October in my yard

Ithaca varies from nasty rainy days to luscious warm ones. Today was one of the latter.  After driving to Aurora and back, with glorious colors on each side of the car, I decided to spend some time with the camera in my yard.

There are pictures here of the ever present lotus leaves that are changing rapidly from their robustness to somewhat somber, waiting for decomposition and a new spring.  I love the  back lighting and venation that shows here.

The grasses are majestic centerpieces of some of the perennial gardens.  Their tassels glow in the sun.

Look up and the oak leaves sparkle in the sun.  Many have fallen, but the brightest ones are still vibrant at the top.

The seeds of the Bears Claw are bursting, ready to be planted.

Then there is the vining fall clematis that has very fuzzy flowers, with total translucency.

What surprised me most was to find some forsythia in bloom.  I have no idea what caused that.

Lastly, there are some colored leaves dotting the azalea.  I just noticed that the computer placed the pictures in the reverse order. Ah, something else to learn about.

Enjoy.

Shagbark Hickory Tree

This was a submission to a blog on the Cornell Johnson Art Museum website.

Each day, this tree greets me as I view it while walking to pick up the paper or mail. It has grown in its present position for years on the golf course and I cannot remember a time when it was not there.

The tree changes its hue and expression depending on the time of day and season. Right now, the gold leaves are brilliant in the autumn sun and announce the beauty of the season.  In the early morning, the sun shines through the leaves from the East and in the afternoon, the glow of the setting sun illuminates both the leaves and the irregular bark.

Each season, the tree is interesting to view. In the winter, the rugged bark is poignant against the harshness of the climate.  The many grays of the shagbark denote the sculptural lines along the trunk and branches.

From winter to spring to summer and then to fall, this tree has been a visual reminder of both change and consistency.