Goodbye Summer!

I love autumn! And as we welcome the shorter, cooler, beautiful days of fall, we bid farewell to our favorite summer joys. If I had to pick one favorite summer flower, it would have to be the thistle - I am a bit Scottish on Mom's side so this really makes sense. When I do happen across one, usually on the side of the road, I always want to stop and take in the wonder of such weed foliage and such a magnificent flower. There's a story there for sure.

Here's a lovely poem to usher summer into our dreams and autumn into our days....

THISTLE-DOWN
Johnson, E. Pauline

Poem is in the public domain.. -
Ce poème est du domaine public.


BEYOND a ridge of pine with russet tips
The west lifts to the sun her longing lips,
Her blushes stain with gold and garnet dye
The shore, the river, the wide far sky ;
Like floods of wine the waters filter through
The reeds that brush our indolent canoe.
I beach the bow where sands in shadows lie ;
You hold my hand a space, then speak good-bye.
Upwinds your pathway through the yellow plumes
Of goldenrod, profuse in August blooms,
And o'er its tossing sprays you toss a kiss ;
A moment more, and I see only this--
The idle paddle you so lately held,
The empty bow your pliant wrist propelled,
Some thistles purpling into violet,
Their blossoms with a thousand thorns afret,
And like a cobweb, shadowy and grey,
Far floats their down--far drifts my dream away.

Princess Butterfly

Doesn't this butterfly look like a princess to you? There's something regal about something so beautiful.







This shot was taken at Callaway Gardens by a friend of mine. Don't miss the ladybugs!







This one is mine.

They Make My Heart Sing

Today, after lunch with my family, I sat in my sunroom reading Water for Elephants. The book is good but not good enought to keep my mind off of what was all around me. I had squirrels, nuthatches, chickadees, cardinals, woodpeckers, hummingbirds, mourning doves, juncos, Carolina wrens, blue jays, brown thrashers, titmice, and even a precious chipmunk. I did far more watching than reading and finally went for my camera. This shot is the squirrel claiming the nut feeder for his very own. He sat there most of the afternoon daring any of the birds or other squirrels to get near it. Worked on me as well. I took a couple of pictures and left the boy alone. I love Sundays!

PS - The book is excellent!