Tag Archives: nature

October 10’s Friday Fleurday

Although we’re really into October now – and in Canada, Monday is Thanksgiving Day – there are still lots of autumn flowers about. Here are a few of these lovelies.

A bevy of asters …

… some vibrant chrysanthemums …

… beautiful red dahlias …

… and last but not least, vanille fraise hydrangeas that are entering their autumn pink phase.

Happy long-weekend Friday.

Autumn Ash Trees

A couple of the ash trees in the nearby lakeside park are transforming into their beautiful autumnal colours. I’ve already posted a few photos showing one of them but I think they deserve a little more coverage.

The above shows October 2 and below shows October 8. This tree morphed along significantly in less than a week!

There are actually two of these trees next to each other; they are shown here from further down the lake.

There are some chairs on the beach near these trees because that portion of the lakefront has been set aside for dogs. Owners can sit comfortably – or not as the case may be – while their dogs swim, fetch and run.

Under these two ash trees is a covered bench; it’s separated from the dog beach by a fence but you can watch the dogs play or enjoy the lake view or both.

Happy Thursday.

Bits of Autumn

Bits of autumn are beginning to abound.

The harvest moon. This isn’t the best picture I’ve ever taken – I only had my cell with me – but I like it anyway.

A very autumnal sky conveying a sense of cooler days and nights, so different from the sunlit summer clouds.

I took the above picture on October 2 …

… and then this one three days later on October 5. This tree is definitely and quickly getting into its autumn outfit!

Rows of grapevines, some covered to protect against hungry birds while they still mature. I suspect that these may be readied for the ice wine harvest which will occur in late October or early November.

Happy Wednesday.

Skaha Lake

I seem to be on a lake theme this week! In keeping with that idea, here are some pictures of Skaha Lake, the smaller one that borders the south end of town.

We had a beautiful autumn day and many people were sitting on the beach reading or just relaxing. It was very comfortable in the sun.

No one was in the water, although it’s probably still warm enough after heating up all summer and also because this lake is shallower than the much larger and deeper Okanagan Lake at the north end of town.

Skaha Lake beach also has trees growing under the sand that are of course very popular during the summer for their shade.

Happy Tuesday.

Two Lakes, Two Days

A couple of days ago we enjoyed a beautiful autumn afternoon stop at Vaseux Lake which is 27 km (17 mi) to the south of us. It really was nice enough to have dawdled on the beach.

A couple of days later we experienced a different kind of beauty. It was cooler in a very familiar autumnal way and also a bit blustery, but the sky was so arresting with its layered cloud formations.

Happy Monday.

October Third’s Friday Fleurday

Over the course of the last four months, I’ve been watching an hydrangea shrub growing in one of the city’s parks that’s morphing from a variegated dark pink and white to blue and purplish-blue and lastly, to red. I first posted about it here.

June 23

As I indicated in my previous post about this hydrangea, one that shifts from red to purple, blue or purplish-blue and back to pink or red again is a “Bigleaf” hydrangea (hydrangea macrophylla) that is reacting to soil ph levels. This one has been putting on a particularly magnificent colour show all summer long that is now extending into autumn.

July 3
July 18
July 22
August 22
August 28

By the middle of September this shrub was well on its way to turning a dark, autumnal red as you can see below.

September 15
September 15

And as of October 2, those dark red hues were very predominant.

October 2
October 2
October 2

It’s amazing how beautifully this hydrangea shrub has changed and transformed and provided colourful blooms for months.

Happy Friday.

Reblog: Travel Quote

Your travel life has the essence of a dream. It is something outside the normal, yet you are in it. It is peopled with characters you have never seen…

Travel Quote

A beautiful photo and travel quote from Tricia at Travels Through My Lens. To see more of Tricia’s photography or to read about her travels, please click the link above.