Welcome to JOYFUL REFLECTIONS. Also welcome to MARCH!!!! My header picture this month is a photo I took of the pretty Crocus blooms in our yard... The Crocuses and Daffodils are the first signs of spring here in Tennessee. I am definitely ready for SPRING...

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Signs of Fall


It's ironic that I am posting a "Signs of Fall" blog post today... That is because we are having a VERY HOT week here in Tennessee--with temperatures near 90 all week... BUT-- even with the summer weather, we do have some signs that Autumn is coming... Today I'll share with you some pictures I took around our yard yesterday.

Above is our new wood delivery --which we order each Fall. We stay a year ahead --so that the new wood has a year to ripen! You can see George working hard to stack all of that wood. Below are more pictures.



George has a special 'system' for stacking our wood. You can see this year's wood on the right side---ready to burn, IF we ever get some cold weather!!! ha... He does such a good job --that we have seldom had any of the stacks to fall. What a man!!!!




Our Pink Dogwood is definitely showing signs of Fall.... Isn't it pretty???




I included this picture to show you a couple of the large trees in our back yard. Since we have been so horribly hot and DRY this summer, many leaves on several of our trees are just dying and falling off... I truly don't know how much Fall color we will have this year... It's just a 'wait and see' process I guess.



OKAY---this is one for all of you flower lovers.... This IS a popular Fall bloomer. Do you know what it is?????????? Isn't it gorgeous????




This is it!!! Do you recognize it now????? It is Autumn Joy Sedum... I love it in the Fall --since it starts out a pink color, and by the end of Fall, it turns into a burnt orange....

George took the picture above this one with his macro lens... SO---for all of you people who don't think that the macro lenses are worth getting, WELL---I think we proved it --when looking at these two pictures... I like them both, but the details in that upper one are just fabulous!!!!



I'll finish by showing you some of our gorgeous Roses in Fall... This is the new flowerbed near the road ---and the flowers love this bed. Roses will bloom from Spring through Fall (until the first freeze) ----but Spring and Fall are the best times WHEN it is not as hot. I enjoy our Fall Roses.

I took several other pictures of 'pretties' around our yard --but that will be another post sometime... Hope life for you is going well.. I do have a prayer request. Jake, the husband of a very special blog friend, RUTH (of Jake and Ruth's Photo Blog), is in the hospital with a mass on his pancreas. These are wonderful people from Manitoba. I am praying hard for Jake--and I ask that you remember him (them) also.

Hugs,

54 comments:

Anonymous said...

Like you, we are seeing many leaves just drying up and falling. Your dogwood berries and Autumn Joy sedum are very pretty. Love the closeup with the macro lens. I know you and George look forward to cooler weather and a cozy fire in the fireplace.
I'll remember Jake and Ruth in my prayers.
Hope you two have a good day.

SquirrelQueen said...

George did a great job stacking that firewood, in a month or so it will probably come in handy. It is a little cooler here but it's still hard to believe it's almost fall. Our leaves should start turning soon.

I love your photos of the Autumn Joy, mine is also a bright pink and the bees are all over it.

I will keep Jake and Ruth in my thoughts, I hope he makes a full recovery.

Jane said...

Good morning Betsy,

First off, many prayers going out to Jake for a successful and quick recovery.

No signs of fall here. The leaves that are changing appear to be doing so because of lack of rain. We have also managed to tie the record here for the greatest number of days of 90 + degree weather, and unfortunately, it shows no signs of letting up!

Jane

Catherine said...

At first I thought George had chopped all that wood himself! But I would think stacking it was quite the job too. Oh how warm and cozy the two of you will be all winter ~ not that you can even think of the cold weather with all the heat you have been having. :)

Happy Day Betsy!
xo Catherine

Valerie said...

Love the sedum (aka: live forever!) I am pretty sure you have seen the variety I posted - of the light purple version - the leaves are a more bright green too.

Wow! George is a hard worker - that is a lot of wood to stack! It will be nice when those temps come. We were in the 3s last night. I still have my window open!!

Love Jake and Ruth - they are pretty special.
Love you too. Always such a good encourager!

Jen said...

Betsy, Your yard is always a busy place, no matter what time of the year it is. That's why it's so pretty!!
I agree, the macro is worth it-great shot.

Darla said...

I didn't see any photos of you stacking wood, lol. The temps are way too high aren't they.

Peggy said...

Our leaves are drying up and falling like crazy. We are cutting, splitting, and stacking firewood with dreams and hopes of enjoying a nice cold winter. I will say a prayer for your friend Ruth and her husband Jake. Have a blessed day!!

Ruth's Photo Blog said...

Just stopping by to refresh my soul.Lovely pictures and thanks for all the prayers.I will do another update as soon as we have more news.
Hugs,Ruth

MadSnapper said...

love that fall colored sedum! and i can see the difference in the color of the stacked wood, the lighter is new, great idea to do it the way George does. you are blessed to have him. all of your photos are truly signs of fall. when i saw the title i thought Orange Leaves. this proves signs can be all kinds of colors and things and even PEOPLE

diane b said...

That looks a big job stacking wood. The new garden looks great now. I agree about the macro.

Susie said...

I can't believe how George got all that wood stacked.

I'll definitely keep Jake in my prayers.

Hopefully we'll have a cool down soon. Suppose to be 97 again today.

Sunny said...

The weather is really crazy. This morning it was 37° and tomorrow it's suppose to be 80!
Well when the temps drop you will be all ready!
Your Sedum is so pretty, love the macro.
☼ Sunny

Small City Scenes said...

Yes Fall is certaintly here---Today is the first day of Fall too. All the vine Maples (native here) are bright red or orange and the big leaf Maples are turning yellow.
I am sorry it is so hot there. We seldom see temps in the 90s and ours are in the livable high 60s and low 70s. Just right---only it won't quit raining. Although it is not a cold rain. We must always find the bright spot.

Good vibes going Ruth and Jake's way.

MB

Arkansas Patti said...

Pretty sure we will only see varying shades of brown this year also. Last year was also pretty colorless.
What a job George did. You are going to have some lovely fires this winter to snuggle in front of.
Just finished my prayer for Jake and his family. That is such a dreadful disease but they have come a long way and pray he is home soon.

Fred Alton said...

Betsy, Jake and Ruth are blessed to have you and George as their friends. Of course I'll pray for them too.

Your George sure knows how to stack that wood. It will be great on that fireplace very soon now.

Like you - I doubt we'll have much color in the trees this fall unless we get some good rain and get it soon. We're just a few miles south of you and my leaves at the cabin are piling up. Gotta get out the leaf blower and get them away from the building, just in case a fire breaks out.

Be blessed.

Anonymous said...

Your stack of firewood looks just great. George is a pro at stacking it like that. It is supposed to be up in the 90s here today, too. We have only had .88 of an inch of rain since August 1st. so you know how dry it is here. I did mow my crabgrass yesterday. lol. It is trying to take over my back yard. Cut up leaves, too. Today, I am cleaning out flower beds. Your flowers are still very pretty. I will pray for your friend, Jake.

Harriet said...

You and George have a beautiful yard. Hope we get some rain soon so we will have some color this Fall.
I'll pray for Jake and Ruth. I pray each day for my blog friends.
The Lord knows each of their needs.

Snap said...

Prayers going out to Jake and Ruth.

Wow ... you and George are ready for winter. Don't worry, it will get here!!!!

Lovely shots of your garden, roses.

Karin said...

Keeping Jake and Ruth in prayer here! Love all your photos, yes the macro shot is just perfect! I would definitely have to make an appointment with physio and/or massage therapy if I had to stack all that wood! Looks great - all set for a cozy winter. Now if you could just bottle that summer heat for the cooler months.....

NCmountainwoman said...

We are so ready for fall here as well. We're hoping to get some good soaking rains for the trees. They have had a hard year and need some water to help them get ready for winter.

Thoughtfully Blended Hearts said...

Pretty photos Betsy and George is doing a super job!!!
We had a record breaker hot day on Sunday and probably broke it on Monday...gotta keep TVA in business I guess.

carolina nana said...

Thanks for the assurance that fall IS or May Be around the corner,I'm beginning to wonder????
I will be praying for your friend Jake.
Have a blessed day
Marilyn

From the Kitchen said...

I recognized the sedum because we have some. I love the color changes! Dogwoods, the state flower of Virginia, don't do so well here and they are all white. My parents had a yard full of the pink ones--different shades of pink--that were so lovely in spring and fall. As always, great photos!

Prayers for your friend!!

Best,
Bonnie

Busy Bee Suz said...

Prayers for your blog friends today Betsy.
I want a macro lens too...love those closeups with all the details.
Could you send some fall feelings south???
Love how George stacks the wood...a man after my own heart!

I Am Woody said...

Stacking wood takes talent and it is HARD work! My stacks always had a definite lean to them...

Linda said...

I could use a man like that around here;) My Autumn Joy sedum dosesn't look like it's even going to get a chance to bloom this year.

Dorothy said...

Love the signs of Fall, the Autumn Joy, dogwood, wood pile, etc. Love Ruth and Jake and I'm praying for them, too! I need a Macro lens;)

Kirigalpoththa said...

Who did chop all that wood? Was it George??

I have no idea of what those flowers are...?

amelia said...

Ugh, pancreas. Rarely good news. I hope you'll keep us posted as to how Jake is doing. I hope Ruth can stay strong and positive!!!

Lovely dogwood pics, I've never seen it but I have seen pictures like yours and it's very pretty.

KathyA said...

I love your fall roses, too!
And your woodpile is a veritable work of art!
Our sedum is blooming happily and although it is not one of my favorite plants, it's good to see something blooming.

Ginny Hartzler said...

That macro is amazing. I have a picture of some mystery berries and I think the dogwood is them! But now I can't find my berry folder in the picture file!! How tiresome. I have been praying for Jake also, how sudden it seemed and what a shock. I actually put him on the church prayer line. We wait and see now.

EcoRover said...

Hey Betsy, I love the fall colors of Dogwood, Viburnum etc. Do birds eat Dogwood berries?

Nice woodpile! Maple? Oak?

imac said...

Our trees are turning to brown and orange, oh, what wonder these are.

Together We Save said...

Wonderful pictures!! I am impressed with that wood pile!!

Pat Tillett said...

First off, my thoughts are with your friends...

Okay, you know I don't have a clue about that flower! Do I ever?
Great photos around your yard...

Kay said...

Well it's a nice "fallish" day here in SoCal today, but we are supposed to be back up in the 100's this weekend. YUCK!

Anonymous said...

Hi Betsy, Your firewood stack looks like ours here. I sure do like your front planter! I'll be praying for your friend Jake and his family and doctors. I am hoping that we are done with rain for now - good for plants but bad for me (our roof is 1/2 off and we are under way on replacement). Have a great day!

This Is My Blog - fishing guy said...

Betsy: What a wonderful show your flowers are showing. I love Sedum and all the different blooms.

eileeninmd said...

Betsy, your yard is lovely. My hubby is just like George stacking that wood. Most of the trees are still green around here but we have been kind of dry too. I, too am praying for Jake and Ruth.

Neal said...

Very nice Betsy. It was hot here today....95 I believe and is still 93 as I write this. There are signs of fall here also.

Glenda said...

I love woodpiles - neatly stacked in preparation for chilly days and nights! If that ever happens! I know . . . in His time, it will! Your flowers are still beautiful in spite of the hot weather!

Hope you see more and more signs of fall, one of my favorite seasons!

Diane said...

The flowers are pretty. I'm sorry about the trees getting so hot that their leaves just die, we've had autumns like that only opposite, they freeze too fast. George does a great job of stacking that wood. I usually get that job and I'm picky about how it goes, but I don't do as good a job as George. Diane

A Brit in Tennessee said...

This is my second attempt to leave a comment, the last went up in smoke...
Your gentleman 'George' is worth his salt, always busy and taking care of the garden and things around your place. That wood pile is so pretty, it's a shame to burn the wood...lol
The flowers are still gorgeous, I thought it may have been a little cooler up there on the Plateau, but maybe not.
Sorry to hear of your friends illness, I shall keep him in my prayers.

Anonymous said...

I commented on George's blog post that this time of year is depressing to Bob because it means that riding season is drawing to a close. I, on the other hand, like this time of the year. I love looking at the leaves as they turn color; I love hearing the rustle of leaves under my feet. I love the cooler, but not cold, air. Neither of us much like what comes after fall :-)

Anonymous said...

It must be a California thing? We have a gas log fireplace. :-)

Lynda said...

We are going through the same problems with the leaves on the trees dying. It will be sad if we have a fall without pretty colors. It is the highlight of this time of year that carries us through the winter.
What does your husband use on his roses to keep insects from eating the leaves? That rose garden is so gorgeous.

Pat @ Mille Fiori Favoriti said...

Hi Betsy

That's a lot of fire wood! George did a good job organizing it all. It must be nice to have a warm and cozy fire going all winter. It's so hard to believe it is already fall.

Wonderful flower photos and I do wish I had a macro lens! I'm saving for one, so hopefully someday I will.

I will keep Ruth's husband in my prayers.

♥ Pat

Lola said...

I like to see the fall colors but it is iffy for brilliant colors due to heat & drought this summer. My one oak continues to die.
Bumbles are hard at work.
Love your roses. It's hard to grow them here with the heat & humidity.

Lola said...

I like to see the fall colors but it is iffy for brilliant colors due to heat & drought this summer. My one oak continues to die.
Bumbles are hard at work.
Love your roses. It's hard to grow them here with the heat & humidity.

Rose said...

can't believe it's fall. ga. also has temps in the 90's and little rain. your flowers are beautiful. would you like to be our gardner? take care rose

Connie said...

We've got a few trees changing colors here, but I wonder how much we'll have too because it has been so dry. George is a hard worker. Made me tired just thinking about moving all that wood! HA! :D

ruthinian said...

indeed... fall is here and those beautiful and breathtaking signs are visible all over the place now. Phil did a really good job in stacking those woods... a talent that my Hubby doesn't possess. hahahaha and those flowers are still gorgeous.

Janie said...

I will remember Jake and Ruth in my prayers.
Your yard is still looking lovely. It must be satisfying to have so much stacked wood, all ready for winter.