Jack Pulled Up The Yellow Hostas Yesterday

Jack Pulled Up The Yellow Hostas Yesterday

We have had a frost that yellowed our green hostas so Jack pulled up all the yellow hosta leaves yesterday. Don't worry. They will come back up in the spring nice and green. It suddenly is beginning to feel like November with the grey skies and the foggy mornings. Days are getting so short. I admit that that I don't like. I like light. But the days will not gain light until after the winter solstice in late December. By the end of January there should be a little more light at night.

What To Do With The Fallen Leaves

What To Do With The Fallen Leaves

Some folks rake them into piles and then put them in plastic bags. Some folks like Jack use the lawnmower to pick them up and place in the trash cans. Our dear neighbor Dickie whose Dragonquilter blog is down below on the right has a fancy dancy device that sucks up the leaves into an attached bag that can be emptied into the trash cans. Dickie notes on her blog that to her the bummer is that not all the leaves fall at the same time. That means you can get the leaves picked up in some fashion one day and by the next day or week your yard is again filled with fallen leaves. For Jack and I the last trees on our property to lose their leaves are our three Bradford pear trees that are just now approaching full fall color. Two of our neighbors who have a certain type of oak tree, which does not lose its leaves until mid spring when the new leaves emerge from the trees. Now for me that is the real bummer. Picking up the leaves in the fall is one thing but doing it in the spring is no fun at all when you are thinking early spring flowers emerging and blooming.

Oh Dear, Those Dang Deer!

Oh Dear, Those Dang Deer!

Guess what. The deer that come strolling over from the golf course to our yard have the gosh darn nerve to chew the blossoms off my blooming mums. Bambi you are driving me nuts!

Some of the Last Roses of Fall 2010

Some of the Last Roses of Fall 2010

The last roses of the season are so special because you know when they are gone there will be about five months without any roses to enjoy. So if you still have some roses on the vine, enjoy them now.

The Hosta Has Turned Yellow

Hosta Has Turned Yellow

I like how the hosta has gone from green to yellow due to the November morning frost.

Look closely and you will see my shadow on the lawn as I take this photo.

Still Lots of Color

Still Lots of Color

It is the middle of November and there is still lots of color on the trees here in Virginia. I like the mornings when the sun lights up the leaves in a golden radiance. On another note Jack and I just got back from a working vacation at our daughter's condo while she was away in Hawaii. I'll explain more tomorrow. Right now I need a little nap.

Fall Leaves

Fall Leaves

So beautiful to see on the trees.

So much work getting removed from the flower beds and lawn.

I use a rake to get the leaves out of the flower beds while Jack goes around with our lawn mower to pick up and bag the leaves on the lawn.

Take A Trip To Huntley Meadows Park

Take A Trip To Huntley Meadows Park

3701 Lockheed Blvd, Alexandria, VA
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Huntley Meadows Park in Fairfax County was created when the authorities decided to build Dulles International Airport way out west in Centreville, VA. If this land which borders a Coast Guard facility and Telegraph Road in the eastern part of Fairfax County had been chosen for the new international airport, they would have had to bring in lots of fill dirt because this land is really a wetlands. Every time I come here for a walk it always amazes me that this huge wetlands is right in the middle of a high traffic area of the county.

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Bird and wildlife watchers come here in droves toting huge cameras and tripods to photograph all the wildlife that lives here amidst a very bustling suburban environment. Fairfax county school children come here too to experience the wetlands and to visit the nature center.
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The other day when Jack and I came we were also amazed by something else. This huge stand of cattails that grew this year in the park. Thousands and thousands of eight foot tall cattails line the boardwalks that take you out on the wetlands.

The cattails are ripe and spilling millions and millions of seeds in the water so next year most likely there will be another bumper crop of cattails.

The autumn leaves on the trees that border the wetlands are very pretty in late October. If you look closely you can see a blue egret standing in the water in the middle of the photo. Jack and I also say lots of Canadian geese and ducks and various water birds here the other day.


If you look in the murky water you might spot a water snake. That happened to me on another visit.

And look at this house of wood among the cattails. The beavers have built a beaver dam home here in the wetlands.

To learn more about the history and wildlife of Huntley Meadows click here: www.fairfaxcountygov.parks/huntley/

Fall Color in Virginia

Fall Color in Virginia

Look Up/Look Down

Look up.

See the October blue skies.

Then look down.

See maple leaves on the ground.

Have A Happy October Weekend Everyone!

Pumpkins

And More Pumpkins

Have A Happy October Weekend Everyone!

It Is Raining Today

It Is Raining Today

We have a northeaster coming up the Atlantic Coast this morning. It is bringing rain and wind.

I will have to check my rain gauge that is attached to the silver bird by these black pots.

Notice the black shadow on the lily bed. That's my shadow.

Look out! The Shadow is watching you today!

(I think I'm getting into the Halloween spirit.)

Jack Aidan At Cox's Farm Pumpkin Patch

Jack Aidan At Cox's Farm Pumpkin Patch

Today Jack went with Mommy to Cox's Farm Pumpkin Patch.

Three years ago the following pics show Jack Aidan having his first encounter with pumpkins.

(Why do I have this underline going thru my writing? Beats me!

And my Jack is too busy today to solve this technical error, so you folks are just going to have to read between the lines, so to speak!

Pumpkins

Pumpkins

Spring Flowers In Autumn

Spring Flowers In Autumn

Clematis In Bloom

I have several clematis vines in my yard. They started blooming this year in May. After the first spring bloom they continued to produce a few blooms and this will continue till a strong frost shuts down all production. All that my clematis vines need are water and sun. I've learned this the hard way. I've killed too many of these vines by fertilizing them with MiracleGro. Just leave them alone and let God look after them.

By the way, speaking of frost I have to admit that we have been so cold this past week that we did another autumn 180 reverse. We turned off the air conditioning and turned on the heat. The furnace is only running at night when the temps drop along with the setting sun. And hopefully the weather in a day or two will be back up in the mid '70s.

October 1 Time For A Pumpkin Pic

October 1

Time For A Pumpkin Pic

Have A Wonderful October Weekend Everybody!

Transitions

Transitions

This is the time of year when we transition from summer living to autumn living. The light lavender blooms on my lirope grass have changed already from deep purple and will continue to change till as late October and Halloween nears they will be deep black.

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For the past three weeks school children have left vacation behind and headed back to the classrooms. So have millions of college students. Even our little Jack Aidan is heading to preschool twice a week these days.

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The weather has changed too. Here in Virginia we have left the 90 degree temps behind and have wonderful temps in the low 80s and with low humidity! Yeah! And yesterday I awoke to see my first real deep foggy fall morning in Haymarket. It was so foggy that I couldn't see the mountains to the west from my second floor window.

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But what else besides the above events and of course, fall football is telling me that fall is fast approaching around September 21? Why, you know it. It is the wrap up this week of summer TV shows and the inauguration of the new season of fall TV shows. Yesterday I watched on Oprah the launch of her 25'th and final season. Wow, she knows how to surprise and delight her audience. Oprah is picking up the tab for her most loyal viewers to go with her to Australia for eight days. (Jack commented that I should have been a more faithful viewer. LOL!) Tomorrow will be the end and the beginning for me and reality TV. Big Brother has its finale and Survivor begins a new season. I'm rooting for Hayden to win Big Brother and I think The Oldsters versus The Youngsters (30 and under) on this year's Survivor should be very interesting.

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So here's to transitions. Take that cup of morning coffee outdoors to experience the nice fall morning sunshine and to look for the hummingbirds circling the feeders and the butterflies feeding on the butterfly bush. Remember that another transition is approaching soon---the flight of the hummingbirds and the butterflies to warmer climates as our days get cooler.