A Yellow Harbinger of the Season

Yes, I know we are already deep into autumn but I wanted to share photos of my little mountain ash tree.  

This tree is always the first to change colors and I've been tracking it's progress since early October.  Most native trees in Eastern Oklahoma change in November so this little guy is our very own harbinger of autumn.

Over several weeks, one small patch of yellow spread to reveal this...

 Glorious spectacle!

Such a vibrant yellow!

Now it is November and my little mountain ash's show is but a lovely memory. I didn't post a photo of the poor naked thing because while I love autumn-- I also dread winter. And it's bare limbs are surely a grave portent of the bad to come...

Snow, ice, windchills, power outages and overall dreariness, ugh. 

But instead of moaning and groaning, I will enjoy the show all the other trees are putting on right now and dream of snow angels, snuggly sweaters, furry boots, cozy blankets, good reads, hot tea, cocoa, homemade soups, baking and...

Yeah, looking on the bright side is always better, isn't it.

What wonderful things are you looking forward to this winter?  Please share, I need more goodies to imagine to keep the winter dreads away.   

Linking to: 

Mellow Yellow Monday

Macro Monday

Mosaic Monday 

Creative Bloggers' Party

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Seasons Turn: Hope Springs Eternal!

Frost killed all my tender veggies and flowers three weeks ago but look what I spotted Sunday growing in a patch of mint. A single solitary volunteer morning glory! 

Oh, I've been missing my zinnias and marigolds and dreading the winter but this beautiful blossom is a reminder that hope springs eternal--- Spring will be here before we know it!

Also spotted this little baby lettuce-- another volunteer.  If I cover it with straw during freezes, do you think it might survive? 

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Autumn's Ruby

Isn't this a glorious ruby?!  The tree-- not the fire hydrant! ;o)

Spotted this out of the picture window of the Boomarang Diner in Eufaula, Oklahoma--- my burger basket was just being served but I hopped up, ran out of the door and down the sidewalk like a wild thing to get a shot of this beautiful tree. 

The burger was still hot when I returned and the Boomarang gals didn't even blink-- they are used to my photo fits. However, the lady working in the health club next door...

To see more spectacular reds please visit Ruby Tuesday at Work of the Poet and Rednesday at It's a very Cherry World!

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Seasons Turn: Our Road

Finally last week the rest of the trees turned-- about four weeks after my poor little early mountain ash.  This is the view  down the road from the end of our driveway-- glorious but it only lasts a week-- today there was a decided brownish cast.  Soon the trees will all be naked.  :o(

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Autumn's Mellow Yellows

 To see more yellow please visit Mellow Yellow Monday-- click on the linky box to be directed to the other participants.

My little mountain ash that only grew so tall.  It is always the first tree to turn even before the first frost-- a lovely yellow but could it be expressing displeasure over it's Oklahoma valley home? 





Love the yellow of these leaves!



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Seasons Turn: The Passing of a Sunflower...

So many fascinating but bittersweet changes in autumn. The sunflowers will be missed but to everything there is a purpose--  next summer's  beauties are already promises waiting to spring forth-- all thanks to the birds and their messy dining habits.  

Please visit  Macro Monday at Lisa's Chaos to see more macro shots!

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Plentiful Punkins!

The DustyUs family spent a three day weekend in the Ozarks at Silver Dollar City's Harvest Festival!  All of SDC's festivals are fun but the Harvest Festival is our favorite-- mainly due to the cooler temps, fall foliage and the multitude of additional artisans to visit. 

This year we went three weeks earlier than usual so the temps would still be warm enough for water rides. Temperatures in the 80s with no humidity were perfect but the water was ice cold!! You should have heard us shriek!  Didn't stop us from riding over and over though.    

The tradeoff to attending early is no spectacular fall color from Mother Nature but SDC made up for it with plenty of gorgeous decorations.



A Cornucopia of pumpkins...

Oh, the colors and shapes... see that deep red one?

Isn't it glorious?!

Have you ever seen so many speckles, splotches and stripes?

Talon is partial to this little cutie...

Getting an idea...

Punkinhead!

Do these photos make you think of pumpkin pie?  Me too-- even though I'm a sweet tater pie girl! 

 Last year,  I never saw of shortage of fresh or canned pumpkin, did  you?  Apparently, some pumpkin pie lovers purchased $100 cans of pie filling off of ebay.  Unbelievable! Well, no worries this year,  Libby's has reported a bumper crop!  

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Leaves

In late October, the trees in the Ozarks displayed the most beautiful colors.

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More Scenes of Autumn

Talon and I spot interesting things on our nature walks. Here are more photos of natural phenomenon that caught our eye this autumn...

Solo bois d'arc (horse apple)

Vine thriving on a tall dead tree...

Yippee, a pine cone! Not huge like Tx pinecones but it is a pinecone!

Grass going to seed

Leaves turning...

Weed going to seed

Strange but pretty mushrooms growing on a log. Looked this one up. Apparently, it may be an edible mushroom called chicken of the woods. There is another orange one in America that is poisonous. Don't think I will take a chance...

Correction: 12-5-09 After a bit more research, I think this is a poisonous mushroom called 'jackolantern'.

Fall wildflowers (weeds)

So much rain in October...

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Autumn Flutterbys and More

Been reading Winnie the Poo with Talon, hence the flutterbys.

So many interesting butterflies and moths in the garden this autumn. Sometimes several dozen at a time, moths mainly, covering the basil and lavender. Who knew autumn was the season for a butterfly garden?!

Unusual and pretty...

Underneath the wings are metallic silver.

Became part of Talon's catch and release program-- I tried to get the silver to show up-- it looked just like foil!


Cucumber beetle-- no curcurbits to nibble...

Petite-- the wingspan is only 1 inch

Talon's ladybug!

Moths don't seem to mind the spent flowers

New flowers are nice too

Pretty!

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Mother Nature Provides...

This birdie posed on the mower even after we drove up and opened the car door.



We put out birdseed in the winter but Mother Nature always provides a bountiful feast.


Ornamental pears. The birds must really love these because new trees pop up everywhere!

I think this is an ornamental spuce but all the cedars are fruiting too.

Autumn is a beautiful season! Get outside and observe all the amazing changes taking place!

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