in am autumn mood

Today marks our return to autumn after a mini-reprieve that had temps hitting 90 degrees F on Sunday. While most of us seemed to be able to get outside and enjoy our few extra days of summer, I think everyone is also equally ready to (now) settle into sweater weather and hot cider. This composition is pure autumn vibes to me. Bring it on, I’m ready!

fall leaves (black walnut, smokebush, sumac) and three crabapples

waterlily from Longwood

Steve and I had a FULL day yesterday. Fun but full. So I am posting this waterlily photo I shot at Longwood a month ago. The Waterlily Court at Longwood Gardens is spectacular. A thing to go out of your way to see.

seasons collide

We are having one of those weeks in autumn when the temps creep back up into the 80s, and it feels like summer again. The dahlias are still blooming, and the leaves are falling simultaneously. When I grew up, we called this “Indian summer”. I think today we call it “shoulder seasons”. Whatever it is called, these seasonal mash-ups where we can still have a taste of both seasons are some of my favorite weeks of the year. In Minnesota, our shoulder seasons are traditionally in late-May, and early-October. Cheers to big shoulders!

fall leaves with flower petal confetti

still catching up

We are at peak sumac color here in the Twin Cities. And we have a lot of roadside sumac. It is truly breathtaking out there. I have had these leaves–I am tempted to call them fronds–laying on my kitchen counter for two days, waiting for me to have time to play with them (I am still catching up from my events last week). So, I tossed them into this dashed-off composition without thinking twice. And, naturally, because I bypassed the inner critic in my haste, I rather like the loose results. A lesson I seem to need to learn over and over again.

staghorn sumac in October

after the party

Just popping in quickly. Still catching up after yesterday’s events…great fun was had by all!

yellow and red autumn leaves (amur maple and willow)