Pretty and Fleeting ...

I thought we were not going to have much in the way of Fall Colors this year. In September the trees were turning and the undergrowth in the forest was dying off due to our drought. We've been getting rain since then and it seems the trees made a recovery and are now on schedule with bright and beautiful colors.

I think they are just showing off after such a tough year.

I like to take my photos of the leaves from under the trees in full sunlight. I use the sun to light up the leaves and make them glow with color. This past week I was limited in the morning by pet chores so I didn't get my usual morning shots. 

But this is what I did find and I am satisfied with it.

I like standing in the shadows of the trees and finding spots of light. I guess this has just how I liked to see things this year.

Apparently, according to the Leaf Color chart, our area is at 95%. I'd call it a full peak of color right now.

Of course I hope to get out this weekend and enjoy some of those colors in one of our county parks or perhaps a state park.

And there it is...

 

This morning I read some of the blogs I follow. My take away from The Brownstone Birding Blog is something I had been thinking about most of the day on Sunday. Larry in his blog asks if we have become too impatient these days? 

Has the internet, smart phones, instant everything ruined us? 

Yes. I think so. The last two days, I've taken an afternoon break and strung the hammock up between the pine tree and the hickory tree. I thought I'd get bored right away and fall asleep. I had my Smarty Phone with me and was going to play some music. 

Charlie wanted up and I tipped the hammock and dropped the phone on the ground. It stayed there while Charlie and I got comfortable.

After a bit, I noticed the Robin's nest above us. It was empty now whereas a few days ago the Robin had chirped at me when I was picking up sticks below it. Had her fledglings already left the nest?

A bit later I heard raindrops coming down through the leaves. Well, it wasn't raining, we are in a very dry spell. I listened a bit more carefully and I could hear something gnawing on...??? 

Pretty soon, pieces of a hickory nut shell started falling down on us. Charlie woke up and sat up. He could hear the noises too.

By golly, we had been so quiet that a squirrel had settled in above us and was eating a nut. 

For a couple of hours we did nothing. My phone laid on the ground. I listened to the squirrel and listened for birds [most are migrating away]. 

When I walked back to check on the mules before supper, I saw dozens of bluebirds launching from the barbed wire fence and flying into the forest.

When I got back, I checked the dehydrator. The sweet corn was coming along well. 

I walked through my east flower garden and took some time just to enjoy it. The dull area I had started with was now full of a riot of colors. I could stand in the path I'd made and not be seen from the driveway!

And there it is...

my thoughts for a Monday morning.