fallen leaves

MORE TREE CARNAGE done by the winds.  I was gifted with a great leaf blower from my friend Ethan, so can make quick work of this.  The other benefit of the cold nights is of course, the gorgeous foliage colors made by the stressed trees. One of the most ravishing sites in the natural world.

violent changes

THE WIND BLASTING through my trees tonite has stripped away all the leaves and rattled the roof. It looks nothing like the pictures in my last post. Pictures tomorrow will show the path of the powerful gusts from tonight.

more decay

COLD-STRESSED PLANTS are one of nature' pearls. In their distress to adjust to cold, wind and wet, show their most beautiful colors as they decay toward dormancy.

More colors than a painting could boast. 

autumn beacon

MY JAPANESE MAPLE, little Osakazuki, (literally "sake cup shaped leaf") is one of my great joys. It's a sturdy little tree, still in its half-barrel container because after years of half-assed pruning experiments, it has remained small, and sadly misshapen. Nevertheless, even in this blurry photo, you can observe why it's one of the all-time faves of acer palmatum collectors.