Beautiful

Beans is watching from the steps
while I photograph my perch

All the leaves are down.
And the sky is blue…

It is 70° today. I am sitting on the patio and looking out toward the forest and pond. The geese who haven't headed South yet are cackling away while a woodpecker taps on a neighbor's tree and fluffy grey squirrels bounce across the lawn.

Before sitting down to write, I couldn't resist pulling up some Ground ivy and Hairy bittercress. I sampled a leaf from the latter. It tastes a bit like watercress but prickles the tongue unpleasantly. (Which probably accounts for the "hairy" part of its name).

Better Belated than Never

Earlier this month, I collected photos of the vibrant fall colors in my back yard and the surrounding neighborhood. I couldn't think of a narrative to attach to the photos, so they didn't get posted when they were current. But they're too beautiful to keep to myself any longer. (You can click on any photo to enlarge it and appreciate the colors).

Looking up our street just before
turning into our driveway

Berries on a leafless tree by the park

Our front yard with a
Kousa dogwood on the right and
 the red maples on the left

A shock of bright red at the
border of our forest

Bright red at the front
of our property

Bright red and orange
on someone else's property 

Red, orange and yellow
across the street

Surprising berries with each one
shining red, orange and yellow as they
dangle from a tree in copious clusters
 near the raspberry bushes

My beautiful red dog sitting
beside me as I write in my red chair