“He who made the Pleiades and Orion, and turns deep darkness into the morning and darkens the day into night, who calls for the waters of the sea and pours them out on the surface of the earth, the Lord is his name;”
Amos 5:8 ESV
I really enjoyed getting out several times last week at first light as deep darkness was being overcome by September mornings. My senses are detecting change in the air, although very subtle most of the time. We aren’t putting away summer clothes just yet! Pam’s dad had a groundhog in his yard on Tuesday, and I remarked that it means we will have 6 more weeks of summer!
Our visit to the “lotus bog” is usually earlier in the season when the big beautiful blooms emerge. This year Pam and I dropped by for the first time last week. Weiss Lake in the background covers an area of river bottom land where my grandparents lived and raised cotton until the dam was built in the late 1950’s. (A few more pics of the bog coming later in this post)
It’s the time of the season when a lot of fields and right-of-ways are dotted with the prominent purple of ironweed. Very tough stems have earned this wildflower its common name. I think it is also deserving of the name this year because drought has taken toll on a lot of flowering and fruit bearing plants, but not the “weed of iron”!
The obvious isn’t always true, as this tulip tree (actually of the magnolia family) would have us believe it is putting on fall color already. Being stressed from heat and drought, like other plant life in the area, it is simply responding to a long hot summer by the turning and shedding of leaves. I love summer, but I too am ready to seek a smidgeon of relief!
The luna rose hibiscus had stopped blooming but our continued watering brought it back to life. Cooler days may provide growing conditions that keep it going a while longer. Pam made this photo. She didn’t notice what was at the top of the frame as her focus was on the bloom, but I immediately took note of the colors at the top beyond the crepe myrtle. You can probably figure out what it is!
When we highlighted cotton on a previous post, many of our readers commented they did not have the opportunity to see cotton growing. I mentioned we hoped to show a field near harvest time (October or November) when it was a sea of white, after all, cotton fields are part of our everyday living. This is a flower on cotton growing in a field near the lotus bog. A green cotton boll is below the bloom. Cotton blooms only appear for about 3 days. The lighter color blooms, white or pale yellow, are those that are not pollinated. Once pollinated they turn a deep red/purple and then fall off and the boll begins to grow. It is easy to see why it takes a period of time for harvest to begin. This flower, the boll beneath, and an open white mature boll are all on the same plant!
I find it fascinating that the cotton fields look green and vibrant while many plants suffer in heat and drought. It’s all about the roots. Cotton plants have a very deep tap root and an intricate system of roots off the tap root. A tap root can be 3 times as deep as a plant is tall. God’s design for this tropical and subtropical plant! Have you ever considered that cotton is a fruit? That boll may not be tasty like an apple but it contains seeds! Getting those seeds out of the lint is what Mr. Eli Whitney figured out and gave us the cotton gin.
Week before last I found a single active hole in the woods (pic on last Sunday’s post) which now appears to be the living quarters of a raccoon, or raccoons…this based on photos from my nearby camera. This past week I discovered an entire apartment complex.
I must at least give credit where it is due. Don’t tell anyone I bragged on this, but look at the nice colors and the architectural beauty of this seed head. Pam and I stopped to admire numerous seed heads waving in the breeze. I wish it was part of a windy Kansas wheat field, but it sits atop the “not-so-popular” Johnson grass! BTW, Mr Johnson, for which this is named, planted seeds along the Alabama River in south Alabama in 1840 and is credited for the spread of the grass. Sorry!
Smooth or scarlet sumac turns a deep red color for autumn. I stopped in the middle of the road at the end of a bridge for Pam to get this neat photo. Only the female plant has berries. We noticed later that there was a mimosa limb in the background loaded with its bean pods!
I told Pam I had found a vegan spider. She had never heard of that type spider and was asking about it. She should know by now that for fun I give things all sorts of names. I found several webs on small bushes that had only captured leaves and other plant materials so I concluded a group of vegetarian spiders lived here. I was joking with her of course, but there is really a jumping spider that is noted for its mainly plant-based diet, only one spider out of 40,000+ species that does indulge in plants. That rare one however, does not live around these parts!
The leaves of the lotus plant are huge and heavily veined. They are like a sea of umbrellas that in September begin to show signs of a long summer of hard work.
Many lotus pods are ready for harvest, but we did find that there were still green ones scattered about. As far as we know, no one gathers these pods, but they are used in decorating and ornamental applications. We have purchased a few, but not in a very long time!
Our only silver maple began to die a couple of years ago and slowly deteriorated to a point that it needed removal. They usually live a long time, but I believe our location and soil was not right for a long life. This one was large however, and probably 40 years or older. The root ball and extent of the roots created a huge hole in our yard. Cutting the tree, hauling off the debris, and removing the stump was a job for Richardson Landworks. Thankfully the owner lives nearby and was able to take care of it in a timely manner. He said it was sad about removing it because he liked this tree a lot as a kid! Maybe he climbed it some and it was like losing an old friend?
This butterfly (I think a male black swallowtail ) is enjoying one of our common wildflowers, the hairy clustervine. The blooms only last a day, so enjoy them while you can!
A long roll of clouds will on occasion form and lay right along the ridge of the mountain. Conditions must need to be very specific in some way for this to happen. It is kinda interesting and picturesque to me. I mentioned how dry it’s been, but one day it came a brief rain shower over on the mountain, so maybe that moisture and the way air moves because of the terrain contributes to the formation. In fact, our neighbors got a rain shower and we didn’t get a drop. Should I examine my prayer life?
I’ve often said that vines, as invasive as they can be, give us a lot of flowers to enjoy. This vine is running wild along our pasture’s edge, always showing up in late summer. The Man of the Earth, sometimes called a wild sweet potato, is a native plant and a species of morning glory!
Change was not as subtle toward the end of the week as afternoons noticeably cooled nicely at sunset, and gentle breezes were from the north and west. Low to mid-fifties 50’s predicted for this morning! (But still no rain)!
Have a blessed week!!!
”Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever”.
Hebrews 13:8
Linking with:
Pieced Pastimes, Between Naps on the Porch, Katherines Corner, Follow The Yellow Brick Home,
Imparting Grace,Life and Linda
Good chilly morning from Pa it is 46 degrees and I am not complaining! The photos of the sky are especially beautiful. Cotton is a very interesting plant. Raccoons can be very bold, we sometimes have them sitting in our tree to get the bird seed. If there is more than one they will fight to get to the feeders. Morning glories are very pretty but they have a tendency to take over. It is a constant battle here to keep them contained. Have started seeing monarch butterflies on our miniature butterfly bush. It rained here late yesterday hopefully it is headed in your direction. Really enjoy your blog. Have a blessed week everyone.
Hope you had a good Sunday Maryann. We had 51 here this morning but it’s a bit early for us to see a monarch. Like you however, we have those brave raccoons, no raccoon shortage. Yes, please send the rain. Have a wonderful week!
Butch and Pam
Good morning from Almost Heaven, WV, where we have 51° this morning. Like you, no rain. I’ve started cutting back the most yellow of plants in my landscape.
I always enjoy the detail of your weekly observations. For those plants I don’t see here (cotton), it’s learning new tidbits. For those we have in common, such as iron weed, man of the earth (which, btw, the specific name I did not know, just knew it was of the morning glory family), it’s noting similarities in our regions from my own observations around me.
Happy Sunday, Happy New Week, Richardsons.
Thank you and happy Sunday evening to you Rita. It is time for us to be cutting back some plants and making preparations for a new season. It is still very dry here and we too had 51 here at our house this morning. I’m sure our country roads have quite a few similarities. We wish you a joyful week!
Butch and Pam
How in the world to you know all the names of these plants? Many I’ve seen my entire life, but never know what they are called. Love connecting the dots and words and vines and flowers with you. Happy new week!
Leslie Anne, we are so glad you join us to connect the dots. If you can manage that from my scattered captions you are to be commended. So many years have passed that I’ve forgotten about 90% of the plants and trees I once knew. Thankfully there are resources to help out and jog my memory. Hope you have a great week!
Butch and Pam
Fall is definitely starting to arrive, especially with the cooler temps this morning! Leaves are falling here and wow, the days are definitely shorter! Beautiful sunrise and sunset Butch, and your knowledge of all you find in nature is always impressive. That is so interesting about the stages cotton bolls go through. Seeing a field of white cotton is one of my favorite parts of fall. I hope you both have a great week!
We agree Jenna, some hints of fall are around and a cool breezy morning today helped those feelings along. When I was working I traveled a lot and I always loved to be in areas of the south that had huge cotton fields where the sea of white seemingly went for miles. We wish you a great week as well!
Butch and Pam
Good morning! Thank you for expanding my knowledge about cotton. As a Southerner I am embarrassed I only knew about Eli Whitney! Our trees look like yours with stressed, yellow leaves. My sister lost a silver maple and while it was being taken down, a man approached her and explained he was an artisan woodworker. He asked if he could have the wood. Months later he returned with a large beautiful bowl made from her tree as a thank you. Hope you have a joy-filled week full of more great photos to share with us!
Good evening Roxanne, and if you know about Eli Whitney you pass the test with an “A”. We wish the silver maple man would come our way as we do have some large solid pieces out on the wood pile. Thanks for sharing and we wish you a joy-filled week as well!
Butch and Pam
After reading the Amos verse it’s apparent That I must pray that God will pour out water on Alabama, specifically on your area. He says to be Specific when we pray and pray I did. The raccoons might not appreciate that their condos will be filled with water But it’s too late for the silver maple. Are you going to plant another one? It’s interesting that the cotton plants seeks water far down in the earth and so they thrive. Even though the surface is dry God made Aquaphors way down under the roots that supply our wells so we humans can have cool water to drink. Praise Him🙏
Thank you Alice. A plentiful supply of clean water to drink is truly a blessing and much of the world doesn’t have it. We do hope it rains soon. The raccoons will just have to get over it if they get flooded out. I have read that in some places a cotton tap root can go 9 or 10 feet deep. Amazing. And we hope you have an amazing week!
Butch and Pam
Good Morning Pam and Butch. Pictures are all so beautful. Will keep prayers going you get some rain soon. We are having cool mornings and a very fall like weekend. However with that said we are going back up in the high 80 and a possible 90 day in the week. We have the tug of war between summer and fall.
That is quite the condo for raccoons. Amazing. Love seeing the flag through the trees. I love all your wonderful information on the plants.
Have a beautiful week ahead with maybe some rain. Hugs. Kris
Thank you Kris, and you spotted the flag. I like your tug of war analogy, that sums it up well. We are enjoying a nice weather weekend too. But as you say, some warmer days are still going to hang around. Have a wonderful week!
Butch and Pam
It is a delightful day here. The breeze is cool and refreshing. We haven’t had rain either even though it’s been to the north and south of us! I didn’t know raccoons dug so much! Ground hogs and armadillos I knew were a menace but I now understand why we see various holes at times! I do so enjoy seeing the mature cotton fields in the fall and the green ones in the summer. I didn’t realize the root system they had but it makes sense. I learn something new each week from your blog. Thank you for the knowledge you bring! We hope you are having a pleasant day. Clara❤️
Thank you and good to hear from you Clara. We know what you mean about those groundhogs and armadillos. Armadillos hit our yard last week and left their mark. They are slick, coming in the middle of the night. I could set a trap and catch a raccoon almost nightly but the armadillos just won’t go in a trap. We hope you have a great week!
Butch and Pam
No fall here yet, and I am so ready. Thank you so much for the walk, I live in Washington state, so your plants are all new to me. Of course, I have no clue what a cotton field looks like or how cotton grows, so learning a bit about that, was exciting.
As I walked along with you, I spotted several plants and grasses that would make a fall floral bouquet.
I so look forward to your walks.
Thank you Nonie. We have been privileged to visit your state and it is truly beautiful. Our climates are quite different for certain. We will likely find a large cotton field to photograph in a few weeks when everything is white and the leaves are even off the plants. Glad to have you walk along. Have a great week!
Butch and Pam
I’m enjoying learning about everything, most most especially the cotton! Thank you!
Thank you Sue. I’ve been around cotton all my life and picked it by hand as a kid. I knew about the deep roots but had never read how deep they can grow in some soils and climates. Have a wonderful week!
Butch and Pam
The cooler days have been a welcome change, and I hope it lasts. I am ready for autumn leaves and pumpkins. The flowers are lovely. The scarlet sumac has such an interesting bloom!
Thank you Carole. The bright color of the sumac does stand out. Our normal local pumpkin farmer/supplier didn’t grow pumpkins this year so we have to find some other sources. I gave up on trying to raise our own pumpkins. May need to try again next year. Have a pleasant week!
Butch and Pam
You’re right about the change in the air, Butch. We’re feeling it here, too — and seeing it as well, with early turning leaves, more fungi, summer plants dying off. As always, every photo is a gem.
Thank you Jeanie. We had a very pleasant weekend here but I see a few warmer days back in the forecast. Possible rain Thursday which we desperately need. Our summer plants are definitely about finished, mainly due to drought. We wish you a great week!
Butch and Pam
Butch and Pam–this post is jam-packed with fascinating photos and information! Easily, your posts (both of you) should appear in magazines.
From the clouds and skyscapes, to the cotton (fascinating–I’m not near it and see it when I travel and I learned even more because of you), to the Richardson removal of an old climbing “friend” to the Vegan Spider (tee hee, Butch),…the weather changes and our Creator’s beautiful world evolves and spins into new amazing seasons. I’m so blessed to be here and soak in the beauty of the world through your lens, hearts, and souls. My prayer life continues to grow too, through each season. I giggled on the 6 more weeks of summer. I’ll be out for over a week, but my love and prayers for your family doesn’t cease. God bless you all. Thank you for sharing with us. It brightens my life and I know many others, too. 🙏❣️
Thank you so much Karla, and know that we pray for you always. God’s seasons are truly amazing and no two are ever exactly alike. I heard about your upcoming week, and it sounds great. I am sure you will soak up and take in some of the world’s beauty while you are away. No growth is any more important than the growth of prayer life, the ultimate source of soul nourishment. Have a blessed time away and we will see you when you return !
Butch and Pam
Given your sense and history of nature, Butch, I’ll accept the likelihood of 6 more weeks of Summer. So
interesting how you relate the bottom land occupied by your Grandparents now being covered by a bog…..unique. Loved the lesson of the evolvement of the cotton … Divine engineering tapped into by Whitney. The exquisite color of Pam’s captured sumac held me spellbound and I am going to try to match it in another medium. We use the lotus pods in Fall decor… How much He furnishes us with creative devices… We are about to lose a mighty oak on our land at somewhat exorbitant cost (you are so fortunate to have Richardson Landworks) and who knows what our vast expanse will provide in terms of manufacture once it is downed… visions of old-fashioned oak school desks with attached seats. Glorious sky photos and as to recipients of rain, God’s plan evolved according to His Will and I would
surmise you will always remain in the mix…prayerfully expect rain.
Thank you so much Mary. An uncle, many years ago would take me fishing and he would tell me that we were fishing over what used to be my grandparents home and farm. I always thought it was neat to think about catching a fish at their house. One of our readers mentioned that a friend lost a large tree and a wood artisan took it and made neat things including a gift for her. Your big oak should have great value. I do remember those desk and in fact we have one stored upstairs in my shop. Agreed. God’s plan, Divine providence…it will rain precisely when it needs to. Have a blessed week!
Butch and Pam
Beautiful photos and interesting post! I love reading the comments too…You live at a stunning place! Have a lovely week ahead. Blessings dear friends.
Thank you Maristella for your kind words. We enjoy the comments too. So interesting because of the wide range of people and places. It gives us insights into the everyday living of others. Have a wonderful week!
Butch and Pam
Butch~ I’m always amazed at how you know all the names of all the plants that surround you. And the bog was once your grandparent’s farm? Wow!
Good Afternoon Butch and Pam.
We are feeling the change in the air as well. I love the cool evenings!
I’m sorry about your tree. Its always hard to say good bye to an old friend.
Thanks for sharing your world with us!
Have a beautiful week!
Thank you Nancy. My grandparents once lived in the area beyond that bog where you see the water. Our other maples aren’t looking too good either. They are sugar maples. I’m wondering if a disease of some kind is the cause. We hope you have a great week!
Butch and Pam
Such lovely pictures Butch – so much fun going on “walks” with you! Being a northern girl, cotton and cotton fields are fascinating to me and so are many of the plants and flowers that are native to your area. I knew about Eli Whitney inventing the cotton gin, but I honestly never knew that that’s what the cotton gin did. That is just so cool. I’m so glad the luna hibiscus is blooming again and the butterfly is beautiful. The raccoon condos are hilarious and I always enjoy the sky shots. I’m sorry about the drought there; we’ve had a different kind of drought here. In June, Calgary had a major water main break with many minor water main breaks/damage discovered subsequently. As a result, we have had watering restrictions in place on and off all summer (no outdoor watering). I feel your pain and I do hope you get some rain soon. Happy new week Richardsons!
Thank you Kim. I remember about that water main but didn’t know such restrictions were still in place. Yes, cotton is full of seeds and it was very labor intensive to get even a clean pound of lint doing it by hand. Our climates are quite different but you live in a beautiful place. Maybe we can get that way again sometime. Have a wonderful week!
Butch and Pam
Such an interesting post! I got tickled about your question about examining your prayer life! It brought to mind a story that I read in S.O. Susag’s book. He was plowing or something like that, and he was praying, asking God to keep the rain away until he got finished working his field. He said it was raining all around him but not in the row or area where he needed to work! I’m so thankful that we serve a prayer-hearing, prayer-answering God!
Thanks so much Cheryl. We do have rain predicted for the latter part of the week. We will see if that happens but for sure God’s timing is perfect. I have heard stories like the one you mentioned and know those things do occur. Have a blessed week.
Butch and Pam
Beautiful pictures….love your flowers yes, I see the American flag in the photo Pam took. Love it. I grew up on a farm and we had raccoons around all the time as well as badgers, coyotes and fox. They are all very smart and adaptive to their environment. Thanks for the photos of the cotton…however, I do not like the smell of a cotton mill. LOL Thanks for your first light walks.