Spider Graphics

A Bit of Light on a Dark Foggy Day

        Yes, I know the Amanita's are poisonous but they are beautiful.

Bird Songs and Sights

        I am always slightly amused at the young White-throated Sparrows that pass through on their way south from the northern breeding grounds. They are doing their best to sing their song but it is always just a little bit off.

        Some of our apple trees are breaking down due to the load of apples this year. After having none last year they are trying to make up for lost time, I think. Anyway, in one of the trees there were 20 Cedar Waxwings enjoying the apples. (I just saw in my bird app that a group of waxwings is called either an "ear-full" of waxwings or a "museum" of waxwings. I like the "ear-full" description myself as they are almost always full of their "cedar, cedar" calls so I usually hear them before seeing them.)

        There were lots of photo opportunities this morning just after sunrise but I don't have time to put them up now. Maybe later today or some other day I can get some up. Spider webs and early morning ground fog with autumn colours make for interesting views.

New England Aster

        The New England Asters, Aster de la Nouvelle-Angleterre in French and Symphyotrichum novae-angliae in Latin, have never looked too good this year for reasons that I cannot understand. Two days of rain have not helped them.

        Meanwhile the rainy day did prompt some barn cleaning yesterday. Today I hope to get to my art studio. Most of my "art" lately has been with photography but I do want to do some painting again and then there is the multimedia project that needs attention. 

Teasel and Moth Mullein

        Here is a photo of two flowers that should have finished flowering a month or so ago. The Teasel (Dipsacus fullonum ssp.sylvestris) started blooming in early July and most have gone to seed long ago. The Moth Mullein (Verbascum blattaria) in the upper background started blooming even earlier in mid June. Most of them have formed and released their seeds already. I find that there are always a few plants in a few places that bloom longer or later than one expects. Both of these are near the shores of Cootes Paradise in Hamilton.