After several days on the road, it was nice to wake up in my own bed. It was a glorious morning – cold, crisp and clear. Views from the porch were outstanding.
Looking down valley before the sun came up
This fellow arrived with the sunrise. He was on the trail of some does.
One of the does had been bedded down next to the bee hive. He could smell her.
Soon the big buck was gone but the scene remained.
Today is much colder with a bracing wind and a threat of snow.
Recently when I was complaining about the dreariness of the weather, a friend pointed out the lush colors of the season enhanced by the light and the moisture. She compared them to colors from the days of Fuji film – my favorite when I was shooting film – and she was right. During this season I can always see something to photograph and it’s challenging to get me to stop. Here are a few images from around our place.
Peony leaves
Sweet pea
Kohlrabi leaf
Dried sunflower still standing
Sunflower leaf
Bearded iris leaf
Maple leaves
Siberian iris leaves
Asters
The deer have eaten most of the aster flowers
Echinacea (cone flower) dried on the stem
Echinacea still blooming
More red leaves
Johnny jump up
Bearded iris pod
It seems that we are already in November weather with cold gray skies, lots of rain and occasional snow/slush falling from the sky. It really is dreary. Luna and I did get out one afternoon last week when the fog dissipated and we had a nice walk along the shore of Patterson Lake. After the long dry summer the lake’s beach is much wider than normal. It’s water is used to irrigate nearby hay fields.
At this time of year, I really relish these days
Colors are really magnificent
Luna found a new/used tennis ball; probably lost by some other dog.
Luna loves tennis balls.
I saw several of these old bait jars. This one seems to be acting as a greenhouse for some tiny seedling.
Old fishing line like this is a hazard to birds and other animals. It can cause injury and even death. I gathered up what I found and disposed of it in the trash.
A broken fishing rod. This had to have been quite upsetting to someone.
A few dead fish littered the shore.
Beautiful light
Hard to believe it will soon be frozen.
Do you have a favorite tree? I have favorite tree species such as larch (otherwise known as tamarack), aspen, ponderosa pine; depending on my mood and the season. But a favorite individual tree? I’ve admired this tree as long as I’ve been driving up and down the Methow Valley. It is between Methow and Carlton. I think it’s a maple tree, standing alone, near the highway. In the fall it turns a kaleidoscope of colors eventually, all red. I know, it’s a non-native, ornamental but still it has a stately grandeur that I enjoy when I go down valley.
This is how it looked today.
The calendar says that fall is only days away. The forecast shows a high of 90 tomorrow. Smoke from forest fires changes the reality of everything. Colors from a distance are muted and without depth. Up close they seem brighter and illuminated. Nights are cool but by late afternoon the oppressive smoke held down by high pressure gives everything a cooked feeling. Maybe it’s just the ever-present smell of charred forests. Initially it’s like a welcome campfire and then you realize it’s not going away. Most likely, some of these fires will burn til the snow falls. And in the long-range forecast there is not even a drop of rain. Normally weather like this in September would be welcomed with open arms.
This morning I took the dogs and my cell phone for a walk and this what we came back with.
This soft image has a painterly feel to me. Patterson Mountain is in the distance. On a smoke-free day, you’d see the mountains of the North Cascades beyond it.
The chokecherries have lost most of their leaves while the serviceberries have turned yellow and orange in recent days.
There hasn’t been a frost on our hill yet. I think the bushes are doing this because it’s been so dry for so long.
There’s a chokecherry that has not yet dropped its leaves. Looking up, early in the day, there is some blue sky.
Maybe I prefer this in black and white…….
My Everyday Photos 