Remnants of Summer

 Our first light cover of snow arrived the other day making it certain that summer's remnants are hard to find. Stepping out the door, I find the hardy Mountain Laurel coated with snow.

It will be many months before I can open the sliding door to see its branches covered with pinkish flowers. Winter will rule the days.

Stepping across the snow covered grass, I am happy to find some color remaining on my grape arbor.  Its withered leaves so nicely echo the redwood stain on the arbor. 

There are more remnants to find at the Kousa Dogwoood.  The birds, chipmunks and grey squirrels have eaten all of the fruit, but to my surprise the leaves are still intact although not the once brilliant green.  Can I call them wine colored?

 

My unplanned photo outing is surprising me with some nice gifts.  Beneath the Kousa  Dogwood in summer there is an abundant display of Oriental Poppies.  The scarlet flowers now are a memory only, as are the hordes of bees.  There are a few dried stalks with just two seedpods still (mostly) intact. 

 

 

Closer to the house there is a large bed of Purple Coneflowers in summer.  We leave the dried stalks standing for Goldfinches to feed upon.

My little explore around the morning's snow lasts only 24 minutes.  (I know this because the camera records the day/hour/minutes/seconds of each image.) Finally, I return to the grapes. The rich leaf colors call me back.  Seems to me the best is reserved for last.

 

I've traveled some great distances for many of my photos, but this little set is among the most enjoyable.

Paul

Short Woods Walk in November

 The other day, I ambled through my friend's  woodland with no other purpose than absorbing sights and smells of a golden fall day.  Passing the small pond, the reflections were eye candy.

The large maple has overlooked this pond from a time when Boy Scouts camped nearby.  I wonder if any of them remember those youthful days?   This spring, Wood Ducks rested there on their trip northward.  Now it is quiet and smells of autumn.

Continuing my ramble, I found a few beech leaves still holding on to their branch in the cold breeze.

Most of the beech have died from a foreign disease.  Now, most are just rotting logs on the ground.  How I miss the giant beech adorned with nuts to feed the deer, squirrels and bluejays.  Unlike the oaks and maples, beech seem to curl up tightly.

Continuing a very slow ramble, something odd captured my attention.  These few chestnut oak leaves that landed turned bottom-side up were consistently dotted with water beads.  

All other leaves were soaked through after the morning drizzle.  I postulated that this oak specie has a waxy surface.  But, knowing my inadequate knowledge, I sought the expertise of Robert Westley at the Cornell Botanic Gardens. His reply revealed that chestnut oaks have specialized hairs,  stellate hairs, on the underside of their leaves.  Now, I have to return with my hand magnifier to see them.

It turned out to be a successful outing. Now, I look at autumn with a new awareness.  The expansive fall landscape images miss a lot of the real beauty that can be right under your feet.

Paul

A Close Look at Autumn

I've been in a form of house arrest with what appears to be pinched nerves in my back since August 28, 2021 and haven't touched a camera until now.  Still staying close to home, as in 20 feet from my front door, I played today with some leaves that this morning's wind and rain deposited on my asphalt drive.  Here are three images that I've edited to capture how I saw them.

Two large oak leaves blew in to grace some burning bush leaves from next to  the asphalt.  The few needles came with the oak leaves.  I like the simplicity of the result.  It seems to me that fall images often get to busy in an effort to show it all.  Never quite works.

In some places, the accumulation was certainly richer.

Again, the oak leaves define the composition.  The burning bush leaves deeper in the bush have a very light green that plays well with the redder ones.  It makes for an interesting color set.  

It is enjoyable to explore the asphalt for a nice composition.  This final image was more  pleasing than anything that I could arrange.

Three months ago, I would have dismissed the idea of being excited to photograph leaves on my driveway.  I can hope this is a return to something better.  But, maybe it pushed me to get creative with what is available.

Kind regards,

Paul Schmitt