8. Fall in the northwoods of Wisconsin

The northwoods of Wisconsin, in October, near the border of Michigan - the upper peninsula. When I'm not some place else.... I'm here!

Walking down an old timber road with my son's golden. Doesn't get much better!









While there are not many flowers remaining, perhaps a few asters here and there, the forest itself performs its annual color show.














The aspens, birch, oaks and maples all present there fall coats for all to see. And, in contrast to the various greens of the evergreens, it is a fabulous show.
















While there might be a lack of pretty flowers, the northwood in the fall has its own "flowers".... fungi, or mushrooms. From tiny ones, (about 1/8th of in inch across) growing on a log....













to bright red,



















and yellow.











clustered together at the base of a dead tree
















here and there,


















to fairly large (about 3 inches across) and cupped, a dark brown in color.
















Delicate ones on long stems,












to white, cone-shaped ones.











Then, there are the shelf fungi. Those large bracket fungi you see growing on dead trees. Most are edible, but tend to be somewhat woody. But you want to be absolutely sure before you eat any mushroom. Some are deadly poisonous.











Growing on a fallen tree...

















in clusters, around a dead stump...












and, occasionally by themselves, and adorned with interesting patterns.

7. Springtime in St. Petersburg, Florida

With six children and nine plus grandchildren living in different parts of the country, I get ample opportunity to visit different biomes.
Continuing my look at the flora of our country, springtime on the west coast of Florida presents the variety of species and the incredible colors associated with them. Some will be recognized as houseplants in the more northern latitudes.









Beautiful magenta coloring, contrasted with the white!












The leaves of these plants caught my attention. What gorgeous coloration.














Delicate little flowers making their own color statement.














An example of the different colors in bouganvillea.











More delicate flowers with somewhat subtle coloration.














This one is a real eye-catcher. Large, perhaps 4-5 inches across, it makes a dominant statement in my son's back yard.













The delicate and fragile nature of orchids is always appealing.













Another example of the beauty of sub-tropical plants.













There are more than I could possibly show.













What deep red colors !














More interesting plants with their fan-like arrangement of leaves.











And, of course this, in abundance.














And, keeping an eye on all of these beautiful plants, and a wary eye on the look-out for birds, is this young fella!

6. Fall in the Hudson Valley

Fall, and I'm talking late September and October, can often be one of the prettiest times of the year. In the hills west of the Hudson River, near Mohonk Mountain, fall splashes the fields with all sorts of color.










Red berries lined up in a row caught this early morning adventurer' eye.












Wonder of all wonders..... by chance I startled a praying mantis. She flew to a nearby bush where I was able to get a good look at her. Good camoflage, don't you think.













Ready for the picking. Many of these fall fruits become part of the diet for many birds getting ready for winter.












Fall is also the time that many grasses and other plants produce the seeds for their continued survival. Dispersal of these seeds is often by the wind.

























Wild asters are the icon of the fall in much of the northern third of America. They vary considerably in size and color.













At times, some of the fields are full of these asters, as well as other flowers.

5. Spring in the Hudson Valley

This past May, I visited a daughter who has an old farmhouse in a small village near New Paltz, New York. Set in the rolling hills alongside the Hudson river valley, it is a beautiful setting. One morning I was walking outside, as always with my camera, and looking for flowers, trees, insects, anything that caught my eye. The following is another series of photographs that continue to show the true beauty of the world around us. Simple pictures of the natural world.
A dandelion flower gone to seed and awaiting a spring breeze to scatter the seeds.
















The irresistible appeal of the bleeding heart















....... is even more so when examined close-up!















Just a simple spring garden, but so much beauty...











































And, many others were seen that beautiful morning.





















































































It is amazing what you can see if you take the time to look.























.