““Sing praises to the Lord, for he has done gloriously; let this be made known in all the earth.”
Isaiah 12:5 ESV
I was out before sunrise Friday and it was such a fine October morn. In the 50’s and breezy made it feel a bit chilly since we haven’t experienced these conditions in a while. A hoodie felt good. Although the walk was very enjoyable and rewarding, I somehow felt as if I was under surveillance!
Regardless of feeling like I wasn’t out here alone, I did not flee and was not harmed. So glad I stayed around a few more minutes. Our next 10 days are predicted to be sunny with warm days and cool nights, even upper 40’s, low humidity…typical October for us!
There are roadside ‘signs of fall’ around our area as October is well underway. These are much more appealing than speed limit signs. I always wonder how fall color varies from place to place as far as timing is concerned. How is autumn progressing where you live?
I found yellow and white asters for last week’s post, and now I have discovered my favorite growing wild behind the house, the blue-purple ones. The two small butterflies seem to also favor these asters. The butterflies were actually very small even though they may look larger in this close-up photo!
A large rotten oak fell across part of one of our woods trails and it was covered with resurrection fern. With a couple of light rains recently, the fern has come back to life and was no problem to examine closely. This made it easy to notice all those little bumps covering the leaves. You would think this is a sign of disease or insects, but in fact it shows healthy ferns that are reproducing. The bottom side of the leaves are producing spores which shows up on top of the leaves as rows of bumps.
This fungus is another matter and probably not a sign of plant health, but of a maple tree that is struggling to survive. I think there is too much standing water for this tree to survive long term and the white fungi seem to verify. I’ve passed this tree many times but never seen signs of decay until this year.
This might be a strange photo but it brings back memories and triggers a story. We didn’t travel very far or to many places when I was a kid. Going to Gatlinburg, TN or the panhandle of Florida was about as far we ventured from north Alabama. I remember how exciting it was to make it into Florida and begin to see plastic pink flamingos in yards and flower beds. We once went all the way to Silver Springs and rode in glass bottom boats and they had real flamingos down there. Later, as a teenager, there were additional opportunities related to these pink , long legged birds. Sometimes folks would wake up to find their yard filled with plastic pink flamingos. I don’t know the significance of this particular flamingo display, but they have been here since spring. The lawn guy moves them to mow, and then places them back in exactly the same manner. Plastic flamingos are making a comeback!
This was a wild duck I spotted near the wildlife park. I was puzzled as I attempted to identify this bird. Could it be a cross of two different species? I had first thoughts of a pintail, but I really don’t know what this one is. Maybe there is an expert that can offer help? I kinda have this thing of wanting to know what everything is!
The cottage had a porch filled with pumpkins one day. Two had blue eyes and one had brown!
Red spider lilies pop up in the pasture in a few place every fall. They are often called the equinox flower because they bloom mainly around the autumnal equinox.
On the same morning that I caught the sunrise you saw earlier, I headed up the mountain to see how things looked in the valley from atop Lookout Mountain. I was surprised to find it looked a little hazy. The sky was very clear and blue when I was down in the valley.
Dropping back off the mountain in the direction of home, again the skies were quite clear and October blue. Now we don’t do the Halloween thing to any extent, but I’ve always pictured this old tree standing in front of what some would call a haunted house. Maybe I should go back by when the weather changes and get a photo against a gray, dreary background so it would look more authentically spooky!
A spring flower that doesn’t normally make a widespread autumn appearance is Queen Anne’s Lace. We are seeing it now as it is showing up in a few places with fall-like colors in the background which makes for a nice combination.
Pickerel weed is finally showing its presence but has been slow and scarce. I think the up and down water level this season has affected a few aquatic plants like this and the water hyacinth. Both are blooming now in places I hike.
Another aquatic is known as ‘duck-potato’. It is technically known best as broadleaf arrowhead since the big leaves are shaped like arrowheads. Ducks and other wildlife may enjoy the plant, but it is edible and I understand was a traditional food source for Native American tribes. We plan to stick with regular Idaho potatoes!
Blue mistflower resembles the blazing star and blooms at the same time. These are sometimes found together as the mistflower seems to grow in dry places, as well as moist, near water environments. The mistflower gives this stream bank a nice, soft, and inviting lavender look which would otherwise be just weeds and brush.
Pam stopped by the lake for a minute when she noticed this bald cypress was already beginning to show off a lot of October orange.
Sunsets at the lake never disappoint (sunsets anywhere actually never disappoint). A bald eagle made a surprise appearance, but the one time fly by was too quick for a photo.
Wishing you a pleasant October week!
“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”
Hebrews 13:8 ESV
Linking with:
Pieced Pastimes, Between Naps on the Porch, Katherines Corner, Follow The Yellow Brick Home,
Life and Linda
The pumpkins on the cottage steps are dressed to perfection😊 you must not have squirrels because all of your pumpkins appear to be untouched by the little varmints. I’ve given up this year of having pumpkins by the from door. Your eye for the unusual this Fall shows in the firm of a dying tree with a mushroom. My neighbors yard has the must unusual mushrooms I’ve ever seen. I walked over to see the lady that lives there and saw what I thought were sprinkler heads. Not! Your sunset and sun rising are beautiful. Many thanks for showing your finds on your walk this Fall morning.
Thank you Alice. Amazingly we do have an abundance of squirrels but for some reason they haven’t bothered the pumpkins, so far anyway. Maybe they have plenty of other stuff to chew on. So dry here we only get mushrooms where we’ve been sprinkling. Have a wonderful week!
Butch and Pam
Your Sunshine Cottage pumpkins are adorable! I would imagine they are anxious to carve pumpkins. I love seeing the signs of fall. I’ve truly enjoyed the less humid weather and cooler nights followed by cooler mornings until about 9 a.m. October is proving fabulous with a nice day of rain recently! It’s still quite warm during the day but we’ll take it! Enjoy your day. Clara ❤️
Thank you Clara. Our pumpkin carving is anticipated by the little folks for sure. I think we will attempt to get that done next weekend. These cool nights are nice, 48 here this morning but still mid 80’s for the daytime. Have a pleasant week!
Butch and Pam
Our part of Florida doesn’t really change in October but I had a nice surprise this Sunday morning as the temperate was down to 65…a 5 degree change form the normal. I always enjoy your photos of the grands, I can’t believe how big they are growing. They always bring a smile.
Thank you Karen. We had 48 this morning which felt nice. 65 is a pleasant start to the morning. The grands are growing, we wish we could slow that down. Have a great week!
Butch and Pam
Good Morning, sweet friends! I love those adorable pumpkins on the porch—they are getting so big!
Climbing up Lookout Mountain sure does make for a gorgeous view. It took my breath away.
I enjoyed all your signs of fall. And those asters with the butterflies are quite lovely. And so are the sunrises and sunsets. I saw the cow spying on you!
Enjoy the fall, my friends!
🍂🍁🍂
Thank you Nancy. Our pumpkins are growing and too fast. This season with the grands just like the things of autumn we are experiencing comes and goes quickly. Enjoying every moment is a big deal. Have a wonderful week!
Butch and Pam
Thanks for the morning walk in your beautiful country side. I’m off to walk shortly. Had my first cup of coffee, the sun is glistening, but the air is fresh and cool. Perfect way to start the day.
Happy Sunday!
Thank you Sarah. Sure hope the rest of your Sunday went as well as the start of your day. We wish for you these kind of days the rest of the week!
Butch and Pam
Good morning! Those glowing sunrises are magnificent. I happened to be outside last evening around 6:45 and stopped dead in my tracks to witness a magnificent red sunset reflected in the pond. My iPhone doesn’t do it justice, the photos always make it look paler than in real life. The cool early mornings are a delight. Those are some mighty cute pumpkins sitting on the steps of the Sunshine Cottage!!
Thank you Roxanne. I don’t believe any camera does justice to the beauty around us. We understand the newest iPhones have great cameras but the price tag for one is scary. We are with you on the delightful cool mornings, 48 here this morning. Have a wonderful week!
Butch and Pam
I’m just loving your pumpkin collection — cutest pumpkins I’ve ever seen! And that capture of the colorful butterfly with the purple asters could not be better. Timing is everything! Your world is looking beautiful and I love it!
Thank you Jeanie. It is about timing. It’s hard to get the right timing for 3 pumpkins to all be smiling at the same time. Seems like butterflies and such are very active, making a final run before colder temperatures. Have a delightful week!
Butch and Pam
The cutest three pumpkins in the patch! 🎃🎃🎃 We’ve enjoyed some cooler weather too this past week but are warming back up to the 80s by mid-week. Your duck looks like a hybrid, maybe a mix of American Black Duck and Mallard? Gorgeous view from Lookout Mountain! Happy Sunday Butch & Pam! 🍂🧡
Thank you Mary. We too should hit mid 80’s this week but the nights are nice. I too thought of the duck as maybe a hybrid. We have plenty of black ducks and mallards in the spring so that’s a possibility. Have a great week!
Butch and Pam
So pretty – and I love the red spider lilies – we called them Surprise Lilies. Come to think of it, I haven’t seen a single one this year. Progress is plowing up every bit of green space around here. I’ll enjoy your pictures!
Thank you Leslie Anne. The last hay cutting is later than normal and I think that helped the spider lilies have time to pop up in the pasture. It is hard sometimes to find the exact definition of the word ‘progress’. Have a wonderful week!
Butch and Pam
Looks like the three little ones are having fun with your pumpkins! Our temperatures are getting a little cooler and I’m so ready for sweater weather!
Thank you Mary. The little ones love the pumpkins and we will probably have a carving sometime over the next week. It is cooling here too and we are ready. Have a pleasant week!
Butch and Pam
Beautiful everything Butch…I enjoy all your photos, the clarity is amazing. Of course the little pumpkins on the porch of the Sunshine Cottage are adorable…I love the bare feet of the younger two as it reminds me of my summers growing up. We three girls never wore shoes all summer long (unless we had to go with Mama to the store, but that was a rare instance). I can remember running through stickers and Mexican sand burrs as well as exploring and stepping on rusty nails which always required iodine application before bed. If we visited family and friends…we went shoeless. I do have to admit that when school started in the Fall and we tried on new shoes, they took a little getting used to and the shoe stretching from our chubby feet helped to “break them in” for school wear. Golly, I’m smiling and shaking my head at the wonder how we survived. Have a great October and enjoy the cooler weather.
Thank you Kari. We did go barefooted a lot growing up and I do remember a few rusty nails. Our grands often don’t wear shoes even in cold weather, especially WL. I recall stepping on bees and getting stung on the bottom of the foot even more than stepping on nails. I don’t like new shoes now, they’re not comfortable until they aren’t new any more. Have a delightful week!
Butch and Pam
What a wonderful collection of autumn sightings. The lookout mountain view is wondrous.
The collection of pumpkins with eager expressions seems to be announcing the planned carving
Festivities including snacks of candy corn, cider and all things yummy Autumn. Your harvest
of smiling porch pumpkins this year attests to your knack of growing them taller healthier and more jolly than the previous October. What fun!
Thank you Mary. I do believe carving is coming soon and our fourth pumpkin is actually here this October and hopefully available to be seen posing with his pumpkin. He had one last October but he was not quite ready to join the party. All our folks love the candy corn. Plenty of yummies around for autumn celebration but how healthy most of them are is questionable. Wishing you a blessed week!
Butch and Pam
A delight filled post Butch & Pam! Every year we have Forest Ducks, Mama & Papa with a long trail of ducklings behind them come & rest in our yard or pass by on their way from the Bush across the road down to the waterway behind us, one year she had 12 ducklings & rested in our yard before setting off again with the Drake. It’s such a treat to watch her talking to the drake & both talking to their offspring as each danger is met & overcome! This year we saw them already at the water’s edge.
And recently we’ve had quite a few sightings of our resident Blue Tongue Lizards (2) sunbathing in the Spring sun. As well as a very quick appearance of a native acrobatic Brown Antechinus that landed right near my husband out in the backyard & then bounced away as quickly as it had landed! Such joy as these are normally Nocturnal & we don’t get to see them!
Blessings, Jennifer
Thank you Jennifer. It sounds like spring is well underway and you are seeing some rare but enjoyable sights. Is that (Antechinus) the mouse that the male dies after mating? I’ll have to research that lizard as well. These must be native to your region. Glad some have chosen to at least make a brief daytime appearance. I’m still hoping Pam will take me to Australia. Have a wonderful spring week!
Butch and Pam
Yes that’s right the Antechinus adult male does die after mating, although it’s not actually of the mouse family it’s a native Marsupial that looks similar to a mouse but has a very different facial structure, very pointy snout & hops/bounces when it moves rather than scurrying. And because it’s a Marsupial the young are born underdeveloped & make their way to the mother’s pouch where they fully develop over the next 50 days.
So interesting. Thanks for sharing. Not surprised about it being a marsupial. So many of your mammals seem to be marsupials. We only have one marsupial here, the opossum. We researched the blue tongue lizard too. I saw it was a skink. When I typed it in there was one for sale! I am thinking it would be illegal to export one? We have skinks here. Very common. The main one is the five lined skink. Best wishes for a great spring!
Butch and Pam
Yes it is illegal without a specific Government Issued Permit to export any of our native animals.
Have a blessed week & Autumn Pam & Butch.
As beautiful as the outdoor scenes, sunsets and sunrises are, the pumpkins on the Sunshine Cottage steps with the blue and brown eyes steal the show!
Thank you Jenna. We do love our pumpkins, especially the blue and brown eyed ones. We hope you have a great week!
Butch and Pam
Great photos Butch. The sunrise is beautiful and the view from Lookout Mountain is gorgeous. So lovely that you still have flowers blooming and butterflies. The collection of pumpkins is outstanding and, of course, the blue- and brown-eyed ones are the prettiest of all. We still have some leaves to fall here, but on Saturday night we had our first snowfall. It’s almost all gone now but it was a good wake-up call: Winter’s a-coming, get ready lol. Glad to hear your temps have cooled a bit and enjoy the rest of the week!
Thank you Kim. My my, snowfall already. It was 48 F (9 C) one night here and we weren’t complaining, but you would laugh at us because we were shivering. We do have quite a few summer flowers still hanging on but they must be watered daily, very dry here. We hope to carve a few pumpkins later this week. Have a great week!
Butch and Pam
I love seeing all your beautiful nature shots, but my favorite was the one of the cute pumpkins sitting on the cottage porch!!
There is not much Fall going on here in Texas yet, but hopefully soon! Have a happy week!
Thank you Kitty. Our porch pumpkins seemed to have been most everyone’s favorite. It’s warming back up here so I guess we still have a short wait on real autumn weather. Have a pleasant week!
Butch and Pam
How neat it was to see that you mentioned Silver Springs! Kevin and I went there on our honeymoon in 1988. I wonder if it is still open. We had such a wonderful time there. I remember being a bit worried about riding around in a glass-bottom boat, but the fear left, and we really enjoyed it. I can’t believe how big your grands are getting! Time waits for no one, but marches on, no matter how much we wish it would slow down. God bless you all!
The photo of your grands with pumpkins and smiles is almost too adorable.
Amalia
xo
Thanks so much, Amalia!
Lovely photos – I especially enjoyed the first one with the silhouette of the cow.
Hi Pam,
Just stopping by to say how much I’ve enjoyed scrolling through your beautiful blog — your posts are filled with such timeless style, warmth, and creativity! I especially love the photos of your home over the years; it’s clear how much care and heart you put into every detail.
I was wondering if you’d be able to share the paint color of your gorgeous blue front doors? The shade is absolutely perfect — cheerful yet classic — and I’d love to try something similar on our own home.
Thank you for continuing to share so much inspiration!
Meghan
Thanks so much for your sweet comments,Meghan! The color of the doors is Buxton Blue by Benjamin Moore! I have never tired of its pretty color. Wishing you a blessed day!
Pam, I LOVE the kiddos with pumpkins on the cottage porch . . . the blue and orange together pop vibrantly and their smiles are the icing on the cake!