Extra, extra…read all about it…did you know there’s only 25 days until Autumn arrives? Can I just say…whoopee. Welcome to this week’s episode of Nature Friday were we join our pals from Adventures of the LLB Gang. Don’t forget to check out what bits of Nature have been shared by others.
Wilson here. Today’s a bit of odds and ends with a splash of hope mixed in. While the time when the days until autumn begins to grow shorter, the weather hasn’t abated much. We were gifted a lovely shower on Wednesday evening and while it was brief, it was very welcomed. With daily alerts of air quality warnings popping up on Mum’s phone every day, it was a joy that the air at least felt clean, even if it wasn’t totally clean air. Early morning hours are the best to get out and get our walks in before it heats up.
The Mum: Hey there House Pony, so what have you got for us this week? I read something about odds and ends. Are you saying I’m not holding up my end on the photography?
Wilson: No, Mum. It’s just that we’ve been busy and photographic opportunities have been fairly plain and I know you like to find the unusual.
The Mum: That’s true, I think the landscape is starting to wane a little. But we did manage to find a few sights that give us a teensy tiny bit of hope that the landscape is getting ready to do its thing for our favorite season. I mean, just look at these Symphyotrichum, otherwise known as asters.
Wilson: Hmmm, those are kind of pretty. Endemic to North America (though there are some in the West Indies and Central America), asters have been introduced in Europe too. For all species, the ray florets can be white, pink, blue, or purple. When asters start blooming, it’s definitely a signal that Mother Nature is preparing it’s autumn line up of flowers. Big box stores are putting out buckets of Chrysanthemums, aka ‘mums’ for inclusion in urban gardens.
The Mum: I for one am welcoming asters and mums to the landscape. But I noticed this glorious Hibiscus is still going gangbusters along our daily walks. the flowers are gigantic!
Wilson: Is it just me or have we started to see some changes to the leaves in a few trees?
The Mum: I’ve done a double take along our walks at more than one tree that was ever so slightly starting to look a bit autumnal. I think I squealed when I saw this maple starting to turn red.
Wilson: In all fairness though, the changing colors could be due to stress from the relentless 90+F degree days (32.2C).
The Mum: You’re right, but I have noticed tiny spots on trees that are beginning. It’s still early on but at least it provides us weary peeps some hope that soon this summer of hell will be in the history books.
Wilson: I’ve begun to notice small spots of the cottonwood trees beginning to change. It’s kind of exciting to see them changing, though I know you’ll be picking up the leaves from now to forever.
The Mum: I noticed yesterday that even the thistle weeds are looking a bit bedraggled from the heat and lack of moisture. We are more than 5″ down on moisture according to one local TV station when reporting on the drought though as I noted above, we received part of the isolated showers that fell a couple of days ago. But overall, we’re still in a very severe drought.
Wilson: All we can do it hope and pray. In the meantime, we’ll look at the landscape and marvel at those hardy souls that can survive these conditions. Well that’s about it for us. Like everyone else this week, we were shocked and heartbroken that Dolly Parton earned her heavenly wings. Dolly was well known as a prolific songwriter, an award winning singer, actor and philanthropist. She was very committed to promoting literacy and the environment. Little Halia is a recipient of books from Dolly’s Imagination Library. Did you know that Dolly was a major contributor to wildlife conservation, local ecosystem protection, and climate-driven natural disaster relief as well as animal rescue directing her foundation’s efforts toward actionable, community-based environmental stewardship rather than through political lobbying efforts. She will always be loved by the world.
The Mum: We hope everyone has a lovely weekend and take time out to enjoy Mother Nature first hand.
Live, love, bark! 🐾
What you did have time to photograph is impressive!
Aww , that’s so sweet of to say. Thank you.
Mee-yow what lovelee Asterss an Hyebiscuss! Miss Monika THE leafy collage foto iss brilliant!!
It’ss rainy an warmish an damp today…..wee take THE rain of coarse 😉
Wislon wee betss less heet makess you feel more comfy!
***nose rubss*** BellaDharma an ((hugss)) BellaSita Mum
Less heat works for both of us! We’re so exhausted from the heat and are so looking forward to milder weather. A little extra rain would be nice too, if I’m wishing. Happy Monday.
wee red Manu an Guy got 100 rain dropss…so wee bet youss’ only got that too? Wee apposta get LOTSA rain late tonite an Wednesday…pawss crossed.
Iss hue-mid heer an ucky…not sure what seeson wee are ackshully inn Miss Monika an Wilson!!!
Nope, not even close. I think our ‘shower’ was more like 16 or 17 drops. 😬 Stay cool if you can.
Well PHOOEY as ‘angel’ Unkell Siddhatha Henry used to meow!! Wee had a tee-riffick fundstrom last nite. It iss so damp an furry hue-mid. It was nice sittin out inn mornin. Now it iss ucky…weerd weather all around!
We hope you can stay as cool as possible.
It’ss reelly weered Miss Monika an Wilson…only 75 F out butt THE hue-midex makiess it feel like 99 F! HUH?
Wee undber Tornado warnin butt Sun iss shining. Wee did NOT get all THE stormss wee were told wee wuud get….REELLY weerd!
That is odd but no storm isn’t all that bad. 😉
It’ss like storms are goin around where wee live…wee see them on Ray-dar headin rite fore us. Then nothin happens? Wee due need rain tho’. Keep ground moist so no wildfiress start 😉
Oh brother, I know exactly how that goes. Same here!
We are hoping cooler weather shows up soon…along with some much needed rain! We love all the signs you found that Autumn is on its way!
xoxo,
Rosy & Sunny (and Beth too)
Thanks, Rosy and Sunny. We sure are looking forward to autumn’s arrival.
Java Bean: “Ayyy, walkies have been in short supply here, what with all the heat and humidity. It’s not supposed to be like this on the coast. We’re supposed to be able to go walkies whenever we want.”
Charlee: “Which is always?”
Java Bean: “Sí, which is always!”
Lulu: “Goodbye, Dolly, you were a good one! Our Dada was unhappy about several people who went away last week ― Dolly was the first, but not the last …”
It was a rough week for some very exceptional people. Sorry you’re being plagued with heat and humidity. It’s a miserable combination. Hope things cool down soon.
It s so sad that Dolly passed away but it is life I guess. You have some really pretty flowers today and the colored leaves are so weird. We have them here too on some trees but like yours only on small parts of the trees. Fall can feel free to arrive early. Sadly we are going into the 90’s again with tropical humidity for a few days, yuck!
Sorry summer has returned to your neighborhood. Hopefully it won’t last long. Enjoy the rest of the weekend.
Son unas fotos espectaculares, qué bonitos colores. Me encantan. Saludos desde España
Gracias por su visita.
The hibiscus looks gorgeous sweet Wilson and it’s nice to see some of the leaves already changing colour 🍂 Here’s praying the rains will come and we wish you and Monika a blessed weekend too 🥰❤️ xxx
Thanks. I love the gigantic blooms. And that color…my goodness! Rain showers in the southern part of the metro but nothing at our house. It’s like Mother Nature has an umbrella over us. Phooey.
We hope you have a marvelous weekend!
Many thanks, Xenia. That hibiscus is one of the prettiest in the entire neighborhood. No rain at our house, but a nice shower down south where we went to visit the great grandbaby. I think Mother Nature must despise us and yet we can’t figure out why.
We’re hoping you have a terrific weekend.
I truly hope you get some rain and cooler weather. It’s miserable when it’s so hot. That hibiscus is absolutely gorgeous! My roses didn’t do very well this year. I hope they will return with a vengeance next year. Give wilson a good belly rub and Chester says hi.
Thanks, Martha. It’s been hot and dry but a few places around us have received some rain, just not in our neighborhood. At least we don’t have humid conditions so it’s not as bad as it could be. Those deep wine colored hibiscus flowers are quite stunning. Sorry that your roses didn’t do well this year. Hopefully they’ll rebound next year. Have a wonderful weekend. Wilson says thanks for the belly rub and sends one in return to Chester.
Wilson, effurrything falls here too…and we’re about to harvest the grapes and the apples, but we’re so not ready for Fall🙈Will send you a lot of rain, we’ve got enough of it…MOL…Beautiful Asters and tribute to a wonderful Lady💗Double Pawkisses for a Happy Weekend to you and your mommy too🐾😽💞
Many thanks guys. Autumn is our favorite season so we’re looking forward to it arriving. Let the leaf raking begin! BOL. Have a terrific weekend.
So may signals here too about the fall season, phew! While we’ve had a couple nice days this past week, the upcoming one is going to show us that it is still summer, sigh…hot and humid heat indexes in the mid to upper 90’s. UGH!
Lots of prettiness around your area nonetheless.
The subtle signs give us hope. Hope the upcoming week isn’t too summery for you guys. Stay as cool as you can. Have a lovely weekend.
For an odds and ends post, y’all packed quite a punch this week. And the colors, it’s great to see them surviving this summer from hell. It’s been a tough one all the way around and that drought you guys are dealing with, it’s scary business.
Beautiful ode to the real life wonder woman.
Have a great weekend ranchers
Look at you…all sweet and kind. Thank you. It was a hectic week made tougher by the loss of Dolly and Tim Curry. We hope you have a splendid weekend. Another mid-90’s day today but hopefully the temps will be a tad lower tomorrow. Hope springs eternal, eh?
True thing, you guys rocked it.
Yes, Tim Curry too. Dale sent me a video of Tim Curry laughing and man, that guy had a great laugh! And his roles, they ran the gamut. I have to see Clue, people tell me I’m missing out.
Stay cool mama!
It’s a fun romp of a movie with such a great cast. Curry made such a terrific butler. I think you’ll enjoy it.
I just checked the cast. Madeline Kahn, Lesley Ann Warren, Cristopher Lloyd, Eileen Brennan, Michael McKean, Martin Mull and of course, the one of a kind Curry.
SOLD!
I’ll be curious what you think of that gem after watching it. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
A gem for sure.
Dolly was an amazing person. Beautiful photos, especially the mums. XO
Many thanks, Ellen. Dolly was definitely one special human. The world is not nearly as bright now that she’s earned a set of wings. Can you imagine the choir of musicians greeting her? Have a great weekend.
Thanks for a lovely tour, Wilson. Whether autumn is coming or the heat got to things, it’s time for a change. I hope the 90+ temps are ending soon and don’t come back. I love seeing the asters. I hope you have a lovely weekend.
Thanks! Glad you enjoyed the pics. It was back in the mid-90’s again but tomorrow will be a tad cooler. Autumn can’t come soon enough for us. We hope your weekend is terrific.
Yikes Wilson, leaves turning already, I don’t have last years all raked up yet LOL! That was a lovely tribute to Dolly!
I know, right? While it’s definitely early and very sporadic, it’s welcome. I think my thermometer broke-it’s been stuck on 90 for months! Have a great weekend.
So beautiful!
Many thanks. I love autumn and am looking forward to more autumnal plants in the spotlight. We hope you have a terrific weekend.
I can imagine that both humans, animals and plants are all stressed by this drought and heat. Change is soon on the horizon, I hope!
Hope springs eternal! Have a super weekend.
Wilson, a lovely tour once more. 25 days to Autumn. Can’t wait. Those “birth flower” asters are real beauties, but bring on those Fall hardy mums – my faves. I know you guys like mums, especially The Mum (see what I did there?). Changing colors out your way is a big yay, but we really need to get you some moisture. Our area was just moved from Drought Warning to Drought Watch. We’re hopeful we can hit Normal status if August finishes out with some more heavy rain. Was there anyone more universally loved than Dolly? We may never see a person like that again who everyone seems to agree upon was a great performer, and an even greater person. Have a wonderful weekend!
Thanks…you’re too clever, Bruce. Love it! It was another mid-90’s day today and we’re just over it. Despite very dark skies, I think we received 15 drops. Oi.
You’re right of course-Dolly was a one of a kind. And the kind we desperately need these days. She will be sorely missed.
Wishing you and yours a wonderful weekend!
Asters are so beautiful and welcome as the summer flowers are starting look peeked (did I spell that right?) Dolly…sigh. Why do the good ones go and the others seem to live forever.
I am a fan of anything blue so asters are personal favorites of mine. And who an deny the beauty of mums when summer flowers start waning to which I say ‘good riddance.’ I’m tired of babying them and watering them 14 times a day. Can you tell the mid 90’s have finally gotten to me? We hope you have a wonderful weekend.
We had rain and a massive thunder storm. We actually had floods across the roads today, it was so heavy. Very welcome 😀
Good for you guys! It’s hotter than Haddes today but tomorrow will be a bit cooler. Our forecast says we have a 40% chance of a shower. Not to sound cynical but I’ve been hearing that for the past 3 weeks. 6-12 drops does not constitute a shower in my books. We hope your weather stay mild this weekend with some rain is in your forecast.
It certainly feels like summer is over. Maybe we will get one last warm peak, but there is a touch of autumn in the morning air 🙂
I love the Imagination Library, such a great cause!
It’s such an amazing program. Dolly’s commitment to literacy is unparalleled. We hope your weekend is fantastic.
Asters are so pretty and delicate. I am feeling the cool already up here. Just this week we are not going any higher than 72C – which I am not sad about but wouldn’t have minded waiting until September, officially 😉
That hibiscus bloom is ridiculous! Makes me think of the Rose of Sharons (I think) that are at my esthetician’s. HUMONGOUS.
Have a marvellous weekend!
Thanks, Dale. They are so cheery, almost on par with sunflowers. I’ll do my best to send you some heat-it was in the mid-90’s here.
That hibiscus bloom is enormous-a good 6+ inches across. And the color…just that saturated hue. Enjoy a pleasant and comfortable weekend!
Yes, they are! Very kind of you to share.
That is ginormous.
Thank you and may yours be lovely
Love the Autumn countdown clock. Anyone seeing this might assume you are not fond of crushing temperatures.
You think? Here’s to a temperate weekend.
Lovely pictures, as always. As the days get a bit shorter, Gracie sleeps a bit later – she wakes with the sun, and the sun is not really up and about until almost 6:30, woo hoo! Our garden is fading out too, but haven’t seen any fall colors yet. Always look forward to fall – my favorite season. Counting the days with you. And yes, Dolly will be missed. Remarkable lady.
Thanks so much! I’ve noticed that we’re getting to that time of year where I’m having to adjust our morning walks. This morning I had to go extra early and needed a hand torch. It was still fairly dark, uber quiet (unless you count the hooting owls). Wilson didn’t know what to make of it, but I needed to get on the road down to my Dad’s place and at least try to avoid as much of the two rush hours in Denver and Colorado Springs. It was brutal but worth it to see my Dad smile. Have a lovely weekend.
Yes Fall is coming soon – and we too are seeing what COULD be a few signs – some leaves changing but we believe it may be (as many do) signs of stress due to drought vs. “Actual” Fall. Either way, it’s a reminder that cooler weather will be here soon. Wilson seeing your darling face always makes us smile (just thought I’d mention that!). We love the Dolly farewell – she was a very amazing human being with more talent than any other three people (or more) we can think of and a heart of gold. The world has lost a beautiful human being and Heaven has gained a VERY special Angel.
Hugs, Pam and Teddy too
It can’t arrive soon enough for us. It was (yet again) another mid 90’s day. I do like seeing little spots of yellow showing up in the cottonwoods near the house.
Sweet Dolly…what will the world do without her beautiful light.
Have a good weekend.
Yes, it’s in the 60’s (F) here in the early morning, and we get some good walks in around the neighborhood then. But up to 90F in the afternoon, still. The nice thing is that we know it won’t last forever! Kisses to Wilson from Lucy.
It was in the mid 60’s when we took our morning walkat 4:45 AM this morning but shot up quickly. I think it was 88 around 10:30 or so and finally peaked at 96F this afternoon. Ugh.
Give Lucy extra ear rubs from both of us. Have a wonderful weekend.
Will do!
I’m going for a walk with the pup right now! Have a great weekend.
Hope you had an awesome walk. It got up to 96 this afternoon, sure glad we took our long walk early (in the dark actually) this morning since I needed to drive down to see my Dad. It was 99 down there. I’m be ever so grateful when autumn arrives. This heat is not one bit fun. Have a fabulous weekend.
The Aster is Mom’s birth flower. She has never seen a real one though.https://katieisabella.blogspot.com/
What a coincidence, it’s Mum’s birth flower too. While they don’t have a particularly sweet scent, they are pretty. Have a great weekend.
Your fur-iend,
Wilson 🐾