Autumn Stroll

Join me on a little nature walk.  Yes, I know, we did this just a little while back.  But it keeps changing outside!  Most of the bright reds are gone but the big maples have turned golden yellow and are putting on a grand display.

Here's our contribution to the neighborhood show.









Looking the other direction from this, there used to be a clump of huge cottonwoods which was also impressive.  However, they had a habit of dropping limbs.  So now we have stumps and . . .

fungus . . .amongus!  (Sorry, I couldn't resist)

Okay, let's meander back towards the maple.

What's this?  I thought we already had the Last Rose of Summer. With the mild fall we've had they just keep going.

Hanging out with the rose is an assortment of lichen.  I think this one looks like Einstein's hair.

Are you lichen this?  (I know, there's no end to my wittiness.  I'm sure you're thinking there's no beginning either.)

Oh, look at this little guy.  Only about an inch tall.  Cute.

Oh my, I think I took too many pictures!  How do I make this manageable?  Maybe categories will help.

Usually, it's the colors that catch my eye first.  

If I look a little longer, it's the textures.

Sometimes, it's the light - directly, or indirectly.

Or what the light reveals.  When I took this I could only see the one big strand.

And then there's the broad subject of perspective.

Near.  It's amazing what you see when you get up close and personal.  This moss is growing on the roof of the shed.

Far.  The tree next door is perfectly placed for our viewing pleasure from the kitchen.

But it called for some more "near."  (With permission, of course.)

And, one of my favorite perspectives - up.

I hope you enjoyed the stroll.  I'm sure we'll do it again sometime.