no matter what the circumstances

no matter what the circumstances

i love that these linden leaves had the wherewithal to change colors while simultaneously being systematically devoured by beetles. both processes–being eaten and changing colors–are headed for the same ending, so it hardly matters. and yet, something about the “you can’t change me” attitude of the color change makes me smile. linden leaves just being linden leaves. authentically themselves.

beetle eaten linden leaves in autumn color

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low solar angle

low solar angle

the colors have mostly drained from the trees and plants. and have been replaced by the showy seed heads of the tall grasses (both ornamental and native) that are catching the low solar angles exactly right so that that they appear to be lit within. it’s magical. and it lasts only a short while –depending on when the rain, snow, and wind turn the these bobbing mop-heads into shorn broom handles. for me, it is a better display than the holiday lights that will soon be going up. try to catch it before it is gone.

ornamental tall grass seed head

  • Jill says:

    Yes, one of my favorite things to spot on a sunset walk is the magical display of light shining through the tall grasses!

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wintering

wintering

the gray blanket of november has been laid upon us. and i am not complaining. i particularly like this month of transition. and it is coming at a time while i needed a rest. i spent the entire day on the couch beside the fire reading Katherine May’s superb book called Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times. i highly recommend it. with caveats. it’s the kind of book where timing is everything–you must simply be in the mood to receive it. if you think you might be ready for it, it’s the perfect time of year to make a hot drink, sink into a big comfy chair, and spend an entire afternoon with katherine in her english seaside town of whistable. you won’t regret it.

lake superior beach rocks and cedar needles

  • Susan L. says:

    This sounds like something I need. We all need. Thank you for sharing.

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by the slice

by the slice

umm, how cool are these black walnut shell slices? i am completely captivated. i feel like i need to make something with them. maybe use them like penny tiles, and tile a bathroom floor with them. or a sauna. or panel the walls of library.  the texture, and color, and form…it all has me under a spell.

black walnut shell slices (Juglans nigra)

  • Old Lady Gardener says:

    Intriguing, aren’t they? My dad made a trivet for my mom out of black walnut slices that graced our dinner table nightly. I wonder what happened to it…
    These slices show why black walnuts are so expensive to buy, they must be the very devil to shell!

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  • Mary Ann B says:

    Beautifully fascinating . . . like snowflakes (& humans) no two the same

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  • Susan L. says:

    Earrings!

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homage to the black walnut tree

homage to the black walnut tree

working with the us botanical garden on all things black walnut tree. i had all my bits and pieces out today, so i could do a rough mock-up for them. thought i’d get a two-fer and snap a STILL photo at the same time.

eastern American black walnut (Juglans nigra)

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