Here’s a view of the back of the garden. The aromatic asters (Aster oblongifolius) in the foreground are providing the last flowers of the season.
They form a low hedge and I enjoy the textured foliage through the summer. I especially enjoy when they bloom in September and October.
At close range the blossoms are dainty and delicate.
However, the plants have been hardy. We’ve had very little rain for three months and have already had frost. Nevertheless, the plants continue to bloom and add a nice touch of color.
I suspect this is my last butterfly image for 2010, but I’d be glad to be wrong.
I’ve come to appreciate the diminutive skippers. I especially enjoy them in late summer when the other butterflies begin to dwindle. This common checkered-skipper (Pyrgus communis) is one of the easiest to identify.
This particular one has brown tones, but they are often checkered black and white. It is about 1/2 inch wide and is feeding on New England Aster (Aster novae-angliae).
According to Jim Brock and Kenn Kaufman, authors of Butterflies of North America, this is “the most common and widespread skipper in North America.” I’m surprised that I’m just now seeing it and making its acquaintance.
I’m intrigued by autumn leaves – so many shapes, sizes, colors, and textures, and always changing. When I look closely at individual leaves they often strike me as true works of art. Here is a sampling from the backyard.
The bur oak leaves are our largest – some are over twelve inches long.
Bur oak (Quercus macrocarpa) leaf
This close-up reminds me of an aerial photograph.
Bur oak (Quercus macrocarpa) leaf close-up
The blueberry (Vaccinium simulatum) leaves create a bright splash in the garden right now.
Blueberry (Vaccinium simulatum) leaves
This mitten-shape-leaf on the young sassafras is one of many variations on the same tree.
Sassafras (Sassafras albidum) leaf
I like the jewel tones of these small fragrant sumac (Rhus aromatica) leaves.
Fragrant sumac (Rhus aromatica) leaves
Photography note: These images were made with my small point-and-shoot Canon Power Shot SD1200 – macro setting without a tripod. I like to see the light coming through the leaves and used a 60 watt bulb to backlight all the images except the bur oak leaf (first image).
This was the view from the dining room window this morning. I was enjoying the sun on the prairie dropseed (bottom right) and Indian grass (left of middle). Then I noticed the the soft pink blooms of the muhly grass (Muhlenbergia capillaris).
What a delightful, unexpected surprise! It’s a new plant and when I looked at it recently I saw no sign of it blooming. I was thinking it might need to be replaced. Now I’ve decided it’s a keeper.
The bloom appears airy and delicate and reminds me of pink cotton candy – a bit of magic in the garden. I’m glad it’s proving to be sturdy and drought tolerant – the backyard is sooooo dry right now.
I am quite fond of my native grasses. I like the way they catch and change with the light and how they bend with the wind. It’s nice to know they will still be around when the summer flowers are gone.
Autumn colors are here and beauty abounds. I find that using a camera helps me focus and notice nuances I would otherwise miss. For example, we are enjoying the fall colors in our tupelo tree (Nyssa sylvatica), also called black gum.
However, until I photographed it I hadn’t noticed the rich mixture of red, orange and green leaves and the dark contrasting branches.
Using a camera helps me see things that would otherwise escape my notice. I recently wrote an article for the Lexington Chevy Chaser encouraging people to use a camera to see more.
I’d be glad to know if you have had similar experiences. I’d also like to hear other ideas for seeing and enjoying the beauty that’s close at hand.
