“I form light and create darkness; I make well-being and create calamity; I am the Lord, who does all these things.”
Isaiah 45:7 ESV
I ventured over the hill and near the river on Thursday and enjoyed this September sunrise. Our days late this week have been mostly in the low 90’s (96 yesterday!), but the current dry air really cools faster than humid nights, bringing pleasant mornings…like this one at 61 degrees. We invested $4.95 in an outdoor thermometer several years ago, so no doubt these numbers are correct!
As I turned to head home just after sunrise, I was able to say farewell to a setting, harvest moon. The next full moon will be the hunter’s moon! Seeing the harvest moon and hearing the distant sounds of large farming equipment set the tone for some of my thoughts and photos for today’s post! It is such a great time of year.
I finally made my move on pumpkins and this is the result of my primary run to hopefully at least get Pam off to a good start on all things autumn. I will likely venture out again for another load once decisions are finalized as to all the places where it is absolutely essential that pumpkins be located! My pumpkin advisor will let me know!
As harvest time arrives in farm communities everywhere, creation by Divine Design is also preparing for the end of the growing season. The principle and purpose is the same…provide food for the off season, and seeds for a new beginning. This alder appears to need a few more weeks to be ready!
The beans on this mimosa are aware September has arrived. These beans will hang on after all the leaves are gone, making this tree a bit ugly through the winter! A fun tree when I was a kid, but not necessarily a good choice to have in the landscape. Just the beans in this photo could represent over a hundred “little mimosas”!
These smooth or silky dogwood berries are slowly but surely getting the attention of wildlife. When they turn a little more I imagine the harvest will pick up! Our flowering dogwoods have red berries and are a wildlife delight also.
The boxelder is a maple that not everyone pays attention to, probably because it appears naturally mostly in wet areas, but is sometimes planted in lawns and landscapes. These winged ‘copters will spin their way to the ground a little later in the season. A lot of critters and birds will be pleased to assist with the harvest!
Some of you may remember the long white blooms on bottle brush buckeyes that I discovered for the first time back in the spring. I thought the name was very fitting. I dropped back by the same spot where numerous blooms were found to see what had developed. I don’t think the harvest will be so plentiful for that group of buckeyes. Out of all those blooms, I only found these 3 buckeyes. These are showing signs of turning, but they are here all by their lonesome!
Continuing the “harvest” theme…I enjoy riding through the countryside near home this time of year. Most corn fields are being harvested this month. I would be perfectly content riding all day on a corn picker taking in the sights and sounds in a setting like this, with the southern end of Lookout Mountain in the background.
I came across this field which had been picked and mown, except for a triangular section in the middle. I’m not sure why this part was left. An interesting task brought me down the dirt road and alongside this spot. I was on my way to place markers on cemetery property which we had recently chosen and acquired for Pam and me, along with additional plots for family. This corn field goes to the edge of the old country cemetery where we will be buried. It’s not far from home and just seemed right for us. Now I admit, it did feel a little strange placing our own foot markers and thinking about the reality of it all, but this is something we have talked about taking care of for years. While it is good to be prepared in this way, it is eternally more important to be prepared spiritually for such a time that is inevitable. With that said, we hope not to need these plots for a very long time!
If you are a steak lover, I recommend your local butcher, although this beefsteak plant is edible. An invader for sure around these parts in late summer and early fall. It is a pesky plant in the mint family. When I saw the foliage on the scorpion weed that was in last Sunday’s post, I knew it reminded me of another plant…and this is that plant! Both plants are native to Asia.
I spotted my first monarch of the fall season along the trail at the wildlife park about 10 miles from our house. It is common, for reasons unknown, to see monarchs here earlier than in our garden, sometimes by a couple of weeks. This is the only halfway decent photo I could come up with after patiently attempting for 20 minutes. Looks like a female to me. Your thoughts? I hope to get some better close-ups over the next few days, but there’s something about the first one!
Blue mistflower is plentiful this time of year. I see a lot of it, and might have skipped taking a photo…but I thought finding it backdropped by new blooms of the bright yellow of goldenrod was worth a second look!
This grass was absolutely glistening in the sun and caught my eye quickly as I rounded a curve along a walking path near the lake. I honestly don’t know for sure what to call it. One of the apps identified it as silvergrass, but it doesn’t really match any photos I could find. Another said it was a type of Indiangrass? It is well adapted to this low, wet area. Maybe some of you can identify? The plumes are very pretty.
Looking back 4 years, near Livingston, Montana. Seth and I spent a week camped about a half mile from here. To me, September is without a doubt the best month to spend time in the Rocky Mountain west.
I think it is time I started praying this mantis would stop following my every move in the cottage garden. I was dead-heading zinnias to keep them blooming a few more weeks and reached up to snip the purple one, but quickly pulled back. I am reasonably sure this is the same one from last week, only a few feet from where it was the other day! Giving me that look again!
I finally came across water hyacinth last week, the first I have photographed this season. It’s alway been a favorite, but this year, with low water levels and a very hot summer, blooming has been very limited. I only found a few in bloom and all were very close to the water’s edge.
There’s something magical about the angle of light around the autumnal equinox (today), including a week or two on either side. It is so noticeable in the late afternoon and early morning. September is a month that ushers in change, and the pace picks up as the month rolls by. We do have 5 Sundays in the month so a few more sunrises and sunsets before this one is history!
September bounds joyfully into the spotlight, taking center stage, rightfully boasting of bringing us equal moments of daylight and darkness, but soon thereafter must plan an exit, taking notice that October is warming up backstage.
~Butch Richardson
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
Butch, I love your parting words at the end. Clever and poetic. As always, wonderful pictures and imparting of your vast knowledge. How that praying mantis blends in!!
Thank you so much Ruthie. I didn’t see my mantis friend while I was out watering this afternoon. That doesn’t mean he wasn’t there. Hope you have a wonderful week!
Butch and Pam
It is here! Happy first day of Fall everyone! The Great Horned Owl is making his presence known, hopefully the rabbits have fair warning. The corn season is ending, we noticed a lot of the fields have been cut. We did freeze some to have corn on the cob in cold weather. We planted it one year but it is much easier to buy it. Beautiful pictures as always Butch. God bless your day and week.
And happy fall to you Maryann. We have grown corn in the past but so many around us grow it that we are like you, much easier to buy it from a local. And usually some good soul gives us some. Speaking of owls, we had one in a cedar tree by the house briefly just before sunrise Saturday morning. Have a blessed week!
Butch and Pam
Such beautiful pictures! It is lovely to see the views in your area. It is also good to prepare spiritually for our eternal rest, as well as practically as you are doing. God bless!
Thank you so much Mrs. White. Preparing for the practical side of that final rest is so easy to put off but we finally took care of that. Wishing you a great week!
Butch and Pam
The moon shot is beautiful. I love the feathery red grass but don’t know the name of it either. The beefsteak plant has invaded all of our flower beds as a result of mulch we put down. It is truly a pain! We haven’t seen many butterflies recently but have seen hummingbirds. It’s finally fall but the temps need to fall in line! We’re still in the 90’s as well. Have a wonderful week. Clara ❤️
Thanks Clara. I need to figure out that feathery grass. It just glowed in the sunshine. Agreed,the beefsteak plant is a pain. We are seeing a lot of butterflies at the house but no monarch in our gardens yet. Looks like rain and cooler weather late week. We shall see if that develops. Have a great week!
Butch and Pam
You need to give that Mantis a name, it seems to like you. Great photos, so beautiful with the waxing or waning light in the clouds.
Thanks Carole for the idea of naming the mantis. The grands love the names I give things around here. I need to think of one. Have a splendid week!
Butch and Pam
Everything is beautiful. We use to play with the helicopters seeds when we were kiddos. Brings back some memories. Mr. Mantis loves living in your beautiful gardens. Here in the midwest we are in the 90’s but that is going to change today. Lots of rain for us and then cooler temps moving in. Miss Summer was hanging on to the very last day. Have a beautiful week ahead. Hugs. Kris
We played with those helicopters as kids too Kris. Other maples produce them earlier in the season and the grands enjoy me tossing them in the air. I think we are due rain and cooler weather midweek or late week. Something may be brewing in the gulf. Have a great week!
Butch and Pam
Good morning, Butch and Pam! Butch your parting quote is beautiful and so perfectly written I always enjoy all of the lovely photographs from nature that you share, The blue flowers against the golden rod are so pretty! Wishing you both a blessed Sunday and wonderful week ahead!
Thanks Shannon. I worked a lot on projects in Louisiana through the years and when I saw those blue and gold flowers growing together I thought of all the LSU fans I met. Hope your Sunday has been a good one and wish you a wonderful week!
Butch and Pam
Happy official first day of Fall Pam and Butch! Beautiful photos of Mother Nature’s handy work! The Harvest Moon was so pretty this year. I love all your pumpkins, now you will really feel like it’s Fall. Hopefully temps will begin to cool off soon!
Thank you Jenna. I suppose fall is official now but the weather hasn’t received word just yet. Looks like later this week may bring changes. I’m finding out that I may need a few more pumpkins, just a few I hope. Have a wonderful week!
Butch and Pam
We noticed that it was not as humid the last couple of days but our weather is still warm. The pumpkin advisor must have been thrilled with your primary run…a great selection.
Thanks Karen. The pumpkin advisor was pleased however I understand there might be need for a few more. I see some weather may be stirring in the gulf so that may bring some changes to us or maybe for you. I’ve not seen the latest forecast though. Hope you have a great week!
Butch and Pam
Love the country pictures of Gods wealth to be harvested. We received pictures this morning from the farm in SD of the crops. God has richly blessed the farmers there this year with a great yield. It started raining here last night and has rained all night. We are blessed as we’ve had none all summer . The mountains are getting snow! It’s chilly and the fireplace has been called into duty. That praying mantis knows you won’t harm him. He likes you! We have ash trees in the terrace behind the house and there are millions of seeds that have fallen in the lawn. Their seeds have a sharp end that sticks in the grass just waiting to grow into another tree. I pull everyone I see. We have to have the trees inoculated to keep them alive because of a disease. The moon was very bright here this week. He sends light and rivers of running water to help us through our journey. Praise Him🙏
Thank you Alice and good to hear of a bountiful harvest in SD. I follow a wildlife photographer in Estes Park and I saw the snow and much cooler air that was arriving. We know you are glad for the rain. We are expecting some rain and a little cooler later in the week. I think the ash borer has finally reached Alabama and will be a threat to our trees. Have a blessed week!
Butch and Pam
I love the Royal Poinciana (a mimosa kin) and I am going to plant some of the seeds this year in a large pot. There is a big one down the road. I remember my mother cutting down a mimosa because it was so messy. Those pods would make a lot of the trees. I noticed the light change too and am enjoying it for the time it’s here.
Thank you PC. I believe with the mimosas it’s just all or nothing. Folks either like them or despise them. We don’t have one in our yard but there are plenty nearby. Have a great week!
Butch and Pam
Sending beautiful wishes for a lovely fall on this first day of the equinox. Every image is a poem.
Thank you Jeanie. The first day of fall was beautiful here, but hot. Images do write their own poems. We wish you a lovely week and fall!
Butch and Pam
Each Sunday the number of Sunday followers of Butch the Pied Piper mounts as we follow the trail of discovery and imaginings that he sets us upon. What a special collection today….You have more than made up in the pumpkin dept. Pam must be delighted.. Looking forward to what she creates. Putting the closing of life in order is practical, although I was elated to read this morning that, “We are not going from the land of the living to the land of the dead, but are trying to get from the land of the dead to the land of the living” What a peaceful image your description of the country cemetery reflected and may it be held in abeyance a very, very long time before welcoming you. Autumn is
is fighting our desire for entry by putting us near 90 yesterday, but we shall
prevail by setting out the Fall decor. A blessed week to all.
We appreciate your kind words Mary. We took your suggestion to heart and began to set out fall decor this afternoon. We shall see how quickly that brings results. The pumpkin advisor did take delight in my return with a nice selection but as I anticipated, we will need “only a few more”. I’m good at putting off that which I don’t want but know that I will one day need, the cemetery being one of those items. We wish you a blessed first week of autumn!
Butch and Pam
Happy Autumn to you and happy Spring to me! Stunning photos! Have a lovely week ahead, dear friends.
Well thank you Maristella and today is the vernal equinox for you. We have several readers from the south where spring has now arrived. We wish you a wonderful week and a very happy and blessed springtime!
Butch and Pam
It’s all so pretty and I love goldenrod! We found that same fluffy grass in our yard – a big patch. It was so pretty, but we were afraid it would spread, so we dug it out. I do love pretty weeds and wish we could keep them all. Even kudzu. I know, that’s weird. happy Sunday to you.
Thank you Leslie Anne. I don’t blame you for digging out that grass as I figure it would’ve been invasive. What I found is probably not a native grass. I forget who it was but someone last week mentioned something to the effect that weeds in one place might be flowers somewhere else. I thought it was a great statement. Happy Sunday evening and have a wonderful week!
Butch and Pam
Butch,why do I suspect you have a Head Pumpkin Advisor and 3 junior assistants?!? Where is Fall…it is 95 degrees! I even got my favorite pumpkin mug out in anticipation. Back in the 50s my daddy got 10 cemetery plots for $1.00 at Christ Church cemetery across from Boone Hall Plantation in Mt. Pleasant. We have family there going back to the 1700s, so I’ve always known our final resting place. You are very smart to take care of things now.
Roxanne, what you suspect is not just a suspicion but a reality that is demanding but also delightful. But of course we only need a few more pumpkins. How is “few” defined? Sounds like your daddy made a wonderful decision many years ago. Keep the pumpkin mug out, I think rain and cooler weather are coming later this week, maybe. Have a great first week of autumn!
Butch and Pam
Always beautiful and interesting.
On my walk this morning I wondered if you had seen monarchs yet. I have milkweed blooming but they never come here. In all my years loving butterflies I haven’t seen a monarch in my yard.
Thank you Bonnie. We’ve not seen a monarch in our yard so far this late summer. Usually they make a brief passing visit for a few days in October and sometimes as they head north we have them briefly in April. Morning walks are good and you never know what you might see. Praying you have a blessed week!
Butch and Pam
Simply beautiful!
Thank you so much. We wish you a wonderful first week of autumn!
Butch and Pam
Beautiful photos as is usual from your Sunday musings Butch. I love them all and do not have a favorite unless it is the sunrise. How precious is that time of day? The pumpkins stacked so nicely on the picnic table are a sure sign it is Autumn and a special time of the year. I can’t wait to see where Pam places them…she is so talented in that regard. Have a great and wonderful Lord’s Day…Prayers and Blessings always
Thank you Kari. Most of the pumpkins made their way over to the Sunshine Cottage today and I understand that we only need a “few” more. I think our weather later this week will bring some cooler temps, if the forecast holds up. Have a pleasant Sunday evening and a blessed week!
Butch and Pam
Good Morning! That morning sunrise was breathtaking. A sight to behold!
I enjoyed seeing all the pumpkins on the picnic table. Yesterday, I bought two for the front yard. They say it’s Fall, so I needed a few pumpkins.
Your monarch is a beauty! I am always happy to see one flutter through our yard, but so far this year, there has only been one.
Thank you for the beautiful walkabout.
Happy Fall! 🍁🍂🍁
Thank you Nancy. If pumpkins make it official then fall is here. Our temperature doesn’t say fall but that’s supposed to change in a couple of days, we shall see. Have a great week!
Butch and Pam
As always, I enjoy your posts, Butch. Another great quote!!! Also, great job on the pumpkin selection. I’ve yet to buy real pumpkins because it remains in the upper 90s here. The MKC faux pumpkin patch is on my dining room table though.
Thanks Sarah. I came in with a few more real pumpkins today and I’m thinking they won’t hold out too well. Tomorrow may be our last day of 90’s for a while. I think we will get rain and some cooler temps. Have a wonderful week!
Butch and Pam
I hope you all don’t need those plots for many years! You are so needed and appreciated!
Well thank you so much Cheryl. We are with you on hoping those plots aren’t needed anytime in the near future, but we know we aren’t in charge of the timing. Have a wonderful week!
Butch and Pam
Great sunrise shot and capture of the harvest moon! Love the sunset shot too. The water hyacinth is beautiful and I’m sorry that your summer was so dry and there weren’t many to be found. The praying mantis is very interesting – I don’t think we have them here, or if we do, I’ve never seen one. The pumpkins are all fabulous and I can’t wait to see where they end up. Great quote too Butch. Happy official fall and have a wonderful week!
Thanks so much Kim. I didn’t think about that mantis not living that far north but it makes sense that it would not. I imagine you are getting some cooler temps by now. We should get rain and some cooler weather late week, partly because of a storm in the gulf that may become a hurricane. Happy fall to you and have a great week!
Butch and Pam
What a beautiful post Butch & Pam. Those landscape photos are absolutely stunning. Just wondering if you eat/preserve the edible pumpkins after using them for decoration?
We don’t seasonally decorate our homes or properties here in Australia other then for Christmas. So it’s always interesting to me that you all do it for each season. 😊
A blessed week to you both, Jennifer
Thanks for your comments Jennifer. The decorative pumpkins aren’t the best for eating and have been out for quite a while so we don’t normally eat any of them. Growing up we didn’t decorate too much for any season except, like you, for Christmas. Seasonal decoration has become a pretty common thing though now. Have a blessed week and happy spring to you!
Butch and Pam
What a beautiful post of God’s awesome beauty in nature. The sky picture and the ending verse from Hebrews was so lovely. Thank you for taking me along through your area. Enjoy those bountiful pumpkins!
Thank you Kitty. So glad you came along. God’s handiwork is all around. Hopefully we now have an adequate supply of pumpkins. Have a wonderful weekend!
Butch and Pam