On September 16, I hiked Norwood Farm. The downy Goldenrod is in full bloom, contrasting with the deep red of the Little bluestem grasses. The Fox grapes leaves are yellowing; the aroma of overripe grapes perfumed the air . I felt like the member of a wedding party walking down the aisle as bouquets of sweet everlasting and downy goldenrod lined the path.
I enjoyed the quiet ( except for the jay's and towhees) after our 5 weeks of kids and grandkids visiting. I love the hubbub and chance to be with family, and now summer's end signals the beginning of a quieter time.
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| Black Huckleberry |
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| Aster |
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| Tupelo |
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| Norwood Oak |
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| Sweet Everlasting and Downy Goldenrod |
The red Huckleberry and Crumpled elegant fern livened other spots, amid the spent Sweet Pepper (Clethra Alnifolia )and scrub oak. An Eastern Garter snake slithers out of the sunny trail and into the brush.
There hasn't been much rain in a month, as evidenced by the dried up ponds: the Norwood Pond, Corner Pond and Almanac Pond. And Dried out marsh st. Johnswort at the edges. There are Few sickle-leaved silk grass remaining on the road , with a few asters on the side, including Late and New England asters( Symphotrichum Patens and Novo-Angliae.)
The dry weather has meant so many beautiful sunrises...and close to the autumnal equinox, they are due east from our bedroom window! And with sunrises between 6 and 6:30, a lot easier to get up for!
The berry season now ending has been highly productive for us foragers: blueberries, beach plums (12 jars of jelly) and grapes ( half of our takings has yielded 12 jars of jelly).
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| American Black Duck |
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| Gull-billed Tern |