This week's Walking Wednesdays once again takes place around my neighborhood. It's interesting to notice the changes happening as we near the end of summer.
There are still wildflowers blooming, including the Prairie Sunflower
Butter-and-Eggs or Toadflax
Little Sunflower
Goldenrod
Trailing Fleabane, also called Trailing Daisy or Whiplash Daisy
Featherleaf Fleabane
Rose hips are growing on the Wild Roses,
and berries are growing on the Creeping Oregon Grape.
The chokecherries are nearly ready to be picked and made into syrup.
The Mountain Mahogany are growing hairy fruits!
The Rocky Mountain Maple keys are maturing.
And the acorns on the Gambel Oaks are getting bigger and bigger.
This oak was named for William Gambel, a naturalist from Philadelphia.
I'm also noticing that some leaves and plants are beginning to turn yellow. In discussions with neighbors, we can't decide if we're having an early autumn or whether the drought conditions are causing the plants to turn yellow early.
What are the plants and trees doing in your neck of the woods? Inquiring minds want to know!
You might also enjoy reading my previous blog post here.
Approximately 2 weeks ago, I noticed a flush of color on the peripheral branches of some local maple trees. That is standard for the beginning of August in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, but not Northern Ohio. The color flush has increased with the burning bushes in the area also getting in on the deal with their leaves flushing red over the green. We have not had drought here in Ohio. We've had one of the wettest summers I can remember. Normally August gets a bit dry and the grass will go dormant casting a straw-colored hue through the neighborhoods. However, not this year, the lawns are lush and green. I'm not a meteorologists, but could this portend a snowy cold winter? We'll just have to wait and see.
ReplyDeleteI have been wondering the same thing, Mama T. We sure could use a snowy winter here.
DeleteGreat pictures! Our plants are so messed up here in Georgia from tree's to gardens. Tree's are falling from too many years of droughts and now this year, we have massive amounts of rain. The root systems are weak from the droughts and the too much rain makes them fall over.
ReplyDeleteThe gardens are drowning.
Rule of thumb with most plants is, yellow leaves are too much water and brown leaves are too little water. That was from my horticulture teacher back in high school many years ago.....we grew house plants. Not sure what your yellow leaves are doing in your area. My garden plants turned yellow before they just rotted.
I wish you could send us some of your water!
DeleteHubby said the acorns are thick on our oak. One maple is losing leaves. Tomatoes are ripening so fall is in the air.
ReplyDeleteDoes this seem early to you?
DeleteWhat wonderful photos! I really enjoyed the "walk." My poplar trees have been dropping leaves all month long - ugh! My gerbera daisies put out tons of greenery and not one single daisy this summer. Half my bulbs didn't come up - I think the whole year has confused everything! Still, there is a lot of beautiful growth everywhere, and some things which normally bloom once have bloomed twice. =)
ReplyDeleteEnjoyed the photos and the escape it gave me from this heat! Looking at those pictures I could almost transport myself there with memories of past hikes in Colorado. I've never visited there at this time of year and the pictures make me want to see this stage of the plant growth in person. My visits have usually been at the beginning of the summer and it would be fun to see the end of the growth story.
ReplyDeleteIn the Dallas area our plants & trees have faired better this summer since we have had fewer triple digit days than last year & more rain than last summer. However, we still have not had enough rain & most of the lakes are way below normal. The Dresden block is perfect for representing the sunflower! One day I hope I have enough experience to try to sew a Dresden block.
I am enjoying all the different shades of green in Oregon. One day walking the botanical gardens and today hiking the Audubon Society trails with all my chicks and grand chicks. I see there are a number of forest fires this summer caused by lightening strikes without rain. Berries are ripening but not much hint of fall as yet.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite on your walk is the Fleabane. Last night we had over 3" of rain, so I don't know what's left! In the greenhouse, the tomatoes & cukes are awesome! All the trees are still green at our place in CO.
ReplyDelete