Greetings, mates. Tis I, Wilson, the fabulous floof here to welcome you to the first Friday of October. For those keeping track, today is the 276th day of the year with just 89 days left until we can tuck 2025 in the history books. This week we captured some images showing October at its finest as well as learned about some of the dangers that often live in our gardens. Let’s get started but first, as always we’re joining our friends from Adventures of LLB and hope you will check out their link to see what others have posted this week.
Wilson: So my Mum and another rescue volunteer drove up to Evergreen, Colorado, a lovely mountain community located about 20 miles west of Denver to check out a potential adopter. They couldn’t help but wonder how bad the traffic might be going up on a weekend with all the city leaf peepers heading up to the high country and were pleasantly surprised that the ride up was nothing like the cluster it was last year. It was a cool day but you couldn’t ask for lovelier weather. Evergreen’s elevation is 7,220 ft. (2200 m) and the aspen leaves were beginning to change into their trademark gold colors. Against dark evergreen trees, you could see those ‘quaking aspens’ from miles away.
The Mum: It was a gorgeous day and it was a thrill to see Populus tremuloides often referred to as Quaking Aspen leaves are beginning to turn in areas all over the state. According to the U.S. Forest Service, the Quaking Aspen is one of the most widely distributed trees in all of North America. They are a tall, fast-growing tree, usually about 15–18 m. (50–60 ft) tall at maturity, with a relatively smooth white bark that is marked by thick black horizontal scars and prominent black knots. When you see parallel vertical scars you know the elk have been munching on the bark with their front teeth particularly during winter months when grass is buried in snow. Quaking aspen get their common name from their distinctive leaves’ tendency to “quake” or tremble in wind due to their flattened stems. Aspen trees are considered the largest living organism in the world because of how they spread through a long underground root system, creating clones (suckers) with new trunks emerging from it, thus creating large clonal groves. Their leaves tend to be moist and do not readily burn and it has recently been reported that wildfires will sometimes bypass stands of aspen enclosed within a coniferous forest.
Wilson: After your rescue work, you guys drove back home from Evergreen and enjoyed the show of gorgeous changing leaves and wide open meadows where elk walk through grazing on grass.
The Mum: It was a quite a sight winding down the mountain and seeing those spots of gold dotting the landscape. Every turn provided another gorgeous view.
Wilson: Pretty cool, Mum. This week had a few slices signaling autumn’s arrival around our neighborhood too. Look at this clump of acorns Mum found. I can’t believe the squirrels hadn’t eaten them.
The Mum : Aren’t they simply adorable?
Wilson: The squirrels?
The Mum: No, silly Floof, the acorns. You know my thoughts on squirrels.
Wilson: Whew…I was beginning to think you’d gone to the dark side, Mum.
The Mum: Not likely. So what else would you like to share?
Wilson: We found some very interesting but potentially dangerous plants along our walks. Check out this one! What is it, Mum?
The Mum: That is the castor bean plant and is widely cultivated in parks and public spaces. It’s surprising as it is quite toxic and extremely poisonous. I have seen it around and while those flowers are colorful and fascinating, I was shocked when I found out what it was. We won’t be planting it in our garden any time soon. Yikes!
Wilson: You seem to be on a roll, Mum. I see you’ve managed to find another poisonous plant. Caladium, also known as elephant ear or the heart of Jesus, is also poisonous. Native to South and Central America, they are hardy only to Zone 10 in the US and cultivated as houseplants or treated like annuals in a garden and should be lifted before the first frost and stored when temps reach 65F (13C) after the tubers have been dried. All parts of this plants are poisonous and should not be ingested and the leaves could irritate the skin.
Wilson: Ok, you’re beginning to scare me, Mum. Those plants were discovered along our daily walking routes. Should I be scared?
The Mum: Not really sweet boy, it was just a fluke that I found some beautiful plants that happen to be toxic. Nature provides defensive strategies for lots of critters and plants to allow them to survive in a world that can be threatening to them. Even like this beautiful hydrangea which I learned is toxic to dogs, cats and horses. This is why I keep you on a short leash to avoid encountering anything dangerous.
Wilson: I’m getting nervous walking around because you know I love our walks and love to sniff.
The Mum: Don’t worry, buddy. It’s good for dogs to sniff, because it activates your brain, reduces anxiety and provides mental stimulation. Besides, I watch you like a hawk to make sure you stay safe and don’t get into plants that could cause problems.
Wilson: I appreciate that, Mum even if I sometimes wish I could roam freely without such close observation, it sounds like being careful is the best strategy and appreciate that you look up all the plants that we encounter on our daily jaunts so we can avoid any toxic ones.
The Mum: It’s good to learn about the natural world in general but especially prudent to avoid encounters that could have unpleasant consequences. Learning about common plants we may find in our garden provides us with the necessary information to stay safe. So what’s on your weekend agenda? Have you got any plans?
Wilson: Nothing really specific but I hope we can go check out Sloan’s Lake and watch the lake birds. The weather should be lovely and I’m sure there will be lots of people enjoying the pleasant temps and changing leaves. We hope you have a terrific weekend full of beauty. Enjoy getting a healthy dose of Vitamin D!
Live, love, bark! 🐾
Lulu: “Wow, so many toxic plants! I had no idea the outdoors was so dangerous!”
Charlee: “Uh-huh. You can see why we cats never go there.”
It is kinda scary. My Mum started checking out plants after she found out spring bulbs are all toxic. I mean…tulips? Come on, Mother Nature!
Your fur-iend,
Wilson 🐾
So lovely to see the first autumn colours sweet Wilson and I’m so glad your mum is keeping you safe from all those toxic plants 😊🙏 Sending you both lots of love across the miles 🤗❤️ 🐾 xxx
Many thanks, Xenia. We hope your break was compledtely rejuvenating.
Thank you dear Monika, it truly was 💖 xxx
I didn’t know caladium was poisonous! The leaves are so pretty. Our leaves are just turning now. So beautiful.
It was news to me too, Martha! But so are spring bulbs like tulips, daffodils and hyacinths. 😳 Hope it’s been a good autumn weekend for you.
These are lovely views and the plants are so pretty, it’s sad they are toxic. My brown thumb salutes all who can grow good, edible or pretty and not poisonous plants.
Thank you. Nature creates some remarkable plants and critters and many of them are bad for humans and their pets but they no doubt serve a purpose in the ecosystem. At least they are pretty look at. Happy Sunday!
Hi Wilson and Mum Monika! Are the castor beans what castor oil is made out of?
Also, I never knew that hydrangea is poisonous! When I was in my late teens I told my aunt (who was like a mother to me) that elephant’s ear is poisonous to dogs, and she went outside and pulled up all of them that she had planted in her yard!
This weekend is Oktoberfest up on Signal Mountain at one of the local churches, and the Oompah band that Jeff leads is playing there. My son and his girlfriend are riding up with us to eat German food and listen to the band. Hopefully, Jeff will give me a few polkas!
Yes, the plant does produce castor bean oil, but they are very poisonous for pets-it’s the same plant that makes ricin! AWK! I had no idea about elephant ear being toxic or hydrangeas either. Since discovering that spring bulbs were poisonous a few years ago, I look up whether any plants I see now are. It’s surprising how many plants are toxic! Sounds like you’ll be having a great weekend! Enjoy.
Oh! I didn’t know that spring bulbs are poisonous!! That’s ok, I won’t be planting anything anyhow. After killing the last hanging plant, my neighbor (who is a friend) suggested I don’t buy any more plants. 🤣
Oh dear. It’s not hard to grow flowers. Those that are natives stand a better chance of survival, but they just need water and some nutrients from the soil. My guess is you over or underwater? Don’t feel bad, I’m not great with hanging plants-I think they need more water than I give them.😍
I forget about them and they wither and die under the hot summer sun.
Yeah, hanging plants are greenhouses clever way to keep plant sales steady all season long. I always forgot to water mine too and even when I did, they still dried out unless they were watered more than once a day.
Ohhhh, that makes me feel better! 😁
Lovely photos guys. Thanks for the info. Wilson. I wouldn’t worry about those walks, I’m sure mum will keep you out of trouble. Be sure to leave the acorns for the squirrels.
Thank you, Dan. Trust me, my Mum is such a helicopter parent. I tried to eat a dried leaf on our walk and she practically performed a tracheotomy right there on the sidewalk! I know she’s just looking out for my safety but sheesh. Nope, sorry, not leaving any acorns for squirrels. Those cheeky buggers taunt me and shouldn’t be rewarded for dissing my floofness.
OK Wilson. You know our place is squirrel heaven. Don’t hold that against me.
Ours is also. Much to our chagrin. 😆
Such beautiful leaves, I really need to get up and do some leaf peeping too!
Thanks, LLB gang. It’s truly breathtaking but the long lines of cars…yuck. I’m glad we saw them when not many people were out.
So lovely to walk (and this time, ride) along with you. We are still having a few 80-degree days, so have not seen much autumn color yet, though I’ve been told there’s a little bit out in the suburbs … we’ll just enjoy it through your eyes! Thank you …
Thank you, Ann and June. Autumn is doing the slow-roll here too in the city. I think today will be one if not the last 80ºF days 🤞🏼 Heading up to Evergreen was a lovely reminder to get out of the city for more beauty and beautiful scenes of nature. Wishing you both a great weekend!
What a trip! And what brilliant captures you took along the way. Elevation, in more ways than the one.
As for fall, it’s nice to see its colors peeking out through the landscape. It’s a slow roll, a trickle in spots, but it’s most definitely there.
Enjoy the weekend peeps
You’re too kind, Marc. Thank you. Nature paints the canvas, I just share it. It was fun getting out of the urban jungle and is making me realize it’s only 20 miles away…hell I can drive 20 miles south and still be in the metro area and need to do it more. Alas the traffic tends to keep me away.
This autumn has really been all about the slow roll here. We’ll likely get clobbered by a freak storm and have to brush the cobwebs off the snow shovels before the leaves get raked up.
Wishing you a fantabulous weekend! Enjoy that gorgeous light.
Twenty minutes? That’s amazing. Well worth a little scuffle with some traffic no?
Leaves? What leaves? Our ‘autumn’ feels like a summer sequel.
Thank ya mama
Twenty MILES. In ‘regular’ traffic, that’s at least 40-45 minutes and we’re talking about the urban canopy still. But I do enjoy heading up to Evergreen-it’s almost like going on a vacation as living at 7700 ft. is so different from living in the heart of the city. Nature is definitely doing a slow roll out on changing its leaves but at least the temps have moderated. It won’t be back in the 80’s until Thursday.
Oooooooooh . . . much different situation.
The weather sounds downright sumptuous compared to here. We’ve got temps in the mid eighties, as if it’s nearing the All Star Break rather than the World Series!
We’ll be back in the low 80’s by Thursday. Indian summer without the humidity.
No humidity is the key.
You got that right!
🙂
Pretty plants/flowers/bushes
Thank you! Nature is quite the artist in autumn. We hope you have a great weekend.
It is it’s gorgeous
You are so blessed to have such a good mum looking out for you, Wilson! But I know you know that already. 😉 She knows all about plants and trees and how to keep you safe. Of course, she is blessed to have you as well!! You make her heart smile. Hope you gave her a lot of love this week. ❤️
Thanks for the nature walk again. Lovely pics! Aspens are beautiful!
We are going out in nature tomorrow and getting some Vitamin D. And then going to a new gluten-free cafe that my son found. 🥰
Happy Friday!
Hope your days are getting better, Monika. 💕
Thank you, Carolyn. Getting up into the hills was such a privilege…I need to do it more. Enjoy your weekend and the nature around you! Hugs.
💕 You are welcome!
Getting out in nature does so much for the soul!
But I totally get you not wanting to deal with the traffic!
Thanks for the hugs. Back at ya. 🤗
Beautiful nature photos. XO
Thanks so much, Ellen. We hope you have a wonderful autumn weekend.
Beautiful scenery in the hills around Denver. 🤩 I love seeing aspens against the dark pines.
Many commonly used plants seem to have toxic effects on animals, so one has to be vigilant in the garden and beyond. Luckily, I’ve been able to keep my pets safe all these years!
Enjoy the beautiful weather this weekend!
Thanks, Eliza. I have been surprised at trhe number of toxic plants around. It all started when I found out about spring bulbs so now I feel obliged to check all plants! Pets are notorious for tasting things. Here’s to a lovely weekend!
Some nice fall plants today! Great shots!
Thanks Kate. Autumn is such a beautiful time of year. Hope you have a great weekend.
Your photos are just gorgeous!
Thanks, Lori! Nature is the real artist here. Have a wonderful weekend.
You too!
Fall in CO, what a great road trip, so scenic!
Thanks, it truly was. Around eery bend was a drop dead gorgeous scene. It was incredible. We hope your weekend is filled with autumn beauty.
Pretty photos!!!!! Even the poisonous plants are pretty but EEEK! We’ve been having some Fall type days too and loving it. Cool – sunny – breezy – and Mom and Dad have let me be outside napping under bushes and in the garden (with their snoopervision of course) for a couple of hours a day at LEAST. Sometimes more. I could learn to like this – oh – wait – I already DO like this. Never mind. Anyway, have a super Friday and weekend everyone…..we deserve a PRETTY Fall weekend right?
Hugs, Teddy
Thanks so much, Teddy (and Mom). Just goes to show you that Nature plays seriously at times and often disguises beauty behind some very unpleasant consequences. Hope you guys have a lovely weekend.
A lovely tour, Monika and Wilson. Thank you. I love the sight of the Aspens. They can be stunning in the fall sun. Those toxic plants need to be avoided for sure. Thanks for the warnings. We have none of them in our yard. I hope you both have a restful weekend.
Thanks John. We always appreciate your kind comments. It was good to learn a little about those plants. I had no idea that such beauties were so toxic. Enjoy a beautiful autumn weekend!
Wilson: Our squirrels have “thrown the switch” to Fall mode and they are scampering around looking for all the acorns they can get ahold of. I have to admit they are adorable when doing so…not so adorable the year they hollowed out the pumpkin we put on our front porch. At least they had a side dish for the acorns. Trust that leash (and your Mom!) and enjoy the Autumn weekend.
Thanks, Bruce. Yes, we’ve had our share of naughty squirrels chewing through the kitchen window 3 times now. Mum is not a fan anymore than I am. I’m a very good boy on the leash (unless a squirrel dares to cross our path, then I turn Mum into a kite. Woof, woof. Have a great weekend.
Your fur-iend,
Wilson 🐾
What a lovely autumnal header….and the glorious colour of those aspens!
Leo remembered ricin growing wild on the beaches of Spain…the seeds popping like rifle shots in the heat………all that long cleared up and gone!
Thank you, Helen. You’re always so kind to acknowledge a change in the header. We decided it was time to get more seasonal. Seeing that castor bean plant kind of blew me away. Ricin is nothing to sneeze at! Hope you have a great weekend!
We are going up north on Sunday for nose work. Mom is hoping to see some pretty colors up there. Nelson’s trial is at a camp in a woods which could make for some pretty scenery. We will see when we get there. The only poison types of plants we know of are poison ivy and oak which make one all itchy but I don’t think it should be eaten. Luckily it is usually in the woods where we don’t go. Have a fun weekend!
Oooh, I’ll bet the leaves will be pretty. Enjoy and have a great time doing nose work. We’re sure you;ll do well. Happy weekend.