We were walking the loop the other day, and noticed the Bittersweet on Five Forks Drive has tons of yellow fruits.  

 

The seeds are inside these yellow shells, and when the shells pop open you can see the RED berries.  It won't be long now.

 

And don't worry, you don't need to find this particular vine, Bittersweet grows everywhere!!!  In fact, it takes over weaker trees and shrubs.  Just look around, you'll see some, especially when the berries pop out.  Then, you can see yellow and red all over the vines.  

 

It would be a great fall decoration for the mantel, except I'm not sure how durable they are.  Are the berries going to fall off all over the place?  I've seen bittersweet vines with berries in florist shops, but I think they are probably treated with silicone or something.  

 

Anyway, we just love seeing them in the neighborhood.

 

HAPPY FALL!!!

 

Remember Jeannie Clark?  She is our artist friend.  She painted murals for a living, and she and Richard lived here from 2005 until they moved to Skidaway Island in about 2012.  Anyway, she painted really cool stuff in their house.  There is a deer on the wall in the main floor bedroom, and tropical leaves in the basement.  They are fabulous.  

 

I couldn't help myself when I saw this little metal frog.  So then I went looking for a three-legged stool, and painted it to go with the dresser.  

 

I thought you might like to see a little craftiness today.  

 

HAPPY FALL!!!

 

 

 

I know you've seen cattails before, but we saw these in Blairsville, in the north Georgia mountains!!!  They love swampy conditions, so it seems odd that they would be here in the mountains.  

 

But we saw them, and Jon parked close by, so I could get out and get a close up picture for you.  There are about 30 in this area.  Beautiful!!!

 

You can see them near the back entrance to Meeks Park, by the kayak and canoe put in area.

 

HAPPY FALL!!!

 

We saw this beautiful Strawberry bush in the park this week, and it made us both smile.  

 

Those bright red seeds just seem to jump out.  In fact, a local common name for this bush is "hearts a-bustin' with love."  Maybe that's what made us smile.  

 

Its botanical name is Euonymus americanus, and is commonly called Strawberry-bush.  It's in the same family as Burning Bush.  Same type fruits, similar leaves, twigs, and stems.  Both bushes glorious in late summer and fall.  

 

I hope you get to see them on your daily walks.

 

HAPPY FALL!!!

 

 

 

I copied this chart from the Farmers Almanac.  They listed the dates and times for the next 5 years!!!  

 

Let's not think about that too much, just start enjoying our beautiful fall weather and gorgeous fall color.

 

HAPPY FALL Y'ALL!!!

 

Have you seen all the mallards at Meeks Park?  It seems like just a couple months ago we were making way for ducklings.  Well, all those ducklings grew up and there are about a million mallards at the park.

 

Hey, Siri.  What is the collective noun for a group of mallards?  Her answer:  A group of ducks is called a raft, team, or paddling.

 

That was fun.  ;)

 

HAPPY END OF SUMMER!!!

 

 

 

We picked the last of the red apples, and turned them into apple cakes and apple butter.  We also shared a bunch with friends in exchange for all those fabulous raspberries.  Good trade.  Jon also quartered a ton to give to the deer.  They love them.  

 

As you can see from the picture, these apples were near the top of the tree, where the birds could (and did) help themselves.  That's ok, we peeled them and chopped them up anyway.  

 

HAPPY END OF SUMMER!!!

 

 

 

 

 

We've been watching the Persimmons, and they are starting to turn orange.  That's a good sign.  They should be ready around the first frost.  Our first frost won't be for a couple months, usually around November 15th.  

 

Until the fruits start falling, we can only look at them, and enjoy how pretty they are.  You NEVER want to rush a persimmon, and NEVER pick them.  Until they are totally ripe, they are so astringent that they turn your mouth wrong-side out.  But when they are ripe, they will fall to the ground, and then they are delicious.  They taste like apricot jam.  They have 5 big seeds, so we don't bother collecting and preserving them.  We just snack on a few, and let the deer have the rest.  They love them too.  

 

Don't you know, I love seeing this many persimmons on the trees.  

 

HAPPY ALMOST FALL!!!

 

This apple tree has almost no leaves left.  But this morning when we went out to pick apples, we saw this!!!

 

Not sure why she's putting out new leaves in September, but there are several on this tree, and a few on the Granny Smith tree too.

 

So if you have been a little confused lately, you are not alone.  We are all feeling it.

 

HAPPY SEPTEMBER!!!

 

Last spring we bought 2 banana pepper plants.  Right now they are sporting about 200 peppers!!!!  We are eating a lot of sweet banana peppers.  Fortunately, they are really good, and easy to add to just about everything:  raw, sautéed, roasted.  And they make me smile every time i see them in the garden.  As the peppers mature, they turn orange, then red.  Maybe I can string them into ristras, like they do with chili peppers.  I love them.  But...

 

Next year I will only plant one.  That should be enough.

 

HAPPY END OF SUMMER!!!