Colors of the Season

The combination of black-eyed susans and asters always says "end of summer, beginning of fall" to me.  I love how the cool purple tones of the asters help to calm down the intensity of the black-eyed susans.

 The hydrangeas are always so gorgeous this time of year.  (Not in my garden; it was a really tough winter on them and I only had 2 blooms--plus the deer/elk decided this year that they were going to nibble on the hydrangeas.  Tough year to be one in my garden!)  I always marvel at how many colors one bloom head can hold.

 These coneflowers, growing alongside an old red barn, just scream fall....

 So does this barberry leaf, which seems to be getting a jump start on seasonal dressing.  I LOVE finding stuff like this---the one rebel leaf, or at least one with a bad sense of timing.  Why did just this one leaf change when all the others are green in their conformity?

 And this poor tree.....all the colors of fall, but NOT in an evergreen...  The future doesn't look too bright for this poor tree.



Hidden Fronds

I love these ferns.  In the fall, part of the chlorophyll goes and the white edges remain, with a hidden frond in each little leaflet.  I found these about 3 years ago, and this was the first chance I had to get back and check them out in the fall.  I like the way the tones change depending on whether or not they are in deep shade.

 Aren't these incredible?  What a wonderful hidden treasure that most people don't even notice.  They just think the ferns are dying back....true, but with one last glorious burst of beauty.

If it's Monday, it must be macro

Indulging in my obsession with waterdrops...

Liquid Art

Got up early one morning on vacation and went into town to the marina, where I prowled for some abstract reflections.  Bonanza!

                    

This one was at the beach---an old stump in the water....

Take a Seat

Where would you prefer to sit?  In colorful Adirondak chairs at the edge of the lake, watching the fish jump?

                                       In an old weathered swing on the beach, watching the waves roll in?

                     At the edge of the dunes, listening to the breeze rustle through the dune grass?

                                         Or right in the water, letting the waves lap over your toes?



Paint the Sky

As the Badger steamed off into the sunset, and the sun sunk lower and lower, the sky just kept getting better and better.

 When I was little, we used to walk down to the beach and watch the sun set.  My dad would tell me that if I was very still, and very quiet, I would hear the sun hiss when it hit the water.  As that bright orange globe sunk beneath the horizon, I almost could!!

 Then I turned just a couple of degrees to the left, facing south, and instead of the vibrant, in-your-face colors I'd been seeing, the sky was a lovely pastel explosion.

Facing back towards the point where the sun set, the sky darkened and the colors started becoming more intense. 

 The colors kept getting more and more intense as the reflected color bounced off the clouds.  All the fishermen were heading towards the harbor before night fell.

By the time I had to go (I wasn't ready--I could've stayed until full dark) the sky had continued to darken and the cloud formations were really accentuated.  It was one of those million-dollar technicolor sunsets, and I am so glad that I was there to soak it all in.  God is such an artist!

At the End of the Day

One evening on vacation I went up to Ludington to catch the SS Badger sailing out--it usually leaves Ludington about sunset, and I was hoping for a nice sunset so I could get some good color and light.

Well!!  Imagine my delight when I saw these cloud banks and the sun starting to sink below them, heading for the horizon.  I knew I was in for a treat.

 When I turned around, behind me in the channel a sailboat making for harbor before evening caught the glorious light, as did the South Beacon.

 As the SS Badger steamed out of the channel on its way across Lake Michigan to Manitowoc, Wisconsin, it too caught the evening light of the setting sun and was gilded.

 Even the waves breaking over the rocks at the base of the breakwater turned to molten gold.



As the sun set further, the show got better and better.  More on that next time!

Oh, What do you do in the Summertime?

"Oh, what do you do in the summertime, when all the world is green?

We get up early and go for a paddleboat ride while the lake is still glass-smooth and everything is quiet and peaceful...
                            

 We take along our fishing poles and some bait, just in case the fish are biting.

 Sometimes they are, and we catch a nice sunfish or two.  Of course, we let them go.

 We go to the beach and spend the day.  We love it when Lake Michigan is still and flat and the waves are small.

We play in the sand and build sand castles.

 We play in the water and pretend we are floating.  (Miss C, on the right, was heard to say "Oh, this is delightful!!)

 We pack our buckets full and sand and make things.

We run down sand dunes large and small.

 We go to the beach before bedtime and play in the water.

 We watch the waves roll in. 

 We go exploring down the beach.

 We laugh together.

 We go to The House of Flavors and have our favorite ice cream in all the world, Blue Moon.

 Or, we sit at the edge of the lake and have one last ice cream cone before we go to bed.

Vacation Teasers

On the relative spur of the moment, my daughter Laura and I decided to take a trip with the grands to Michigan again this year.  Of course, we decided this about mid-July, and the chances of finding a place to stay were slim and next to none.  But, the travel gods were smiling on us.  Not only did we find a great little cabin to rent the very week we wanted to go, but it was RIGHT on the lake--the same one where our family had a summer cabin when I was growing up.  It was within a 5 minutes-or-less drive to our favorite Lake Michigan beach.  We had great weather, wonderful fishing, spectacular sunsets (more on those later), and a great break.  The grands had a ball.  We spent nearly every day, all day, at the beach, and if they weren't frogging in the water there, they were playing in the lake at the cottage.  Life doesn't get much better than that.

An early morning view from the cottage.

 Down the beach, heading towards our favorite spot....

 A little end-of-the-day fishing with Laura and Miss E...

 A wonderful cloudy sunset (the best kind) viewed from the cottage

 A non-cloudy sunset over Lake Michigan, with the path of gold.  I was really happy to get the sun reflecting on the dune grass blades.