in transition

in transition

by both the meteorological (sept 1) and astronomical (sept 22) calendars, we are now in autumn. indeed, birds are migrating, acorns have fallen, black walnuts are dropping, and the leaves are changing color. colorful fall leaves are fun to compose and photograph, but it is the ones i can catch in transition that pique my interest the most.

hog-peanut vine leaves in early autumn (Amphicarpaea bracteata)

 

  • Old Lady Gardener says:

    These leaves look more like examples of chlorosis than the color change of fall leaves. Check it out and see what you think. But, gosh darn, they sure are pretty!

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birds of a feather

birds of a feather

with the great migration underway, we are finding a lot of souvenirs left behind by the travelers who choose to rest-up in our yard for a day or two.  it’s nice to hear birdsong again. yet bittersweet, because we know they are only passing through. almost 400 different species of birds will pass over in the next two months. we’ve enjoyed some mild weather lately, but tonight there will by thunderstorms, as the canadian winds push down upon us. they will bring some much needed rain, and welcome tailwinds for the migrants.

two crane feathers and a crow feather

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let’s look at the details

let’s look at the details

our sandhill cranes are still here. we are expecting them to leave any day now, joining up with other migrants heading south. they are mostly done molting, but their feathers still litter out yard. this photo is a close-up of one of their feathers. the detail is exquisite. i have to downsize my images when i post them, otherwise your browser would take too long to load my images. usually, i am okay with the loss of resolution. but with an image like this, it hurts. i’d love to be able to share the full resolution image so we could, together, marvel at the intricate detail of feathers. nature at it’s most remarkable.

p.s. the collective noun for a flock of cranes is a sedge. other collective nouns for cranes include a siege and a herd. the term ‘sedge’ is derived from the old english word ‘secg’, which means ‘sword’. this is likely due to the long, thin shape of a crane’s neck, which resembles a sword.

sandhill crane feather close-up (Antigone canadensis)

  • Carol Sommers says:

    Zooming in gives a good look

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happy vernal equinox

happy vernal equinox

i’ve got my whole gang in town for a family wedding this weekend. so i am grabbing the most abundant thing in my line of sight, and right now that is aster. enjoy this equinox weekend; the sun is directly over the equator today, making day and night of equal length.

smooth blue aster (Symphyotrichum laeve)

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an original

an original

i found this party streamer half way through my walk today. how sad do you think i was when i accidently broke the tip off that curly leaf on my way home? crushed. coincidentally, i attended my aunt Geri’s funeral yesterday. she was my mom’s younger sister, and best friend these last few years. i adored aunt geri. she had spunk. and grit. and determination. she had three daughters, and was a true feminist in the 1950’s…a whole generation before it would become a national movement. so this grass stem reminds me of her; fun, determined, beautiful. an original. we will miss her.

tall grass leaf in autumn

  • Dianne says:

    Condolences on the death of your spunky Aunt Geri.

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