Early Winter Retreat

Not like previous years when I waited until just before Thanksgiving to head south to Florida. It was more about seeing the fall foliage and keeping leaves off the lawn. Otherwise my lawn would be toast the following spring. That's where the neighbor kid comes in. Almost 16, he's hungry and a very good worker. Sorry no pics.

I'm kind of saddened that I will not see that huge Mexican Sunflower "bush" bloom as it has oodles of buds on it. But there are plenty of vines still going strong including this one on the porch. It's a combination Black Eyed Susan (BES) and Moonflower. A few Morning Glories in there as well.

More BES all over a young beech tree...I wonder if these vines will return next year. They are seeded from last year but the winter was warm. If they do make it through the winters here, they'll be all over in a few years...no problem with that.

The lawn with Potato Vines (foreground) that have spread all over...

Out of here Thursday AM.

Fall Foliage & Some Things Thrive

Like the Nasturtiums that never do much of anything until the cooler weather arrives or so it seems. In previous years I just gave up on them in the middle of the summer.

Black Eyed Susan Vines are putting out nicely. This is Spanish Eyes.

Yellow colored Marigolds that grow about 20 inches in height finally bushed out along drive. Zinnias in background.

Mexican sunflowers (background) found a better place this year. However they did get knocked back quite a bit from the heavy rains of about a month ago. Very fragile with their hollow stems. Coleus gradually fading with a Pineapple Sage taking the stage this time of the year.

Mums planted from two years ago, moved two times to this spot under shade. All the Asters bought at fire sale prices last fall for one dollar failed to make it one year. Well, some are hanging in here and there but the plant size is 80% less. Scraggly. Not worth a picture.

Some fall foliage...

Yessir. Fall Is Here

But very pleasant weather the last week or so and not those frigid mornings where the temps hovered a tad above freezing. Finally finished off the insulation under the house and noticed this on the dust mask I've been using. Do these things expire? Notice the use by date. There must be a reason for it.

Peak foliage is very close around town, but you'll notice I have a number of bare trees, notably many Poplars that surround the lawn area and a few black cherry trees that never leaf out well to begin with.

Hostas are showing their fall color, some of them. My climbing Hydrangea has done well this year with one shoot or branch making it to six foot up the tree. Barely noticeable in background.

"First frost" hosta living up to it's name so far...No frost yet.

Mexican Sunflower finally bloomed. Surprising, because it get's very little sunshine this time of the year. I expected blooms by August when the location gets oodles of sun.

And those crazy Paperwhites planted last November love to appear early. I assumed they would sprout at the time many other spring bulbs do..in late winter..not mid fall.

Upon removing some Gladiolus bulbs from a shady spot where they never bloomed I came across dozens of itty bitty bulbs. By dumping them in a few holes about two inches deep up the drive maybe a surprise will show next summer.

WT...What the heck...is It?

I rarely see this kind of view these days including this morning as the rain is pounding. Still trying to save the lawn and more important the top soil. Made it in time at 4AM to cover it. I timed it right..finally! There's actually some grass coming up here and there. It seems this seed has a slower germination compared to the other stuff I've used. It's about ten days for this area.

And a sunny day allows for some fall foliage views...

Actually time for some planting stuff. The Hostas that were against the front of the house have been moved down near the creek. They get beaten up (brown tattered leaves) by the stone on the foundation. Let's see how they fare down there.

Bulb planting time...or is that a root?

Oak Fall Color On Rich Mountain

These are the oaks I've been talking about shown on Rich Mountain. Other trees are near bare of leaves. Rich Mountain lies north of state road 52 and east of 515 with a maximum peak elevation over 4,000. Not all my oaks have lost their leaves; a few remain but they are away from the cabin. Still not identified, but I'll get around to it. They are colorful once the light hits them, otherwise bland looking.

Identifying all the larger trees around here is a real piece of work. So far I know I have the following.

• Poplar
  
• Red Oak - type?
  
• White Oak- type?
  
• Black Cherry
  
• Maples
  
• Chinaberry - yea that's an odd one
  
• Sycamore
  
• Flowering Dogwood
• Hickory
• Sweet Gum
• White Pine
• Eastern Red Cedar

And there are a few of these. At first I though it was a swamp oak due to the very rough bark. Now I have no idea. This is the hardest I've found to split for firewood, and yet part of the trees that were cut down years ago! Still tough as nails. Had to cut a slit with the circular saw to get a wedge in there to split.

Flower updates. They're still alive! these things are hearty as well. Forgot the name already. I'm bad:(

Where Did The Driveway Go? More Fall Foliage

A few pictures looking up and down my driveway upon returning from Florida last week. There's still some fall foliage to see but the colors are more on the darker side and not like the impressive colors of late October. I'll have to look more into the oak trees of North Georgia. Mine are almost bare of leaves but driving to town many haven't shedded. Incidentally the Live Oak is the state tree.

List of oaks in the state. Wow!

Oak, Black
Oak, Blackjack
Oak, Bluejack
Oak, Chestnut
Oak, Georgia
Oak, Laurel
Oak, Live
Oak, Northern Red
Oak, Overcup
Oak, Post
Oak, Scarlet
Oak, Shumard
Oak, Southern Red
Oak, Swamp Chestnut
Oak, Turkey
Oak, Water
Oak, White
Oak, Willow

Source

Noticing some greenery around the area now that the leaves have fallen, I'll check into stuff that looks alive during the winter months. I didn't know ferns grew in the winter, but there are some healthy ones here and there.

More pics...

Here's a great source in identifying trees by leaf, bark, acorns etc. Now I'll know what I have.

Link to oak trees in Georgia.

Peak Foliage Season

But I will miss the best part of it as I'm going to Florida for about ten days. Red and white oaks are just beginning to turn. Anyway, some photos taken around the area and at home. Several pictures were taken at the post office offering some great color.

515 looking north from the main intersection.

Here's something different. Again at the post office; orange berries.

Red Maple Fall Leaf Color Changes

Red Maples offer the most impressive color change in my opinion. I've been watching this set of maples near an apple house a few miles away on 52. The colors have stuck in my mind since last fall. The red Maple is at peak while a sugar Maple is beginning to take shape and will become a brilliant yellow.
Another...
Another Sugar Maple closeup...View overlooking a pasture with Maples being predominant.
Maybe it's not a Red maple but a Scarlet Red Maple?

Here's a great source of foliage activity in state parks. The source seems to be very current.

Fall Foliage in North Gerogia

Over the next few weeks once more color is seen in the mountains I'll have more pics to share. In the meantime some images around the property.

October 12....

Wildflowers blooming too...

October 15...

October 20...