“In his hand are the depths of the earth; the heights of the mountains are his also. The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land.”
Psalm 95:4-5 ESV
Because of low clouds along the horizon, the first sunrise of autumn made me wait past the rising time to get an actual glimpse of the sun. It’s all in the clouds. I waited about 30 minutes before I could get a little sunshine on my shoulders. Our forecast calls for seasonal days this week to usher in October!
When that first fall sunshine broke clear of the morning clouds I decided it was time to head home and enjoy an English muffin with peanut butter and fig preserves. When I turned to head west I noticed the colors on a small oak tree. I pretended these were autumn colors, but knew it was likely the result of drought and heat stress!
I said last week that I was over trying to keep summer plants alive and it was time to move on to pumpkins. We only picked up a few, but I was serious about the situation and made a move. The hardest part sometimes is getting started, taking that first step…so we are off to autumn!
We were notified by weather people that this was rain. We couldn’t remember, but it began to come to us about the time the event was over. This incident ended as abruptly as it started, but we were grateful to have witnessed it. One half inch in fifteen minutes…hadn’t seen that in a long while!
And in the same manner the thunderstorm came rolling in, it rolled on by, leaving behind a little steam rising from the valley as evidence…
…and a teardrop on this magnolia pod. I think there was sadness because the rain ended too soon. This was actually on the 22nd, about 3 hours before the official autumnal equinox moment.
We had very strong winds one day with storms all around but not a drop of rain at our house that particular evening. We lost power for a few hours but no major damage. Some things in the garden, chairs, tables and such things were thrown about but all was good. I decided to check the roads and trails behind us and found some trees didn’t fare as well. This large healthy red oak for example, was snapped in two, and other trees were down and limbs blocked trails. I engaged in a little clean up but haven’t traveled all of the roads yet. The only positive thing is the smell of a fresh cut (or broken in this case) red oak. I loved the smell of red oak back in the day when I split firewood! Memories…memories are often related to a song, what we hear, but can also be triggered by a smell.
We’ve mentioned the rogue Bradford pear cultivar that is now so invasive, full of thorns, and reproduces wildly. If a spot of open ground is left alone for just a couple of growing seasons, these invaders will take over. A neighbor’s pasture has an area that historically stayed damp and often had standing water, so much so that he mowed around it, leaving it alone year after year. Several acres had water on it consistently enough that it was actually shown on maps as Rabbit Reservoir. But with dryer years, guess what moved to Rabbit Reservoir…the rogue pears. I noticed many of the trees had died and knew that my friend no doubt sprayed them to hopefully eliminate them all. I rode over to check it out. The only problem is that he apparently couldn’t keep up with what was sprayed and quite a few escaped the wrath of what was likely roundup.
It is easy to see why this prolific, hard to get rid of plant is not very desirable to have in the landscape. Beautiful blooms in the early spring, but this once popular ornamental has gone wild and is bad news!
A ferry ride in northern Albania. And no, we aren’t there, although we have been near in the past, visiting Montenegro and Croatia. PJ and I hope to be viewing a lake today called Jenny Lake, but it is in Wyoming about 6,000 miles from this lake known as Komani. Thanks to Appalachian Media for showing us a bit of a scenic two hour ferry ride!
I’ve watched the lone coneflower as its petals continue to droop. On Monday, Pam said, “go look at the coneflower, it is wearing a hula skirt”. By the end of the week I think it was saying aloha!
The big bad wolf huffed and puffed the day we received the quick 1/2 inch downpour but he couldn’t blow anything down that day. I spotted him late in the day about the time of the autumnal equinox. He was harmless, but the first day of fall did remind us that this is the season of the harvest! Perhaps you saw the harvest moon this weekend?
Many of the cotton fields are white unto harvest or soon will be.
I wonder how much of this it takes to make enough cloth for a pair of jeans and a flannel shirt? That is probably my favorite attire. I’m not into clothes or fashion but to me fall clothes are the best!
Soy bean harvest is a dusty endeavor, but not so bad inside the cab of a John Deere.
I feel like I am seeing more cotton than corn this year, but there’s still plenty of corn in the neighborhood to be harvested!
A column or shaft of rain appeared to our west just after sunset one afternoon. I called it the golden waterfall. It didn’t come our way!
We hope you enjoy this first full week of autumn!
“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
Wish I could send some rain your way! It has been raining here in Pennsylvania since early Saturday morning continuing into Monday, this is due to the weather conditions in New Jersey. The picture of the cotton looks like snow. The Mennonite stands still have corn but have mostly moved on to pumpkins, apples and other fall vegetables and flowers. Hope you are having a nice vacation.
Thank you Maryann. We have certainly seen the news of all the wind and rain in the northeast. We think the Mennonites are on the right track and that will be our mode when we get home. Have a great week!
Butch and Pam
Enjoy your time in Wyoming. The weather has been beautiful the past few days, but it’s heating up once again. Hopefully, we’ll only get in the high 80’s which is still much cooler than we’ve encountered the past 6 weeks or so. Seth has had a wonderful experience with his job getting to travel overseas. The pictures have been outstanding! The cotton fields here are ready for picking; they have been defoliated. That chemical has a distinct smell that catches my nose every time. Have fun and be safe! Clara❤️
Thank you Clara. That defoliation smell is definitely recognizable, nothing else has that odor. It is not a bad smell but very distinct. It’s a little cooler where we are but not as cold as we planned for, but it isn’t 90 like is predicted for home again. Have a pleasant week!
Butch and Pam
Enjoy your trip. We are in fall. low 70’s during the day and 50’s at night. We should start to see the leaves start to change color here soon. Have a great week. Hugs. Kris
Thank you Kris. Our fall color at home usually peaks in early November. There is some nice color in Wyoming but some Aspens we saw in one area have already lost their leaves. Have a wonderful week!
Butch and Pam
There are definitely fall colors here, in the pale browns and tans and that orange sky against the hay barrels — a photo I dearly love. We’re starting to see pumpkins in stores and lots of squashes and gourds. The season has turned!
Thank you Jeanie. We are seeing pumpkins in stores and have a few but some of the local growers aren’t quite ready. As you say though, change has arrived. Have a great week!
Butch and Pam
A bit of rain came through here last week, but it was a violent thunderstorm with driving rain and wind. It dumped quite a bit in an hour and light rain followed. The storm made me very nervous, as it felt like the hurricane two years ago. Lovely sunset, and the photo of the harvester does look like fall is here.
Thank you Carole. I can only imagine how a thunderstorm like that brings terrible memories for you. Those heavy downpours aren’t as helpful as the slow steady rain either. Bad in the northeast with that nor’easter. Hope you enjoy a pleasant week!
Butch and Pam
Such great photos. As much as time flies, I feel that autumn has snack up on me this year and is suddenly here in all its wonder. Best time of year!
Amalia
xo
Thank you Amalia. We did blink and autumn was here. But at least it’s our favorite. I guess we will blink and winter will be on us. Have a wonderful week!
Butch and Pam
I always look forward to the Lovely sunrises and sunsets Butch and the rain photo was so pretty. We have had some terrific downpours here of late. I prefer the slow, gentle rain however, the fast driving rain storms causes issues with street drains and they can’t keep up, which causes street flooding. On top of that, the lightning is so dangerous. One dear friend with only 5400 miles on her new car, stalled out and ruined her motor….and she says the water wasn’t that deep as she went around her normally flooded street to a better? street.
We have lots of pumpkins, apples and gourds at our Farmer’s Market..and temps are supposed to get down in the low 60’s tonight (which is cooler for us) but I have definitely pulled out the sweaters and hoodies. We rarely have freezing temps, but 40’s, 50’s and 60’s during our winters is not uncommon.
Happy Autumn!
Thank you Kari. We laughed at your hoodies but we had a weak front pass through and a breezy evening a few days back and we pulled out hoodies to sit out on the back patio. I thought, I hope nobody knows we did this after complaining about the heat. The break only lasted that one day. Have a pleasant week!
Butch and Pam
Ooh, can’t wait to hear the Wyoming temperatures and see some pictures. Would love to see more of Seth’s pictures too. I keep going outside first thing in the morning and doing a little happy twirl in the cool air. When I stepped outside at 6 am today, I got a nice picture of the Harvest Moon and Saturn over our pond. My hummingbird business is booming, even before dawn this morning. They are stoking up for the long journey, but I sure will miss their antics. Have a great vacation!
Thank you Roxanne. It is cooler but not as cool as expected, 70 today. Should get near freezing a couple of nights. That cooler morning air does something to you. We need to see your harvest moon pic. We figure the hummers will still be around when we get home. Have a blessed week!
Butch and Pam
Oooh Wyoming will be so wonderful! I did enjoy the ferry ride by Appalachian Media.
How sad about the red oak tree and the demise of the Bradford Pear tree. I had the laugh at the hula skirted coneflower and its last aloha. I’ll look forward to pictures from you trip. Safe travels and God bless you.
Thank you Kitty. I think we are making too many photos, end up with 50 of the same thing. I guess we can get by with that now that everything is digital but we didn’t have that luxury in the days of film. Hope you’ve had a good Sunday and have a wonderful week!
Butch and Pam
So glad you got a little rain Butch! And I definitely could see the Wolf in the clouds. On our drive around our area this morning hubby & I spotted quiet a few branches down here too, as we had strong winds over the weekend, one branch was half an Iron Bark tree!
Blessings to you & Pam for the week, Jennifer
Thank you Jennifer. I didn’t know iron bark was a type of eucalyptus tree so I learned something. Sounds like you are getting a little spring weather. Hope it was only branches. We pray you have a pleasant week!
Butch and Pam
Thank you & yes, only branches Butch. 😊
We also recieved 1/2 in. of rain last week and a few sprinkles one really early morning. I love Fall but like those trees in Butch’s picture they are pretty dead except the ones on my oak trees. Unless we get rain I may not see those pretty colors this year, which is sad. We are getting cooler weather and that is a blessing. Those pictures Butch shared were so pretty, wish I had mountains around here like those. Love a blessed week.
Looking forward to seeing how you put that wagon of pumpkins to use!