on American Beech trees.  Interesting, huh?

 

 

HAPPY ALMOST FALL!!!

 

 

 

I know I have shown you this before, but it's that time of year, and the Joe Pye weeds are blooming.  This white one is my absolute favorite.  And this year it seems to have multiplied.  I can't see if there are multiple stems or just multiple blooms, all I can really see is that it's white.  And I love that!!!  

 

 

HAPPY SUMMER!!!

 

 

 

A couple weeks ago I showed you the native clematis in bloom along the road through the Ocoee.  I thought the bloom season was longer, but this year it seemed pretty short.  Anyway, here are the seed pods on the native clematis in the park.  I was able to get a close-up picture of them.  Aren't they cool?  

 

Right now the seeds are green and held tightly to the little stem.  But when they mature and dry, they turn brown, get fuzzy looking, and pouf in the wind.  They are airborne seeds, just like dandelions and fireweed.  

 

I hope you get to see some in your travels.  

 

 

HAPPY ALMOST FALL!!!

 

Looks like our Dogwoods are getting ready for winter, with lots of berries.  I've even seen a few Dogwoods starting to show fall color.  Not this one, but others.

 

I just think this is so pretty.  Thought you'd like the picture.

 

 

HAPPY SUMMER STILL!!!

 

This is just a tiny bit, but it shows you the beautiful arching habit of goldenrod flowers.  

 

Lots of people blame goldenrod for their allergies, but it is really ragweed that is to blame.  It blooms about the same time, in the same places, and is yellow just like goldenrod, but it's not the same.  Ragweed is more upright, and feathery.

 

I will look around, and find ragweed to show you in another post.

 

Let's just be happy now seeing goldenrod in our travels.  

 

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

This morning I went out to pick some arugula, and right next to the arugula bed, the four o'clock flowers were still open.  I wish you could see this bush.  It is as tall as I am:  5 feet, and at least as wide.  Not as wide as I am, but 5 feet in diameter!!!  It is huge!!!  It blooms around dark, and the flowers stay open until the sun hits them.

 

This bush is glorious.  Each branch is strong and full of flowers, and I have collected at least 200 seeds.

 

Wanna grow four o'clocks in your garden next year?  Come get the seeds.  These are fabulous.  

 

 

HAPPY SUMMER!!!