“Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!”
Romans 11:33 ESV
I wanted to surprise Pam by bringing home the first pumpkins of the season. I had not seen any for sale until last week. It is a judgement call…if I buy early while the selection is great, will they last into November? Or do I wait until later in hopes that there are still plenty to choose from? Such a difficult life, planning for fall! I do have a tendency, as you can see here, to come home with 3 of everything, possibly with some nearby little folks in mind !
Possibly no one will agree with me on my take of this one. You will probably think I have cloudy vision, no pun intended. But, I see a little girl with curly hair attempting to blow away a neighboring cloud. I even see that she has long eyelashes. Pam thinks I am hallucinating! She sees the girl, but no eyelashes.
I call these southern miniature pineapples. There’s something about the field thistle that reminds me of a pineapple. Young stems and leaves can be boiled and served as greens, but I passed on that opportunity!
I am taking WL out on the trail some these days. This is a spot where wildlife, especially deer, have come to lick the salty ground for years. WL and I are sweetening up the spot with a mineral and molasses type liquid. He was excited when I told him he was feeding deer, giving them nourishment, and that baby deer are around this time of year.
WL was more than excited when the next day, the same camera that made our photo sent us quite a few pictures like this one.
I know this guy is camouflaged well but he is easy to pick out in this close-up. He wasn’t so easy to spot from farther away, but I happened upon him while watering the cottage garden. A preying mantis looks like an extraterrestrial, that face!
As I mentioned watering, we’ve done a lot of that this growing season. It is always necessary here in the summer but this year we had to start early. Have you noticed how drought conditions manage to kill grass and flowers while weeds not only survive, but flourish? An area that failed to get water and where the topsoil is thin resulted in bare ground, all except a spot occupied by buttonweed.
I discovered this beside the cotton field we visited in last weeks post. I was not familiar at all with this unusual looking plant. I researched to find it is native to Asia but has been introduced to many tropical and subtropical places, including the US. It is considered a pest by many. Normally know as turnsole, a common name describes it best…
…scorpion weed or scorpion tail. I can see where that name comes from. I actually found it to be a very unique plant, and I see a spider found it inviting!
A look back, September 12, 2023, the Wachau Valley along the Danube River in southern Austria!
Yellow is dominant in September and there are two very similar wildflowers that often grow side by side. From year to year I think I will remember which is which, and I was sure I had it right this year. I bragged to Pam about my memory as I proclaimed this to be the hairy sunflower, only to discover I was wrong again. This is called bearded beggarticks…
…and this is the hairy sunflower. Both are beginning to bloom now and will be showy for the next few weeks, probably until frost.
The garden has a bit of fall color (and even Christmas colors) most of the year provided by nandina, but touches of autumn are definitely more noticeable come September!
I noticed this maple by the lake where I sometimes walk has a head start on fall color. Some of you probably get a lot of autumn color in September but generally peak time for us is early November. We wonder if extremely dry weather will have a negative impact on color this season?
While walking through the woods I came across this broken off branch and took note of the dried seed pods. They had an autumnal look to me and I had an idea they would look good in one of Pam’s fall arrangements, so I brought it home. These seed cones from a tulip poplar (Magnolia family) would have been on this branch before the cicadas destroyed so many end branches, telling me the wind snapped this one without any help from those noisy invaders. I was surprised that squirrels had not munched on them. They look like something a squirrel would enjoy, and I believe they do in fall and winter. Maybe Pam can find a way to use them this fall. When I disappear in the woods for a lengthy time it is always good to bring something useful home with me, other than just photos!
I managed to dig way back and found an old photo looking down into a tulip poplar bloom. I can see how it is forming at this stage and why it has the appearance that it does later when the bloom is gone. This was late April. We have tulip poplars in our yard and it has never occurred to me that these cones might really work well in an arrangement. I’m always reminding myself to look up, but this time, looking down gave me the idea to look up at the many tulip trees around our area and see what might be hanging around!
These are current pods/cones on a tree in our yard. They appear to have beginnings of turning brown but I now wonder if their timing might be a bit too late to be useful for any kind of fall decoration? Maybe they would need to be gathered from the tree earlier so they could be dried? I will keep an eye on the progress.
Not to sound like a broken record, but the dry, hot summer took its toll on our beautyberries. The nearest one at the edge of our yard has zero berries. I had to go a distance to find one that appears to have fared a lot better! Maybe the next county had more rain!
Late one afternoon, clouds streamed by in waves in an unusual way, pushed up from the gulf. Our local meteorologist called these tropical clouds. The hurricane brought breezy days and some welcome rain the last two days. Most of the flooding and wind damage from the storm system was to our south and west.
Have a peaceful and wonderful week, this last “official” week of summer. The autumnal equinox is next Sunday!
”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
Those beautyberries are still beautiful! I say get one or two small pumpkins now and more as the selection gets bigger and you get closer. If the old ones go, the critters will still love them. Happy Sunday!
Good pumpkin advice Jeanie. I have a pumpkin graveyard every year when they are spent and the critters definitely love them. I make sure it’s not too close to the house. A happy Sunday evening to you!
Butch and Pam
Butch, I’m with Pam, my imagination failed the eyelash test. But I do welcome your ability to play along with Gods designs. And yes I see the shape of a pineapple in the thistle. There are so many things not noticed that God made. Studying the inside and outside I’ve found it took me by surprise at how intricate and different the inside is from the outside. Whew! We humans are the same. Our daughter puts out salt licks in her yard and buys apples to cut up to feed the deer that visit her yard. Little man is so fortunate to have you as a guide for caring for wildlife. Fall has arrived here in Colorado. The temperatures are in the low 50’s and so the fireplace has been turned on after having Columbine Appliance do a health check on it. I’ve also wondered how the drought may affect Fall color this year. Hope the rain gave you a few days of not watering.
Thanks Alice. Don’t feel bad about the eyelashes, they are hard to see. We received a little under 2 inches of rain from the outskirts of Francine but we were blessed to get it. Not quite cool enough for the fireplace yet as I see a couple days coming up back near 90. But yes, a break from watering. Have a wonderful week!
Butch and Pam
Yay, pumpkins! I love the photo of you Butch with WL leaving food for the deer, and wow you got results! My grandson has a camera that he keeps in the woods behind our house to capture deer that he leaves corn for. Signs of Fall are starting to be seen, we have a lot of leaves falling here and I’m loving the rain and cooler temps this week. I hope you both have a wonderful week ahead!
Thanks Jenna. The rain and cooler was definitely welcome. We got less than 2 inches but some received 4 and 5 inches, flooding. I have several cameras for the outdoors but only two out right now. A lot of coyotes around here, bobcats too. Have a great week!
Butch and Pam
I also love the picture of feeding the deer and the follow on one with the fawns. Love your pictures
Thank you Merilynn. WL likes the outdoors and at 3 he thinks he is a big helper. We are seeing fawns about every day lately. Have a wonderful week!
Butch and Pam
How cute you and WL feeding the deer. So sweet. Have a great week. Hugs. Kris
Thank you Kris. WL really loves the outdoors. Even at 3 I try to let him be hands on as much as possible. Have a splendid week!
Butch and Pam
The pic of you and WL is priceless! I know WL was proud of his work when he saw the pic of the fawns; it’s so sweet. I see the girl, but not the eyelashes. It’s amazing how weeds survive drought! The sky shot at the end is beautiful. We hope you got rain. It has steadily rained for 3 days; not complaining; thankful to have it! There were trees that fell over due to the saturated ground with power outages following. Thankfully, the wind wasn’t that bad and only lasted one day. Have a wonderful day! Clara❤️
Thank you Clara. You were closer to the path of that storm but it seems you fared ok. We got less than 2 inches of rain but we’re thankful for it. The eyelashes are hard. If I was any good at editing photos I’d point them out and try to convince everyone they are there. Pam still says my imagination gone too far. Have a wonderful week!
Butch and Pam
Good morning! I looked at that cloud and saw nothing. Then I read your caption and saw the girl! Perhaps I’ve had too much coffee?!? Ah, the great pumpkin dilemma. I too was eyeing some beauties and thought it was much too hot to set them out. But I’m running out of time before my back surgery when I will only be able to lift 2-5 lbs for 3 whole months ugh. The picture of you and WL is so sweet.
Roxanne you just need to stock up on pumpkins now and not worry about them. Enjoy while you can. The heat does take its toll on them. I found more pumpkins yesterday but didn’t buy. Go with more pumpkins and less coffee. Have a great week!
Butch and Pam
I saw the girl blowing the cloud! Not sure about eyelashes but I saw the girl!
That purple wildflower that looks like berries is very interesting! 💜
How cool that WL gets to do fun things out in the woods with Grandpa! How fun for both! And deer came!
Happy Sunday Friends! I am glad you got some rain!
Well Nancy I’m giving everybody a break on the eyelashes. Beautyberry is native here, and there are a number of bushes around but it was a hard summer on a lot of things it seems. WL was thrilled about the deer coming. We do have fun outdoors. Wishing you a wonderful week!
Butch and Pam
Love the picture of the deer and the fawns. I think I’ve mentioned my story about a praying mantis before. Some years ago I had no idea they were good insects for your garden and I attempted to kill it and it bit me. It really hurt for a time. I haven’t seen another one since.
Have a great week. Bonnie
Well Bonnie the preying mantis population has been warned to stay away from your place. I had a brown one today sitting on the stem of one of the only 3 orange pumpkins we have. They do eat the bad bugs I think. Hope you also have a great week!
Butch and Pam
Lovely flowers, we have some yellow here too, mostly St John’s wort and some goldenrod, with a smattering of black eyed Susans. It is cool today, and I am looking forward to fall. Aren’t you the thoughtful one, gathering pods for Pam’s arrangements!
Thank you Carole. We have some goldenrod and black eyed Susan’s coming on too. Several other yellow wildflowers also. We’ve enjoyed a few cooler days but the forecast has us warming back up. Maybe you will stay a little cooler with those mountains around. Have a great week!
Butch and Pam
How fortunate WL is to have his inquiring-minded Grandpa along on his trek
through the woods and what great reward the lesson brought. Count me in on the damsel in the clouds, but the question of hairy sunflower versus bearded beggarsticks would have put me out in left field. This week’s photos are lovely.
Your vision of Nature and the wonder of it all coupled with Pam’s gifts of caring and creativity …. we are again so blessed by Everyday Living. Have a wondrous
week….
Thank you Mary. I was blessed to take WL’s dad on many many outdoor outings and it’s the sweetest thing to be around to do it all over again. (I still get out with his daddy too). I’m much slower these days but I say do what you can while you can. Have a blessed week!
Butch and Pam
A lovely post Butch & Pam. How wonderful to have deer nearby. And that they enjoy a treat too!
My husband always points out to me that a ‘weed’ is only a plant where we don’t want it to be but in its right setting it has a purpose… ☺️
I always used to get frustrated with pesky thistles on the farm, until I learnt that that’s God’s way of replacing nitrogen in a nitrogen depleted soil! They were actually a gift!
We have a wondrous God indeed!
Blessings to you both, Jennifer
Jennifer I must agree with your husband. Actually in a lot of our lawn, if the weeds were gone we would have only dirt. A lot of the wild plants that grow here are helpful to the soil, like the various legumes that help with the nitrogen. God is the Perfect Master Planner. Thanks for your comments and have a wonderful week!
Butch and Pam
You get high marks for the excellent pumpkins you took home, and of course you had to have 3. Always need an odd number! How special that WL has the joy and opportunity to spend time with his granddad out in nature. I can just imagine his awe at seeing the photos of the deer licking the treats you left for them. Thanks for sharing these bits of nature. Always a treat. Happy Sunday!
Happy Sunday to you Sarah. It’s special for me and WL to get out like that. Me and his dad did that so much (still do sometimes) and I never thought I’d get to do it all over again with a little guy. Memories are stirred. I’ve got to come up with more pumpkins soon. Have a wonderful week!
Butch and Pam
Butch, I love the pumpkins! I think you made the right call on them, and you can always get more if these do not last. The photo of you and WL is so special. And the deer; how wonderful that they showed up the day after you put food out for them! I know you are enjoying these grandchildren. Love to you and Pam.
Thank you Patti and we love you. Say hello to Mike for us. I’m thinking I will soon be looking for many more pumpkins. I suppose go ahead and enjoy them as long as possible, hoping the heat won’t take its toll on too many. The grands love them so that settles it. Have a blessed week!
Butch and Pam
Happy Sunday, Butch and Pam! I’m
happy to see that you found some pumpkins. We haven’t purchased any yet, but we probably will in the next week. The photos of the beautyberries and nandina are so pretty. Purples and mauves always remind me of fall. WL is precious! We have a camera in our back yard, and we are always capturing lots of wildlife photos. Our fall colors usually don’t reach their glory until November. We have been very dry too and are praying for rain. Wishing you both a blessed and wonderful week ahead!
Thank you Shannon. We did get a little rain and are grateful for it. I have several cameras but only have 2 in the woods right now. They get pretty active at times, lots of various creatures. I get coyotes and bobcats, mostly at night. I think we are gonna go ahead and get more pumpkins later this week! Have a pleasant week!
Butch and Pam
Always enjoy your Sunday posts. I could see the little girl, but no eyelashes! Your photos are beautiful and I especially love the ones if you and your grandson and then of the visiting deer. Here in the Piedmont of NC, we have some trees beginning to change, especially dogwoods and the early stages on Maples. God has created a beautiful world and we need to be good stewards of this gift. Have a good week
Thank you so much Darlene. We certainly do have the wonderful privilege of living in God’s awesome creation, and as you said, it truly is a gift. The eyelashes are hard to see and Pam thinks it’s just my imagination going wild. Maybe so. Have a wonderful week!
Butch and Pam
I could not see the girl for love nor money, much less the eyelashes lol, but it’s a great sky shot anyway! The pic of you and WL is so cute and how wonderful that he was able to see the fruits of his labor, so to speak. That scorpion tail may be a pest, but the brilliant green leaves paired with the purple flower? is so pretty. The spiral shape reminded me of fiddleheads for a moment. The pumpkins look great and lots of unique finds for a possible Pam arrangement. Have a wonderful week both of you!
Thank you Kim. I didn’t think of fiddleheads but that’s a great thought. I agree that the scorpion weed does offer a lot and is pretty nice for a pesky weed. I couldn’t see that it was hurting anything out by a cotton field. WL was glad to see results especially that the fawns were there. Have a great week!
Butch and Pam
Well Butch….I DO see the eyelashes so you are right on with the little girl in the clouds. We have such fun with our grands don’t we? Perhaps we are so busy in our child rearing years that we don’t take the time to find the joy in living day to day. We are working and trying to keep a roof over our heads but when we have the grands….we have more time to teach and enjoy them…at least that is what I find and what a joyful time it is. We are with our grands as we speak as we traveled to Kansas from Florida to spend a few months with family and friends. AND the grands are wonderful and they were so happy to see us and they couldn’t wait to show Gpa and GG everything that excites them.
Thank you for the beautiful photos as always and the education on identification. We have lived in so many wonderful places and have found the “weeds” of one state are the “flower” of another state….if you know what I mean. From Seattle to New Mexico, Kansas to Texas, Florida to Pennsylvania, God’s creation and beauty is there for the viewing. How awesome He is.
Enjoy the cooler weather and much love to you and Pam.
Thank you so much Kari. Sounds like you are on the go but maybe settling in on Kansas for a while. Creation is awesome and the Creator so much more so. Even the weeds are here for a purpose. We are enjoying cooler nights but our days are hitting the 90’s again now. Enjoy those grands. Have a great weekend and extended visit to Kansas!
Butch and Pam
Such an interesting post! I always enjoy reading about your adventures in the woods! And so funny that you bring something useful, other than photos, when you return after being a long time gone! God bless you all.🙏❤😊
Thank you Cheryl. I’m not sure everything I bring in is useful but at least photos that don’t turn out so well can be deleted. God bless you and we hope you have a wonderful weekend!
Butch and Pam