Fall Foliage of My Tree

Here are some pictures of my front yard tree which I took about a week apart.

The color really has deepened between the shots. Today, 20 October 2014, the tree is probably at its peak color, and those shots are at the bottom.

My lavendar bush long ago lost its lavender and its bees, which were there all summer. I expect the tree to begin losing its leaves very soon, if it hasn't already.

I consider myself lucky that I caught the tree in this kind of peak moment - the leaves really are a deep red, compared to the green that they showed just a few short weeks ago.

2014

Red and Pink Rose Pictures

A few more pictures of my roses. I know, I have  lot of pictures of the roses. However, these are ones that I really like. Plus, it's quite possible that these could be the last roses I get this year - the weather is definitely turning.

They are not perfect - far from it - but they are good enough for me. And they're mine. So, it's all good.

2014

Red Rose Pictures 22 August 2014

22 August 2014

The roses are in perfect bloom right now, and they haven't all flowered yet.

The exact time I photograph them makes a big difference. The angle of the sun's rays determines what is highlighted and what is obscured. These were taken in mid-afternoon, which I think is the best time to get a full sense of them, though the morning and evening sun brings out other facets of their beauty as well.

Roses in Colorado Springs. Lots of rain this summer, kind of rainy today as well. These plants love all the water. Of course, so do the weeds, have to stay right on top of those. But these plants which were pretty much given up for dead in March when I transplanted them are now looking phenomenally healthy and vibrant in August.

Incidentally, yes, I could cut them and bring them inside. However, I like going out and looking at them, even though I know they won't last long that way. Just seeing them in their natural state and realizing I was a small part in making it happen makes me feel good.

Here are some from the next day, 23 August 2014.

On a side note, the very first, faint glimmer of fall: some of the lavendar from my front-yard bush has fallen off. I have no idea what the timing is, perhaps it is inherent in the bush, or perhaps it is some obscure combination of wind, sun angle, night temperature, or the movement of the bees that hover around it. But fall - it's coming. The great bush has spoken.

Some more pictures, 25 August 2014. I'm going to get an excellent idea of when the plant life around here peaks and starts going away - it will probably happen quickly not long after Labor Day. But we'll see.

What's kind of amusing is that after raining almost every day during June and July, we've now had about two weeks without a drop. That's the real Colorado. However, I had enough stored from the rains so that I've been able to keep watering everything anyway.

While some folks might find bugs and bees in their garden an annoyance, I love it. Their presence proves that the garden is working and thriving. I'd be concerned if they were not there. The garden is set apart from the house by a concrete walkway and there are no doors nearby, so they can have a ball out there without bothering me at all.

Front Yard Bush, Tree and Roses, 20 August 2014

It is now 20 August 2014. This is pretty much as good as it gets for the vegetation around here. Mid-August tends to be a dry period, and then later of course it starts getting cooler. Within a few weeks, the plants will stop thriving and will start getting ready for the winter, though they won't completely pull in their horns until October.

I've been watering the front yard bush almost every day with run-off water, and I think it looks better than ever. I may prune it back a bit as the season moves along, but right now I like the way it looks - big, mangy and wild. It also smells nice, with a hint of jasmine. Very pretty plant that everybody thinks is dead for eight months of the year (I actually had a guy tell me that last year).

But right now, everything looks terrific! The rose bushes are flowering nicely, the front yard bush looks good, and everything is growing nicely. The hope is that they all get enough nutrients, sun and water to tide them over for another year. It's looking good, because it has been a very wet summer here and, in fact, more rain is coming this afternoon.

And a bunch from the following day, August 21, 2014. Everything changes subtly from day to day, right now everything looks lovely. Looking back at this in January will provide a few good memories!