Autumn at Potter's Bridge

Yesterday was another gorgeous day! My son and I went to Potter's Bridge and walked around the trails and took a few pictures. I am trying to teach him what little I know about photography and Potter's Bridge is the perfect place for picture taking.

My son will be a senior next year so we also took some practice shots for senior pictures. I've done Sr. pictures for several girls and I have to say it is easier for me to pose girls than guys, they also seem to be more natural in front of the camera. At least my guy hates having his picture made so getting a pleasant face is kind of difficult. I think we both need lots of practice before next year!

Indian Summer

Yesterday was one of those gorgeous "Indian Summer" days. My seventeen year old son and I spent the entire afternoon outside cleaning up and working in the yard. Since we homeschool we can pick our own fall break days and yesterday was a perfect day for no school!

My son enjoys physical labor and he was such a huge help to me! He mowed the grass, did the edging and weed eating. He removed everything from the front porch and we cleaned it well. We moved a huge grass that had grown too close to the air conditioner unit. (That was a chore for sure!). We removed three trees. We had several small crabapple trees that just were not performing well at all. I'm not sure why but most of the crabapple trees around here looked diseased this year. I did a lot of weeding and removing annuals that the freeze had killed. I moved three 'Knockout' roses and a few perennials that needed a little more space to spread.



I was able to get all of the new flowers planted. The sedum 'Autumn Joy', immediately attracted the attention of a cloudless sulphur butterfly and some honey bees.

The Asian lady beetles are very annoying right now. The farmers are harvesting the soybeans and corn and have stirred them up. They try to get into the house and they land on us whenever we go outside. I've heard that they stink, but I've never noticed.



I removed most of the cosmos yesterday, the few remaining flowers were attracting the hover flies today. The hover fly looks like a bee and is a very beneficial insect to have in the garden.

There is nothing quite like the feeling of a good day in the garden on a gorgeous autumn day. To top it off with a hardworking son with a good attitude and helpful spirit is absolute bliss.

Mosiac Monday- Colors of Autumn

The colorful leaves in autumn thrill me just about as much as any spring flower, well... that might be a little bit of an exaggeration, but it's close. The colors are magnificent and often stop me in my tracks, especially during the "golden hour".

Photographers refer to the last hour before the sun sets, as the "golden hour". During this time the lighting is almost perfect and casts a beautiful golden glow. It is a wonderful time to photograph the rich, vibrant autumn colors.

Oh, did you notice the sweet little heart shaped leaf on the Kousa dogwood? I didn't even notice it until I was editing the pictures on the computer.

I'm linking today to the Little Red House for Mosaic Monday.

Fall Color

The cosmos are still going strong and they are about the only flowers in my garden that are providing pollen for the bees.



It has been quite chilly so I don't expect to see bees in the garden much longer, in fact I was pleasantly surprised to find this one sleeping. It had been drizzling earlier and he still looks a bit wet. He was so cute that I almost took Gail's challenge and reached out to pet him. I've been stung several times and the pain is still too fresh in my memory to chance it, but it was very tempting.



The leaves are such brilliant colors right now.



The maple trees are the most glorious shades of red, orange and yellow.





I spotted a cluster of trees on my way home from running errands yesterday and just had to stop and get a few pictures of the gorgeous leaves.



Such amazing colors!



I try to enjoy it and soak in the beauty as often as I can because it won't be long before the leaves are all on the ground and the trees are bare.

Plant Sale

I stopped by Lowe's today to look at the paint and just happened to see the 75% off trees, shrubs and perennials sign in front of the garden center. It was cold and drizzly but I braved the weather to see what they had remaining. I didn't think there would be too much left and I figured it wouldn't be healthy, but I was pleasantly surprised. They still had a pretty good selection of perennials and they actually looked like they hadn't been in stock very long. The sale even included mums! I have been on a really tight budget, and have bought very few plants this year, but I just couldn't pass up these beauties.

I only spent $16.00 and here is what I purchased: Five 'Palace Purple' Coral Bells, (Heuchera), one 'Melting Fire' Heuchera, one 'Summer Sun Sundrops', Heliopsis, yellow twig dogwood, two mums, one spiderwort, and one sedum. I was so excited about the great deals! One shrub and eleven perennials for only $16.00!

We are supposed to have a freeze tonight, but it should get a little warmer next week. Hopefully I can get these in the ground and move a few other things around before winter sets in.

I hope everyone has a lovely weekend!

Autum at Potter's Bridge

I had an opportunity to stop by Potter's Bridge yesterday. The leaves are not yet at their peak. With the cool rainy weather we've had recently it won't be long until all of the leaves will have fallen and winter will be here. I'm not ready for that! We've already, very reluctantly I might add, had to turn on the heater. I am ready for Indian summer to arrive, I sure hope we have one this year.

Of Mums and Mantids

I was outside taking a walk around the yard and snapping a few pictures earlier today. I had planned on working in the yard some but it was a cold and blustery 55° and too cold for me to stay out for very long.


While outside, I stopped to look at the mums and noticed a praying mantis.



As I was standing there, a fly landed nearby and I watched to see if the mantis was going to attempt to catch it.



It did, but missed. I wonder if insects have the capability to think. I could just imagine this one whining and having a little temper tantrum because it missed an opportunity for lunch.




It certainly gave me a look...



and it's probably a very good thing I don't know what it's thinking!!!

The Turtle

Sunday after church, I was in the kitchen preparing lunch when I glanced out the window and saw three children bent over looking at something beside the road. A car pulled over and a man got out, picked something up and moved whatever it was away from the street. Naturally my curiosity was piqued. When they left I walked over to the neighborhood park area where they had been and saw a large turtle.

I walked back home and we proceeded to eat lunch. Apparently the turtle must have followed me home because it traveled a pretty good distance and came right up to the patio door that I had entered.

It crawled around on the patio by the door the whole time we were eating. After we finished, I grabbed the camera and took a few pictures.


I was trying to figure out what to do with it when I noticed that there was a small galvanized bucket on the patio. I turned it over and the turtle went directly to it and crawled right in.

I couldn't believe how easy that was! I picked up the bucket and walked down the street to one of the neighborhood ponds. After I released the turtle, it made its way to the water and seemed very glad to be at the pond.

I just want to briefly thank everyone who voted for Robin's Nesting Place in the Blotanical awards, I'm very honored. I wasn't planning on participating this year and didn't enter my blog for any of the categories, (I did place my votes for others though), so I was quite surprised to win an award. I appreciate so much those of you who read my blog and faithfully comment. You are the best!