time of transition

Caught mid-transition from green to autumn colors at the tip.

This leaf, probably in the prunus genus, was in the parking lot of my local bakery this morning. I did not “enhance” this photo. Those are the actual colors, so you can see why it caught me attention. A quick search on Claude informs me that the dark, cracked-looking veining is unusual — and that it could be either a natural effect of the leaf decaying, or a fungal leaf disease. I’v never seen veining quite like this before. It’s very striking.

unidentified leaf––probably chokecherry or pin cherry (Prunus species)

yet another new-to-me!

I absentmindedly picked up this stem at some point. The star shaped seedheads caught my attention. But it was otherwise unremarkable. So unremarkable that I can’t even remember where I plucked it (which is very unusual for me). It remained on my desk unnoticed for over a week. Yesterday I was clearing my desk to make room for a weekend of art making with my bestie Kristin (both our husbands are traveling). So, before I tossed it back out into the woods, I thought I would snap a photo. And I am so glad I did: Look at those seedheads! Look at those dried leaves. Look at those colors! I am a bit gobsmacked that my lowly weed stem photographed so beautifully.

purple meadow-rue stem with seadheads (Thalictrum dasycarpum) a.k.a Tall Meadow Rue

goldenrod topiary?

It only seems fitting to follow up aster with goldenrod. This specimen is so perfectly proportioned it looks like a topiary. I found it on the edge of an unused parking lot. It didn’t need to compete for space, so it grew perfectly round. Goldenrod is usually so shaggy, but then it does tend to grow in dense patches where it is eternally elbowing its siblings for sunshine.

goldenrod (unidentified varietal)

goldenrod and aster

Have you read Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer? If not, please do. You will never see goldenrod and aster the same way again.

Purple-stemmed Aster (Symphyotrichum puniceum)

helpful husband

My husband has been harping on me to capture the all the roadside yellows before they are gone. Okay, harping may be a bit overstated. He has been routinely and consistently pointing out patches of yellow I could easily forage from “should I want to.” LOL. Today, I finally had the free-time, both psychic and calendar, to follow through. I spent a lovely hour in the car listening to a Katherine May podcast, sipping an iced coffee, and gathering yellow roadsidia.

mostly sunflowers, goldenrods, and day lilies…but others too!