Vivid Fall Colors

Having just had my cataracts removed, I am positively giddy over the fall colors this year.  Everywhere I look the landscape is gorgeous and filled with color.  We knew it was beautiful at home, but since the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence a road trip seemed in order.  This clump of Sumac is red enough to knock your socks off.  There is even a small patch of purple New England asters on the left.

From a distance Ed thought he had spotted Poison ivy.  In the fall it is a bright red vine even in the shade, but this one turned out to be Virginia Creeper.  Many trees' leaves are still green or like the ones in this picture that are beginning to turn bright yellow.

The color of the red and yellow in this hedgerow of trees caused a little bit of a seat belt check when they came into view.   All of the trees appear to be the same height, but their  shapes are slightly different.  As for the vivid difference in color I have to say I could hardly believe what I was seeing.  Please note none of the color has been altered in any way in these pictures.

 We had a delightful drive.  Ed even picked up three bags of leaves to take home to use as mulch in our garden.

 

There is nothing like the beauty of Autumn in this part of New York.  Back in our own driveway I had to take a picture of these beautiful asters with milkweed fluff caught in their petals.  You can't beat the Susquehanna and Unadilla River Valleys  for a place to look at Autumn color.  But be warned I had friends who visited these valleys in the fall who loved it so much they moved here to stay.  I've known for years that it works for me.

Gone to Seed

The garden is filled with interesting seeds and seed pods. Here Chinese forget me not seeds have captured milkweed seeds. I'm afraid this is one plant we will wish we had deadheaded. If we brush up against them  the little round seeds are so sticky that Ed and I have to take turns picking them off each others clothes . These seeds are made to stick to any critter that passes by.

New England asters have pretty soft brown seeds.

All of the  poppy seeds are long gone. Some eaten by birds and some planted by the wind. I know when the ground warms next spring my pink poppies will return.

I really can't see that there are any seeds left in this bee balm seed head. It still makes an interesting picture.

These sumac seeds will attract birds to the garden this winter.

Most of the hollyhock seeds are gone. They have been either eaten or planted.

I would not want to have to count the tiny seeds on the stinging nettles. Some might think that allowing stinging nettles to grow here is foolish, but Ed and I both recognize the plant when we see it and it is the food plant for Red Admiral butterflies and others.

The sunflowers have been stripped clean by the birds, but birds are messy eaters and I'm sure the sunflowers will be back too.

For the first time in my memory every black locust tree you see here  has seed pods this year. With all the rain the pods seem to have a black mold on them even as they remain attached to the tree.
 

 Ed has been clearing the beds preparing them for spring planting. No seeds are visible here, but I know they are there waiting for spring and their chance germinate.