It was 19 degrees (F) when I woke up the morning, brrr! The temperature means the trees are still wearing a coat of snow from yesterdays storm.
The weather forecast calls for a high in the low 40s, supporting a comfortable outside walk later in the day.
snow-covered leaves seen during yesterday's stormSnow started falling overnight, accumulating into a blanket of white.
While it's still autumn, this morning's walk was a winter walk from both temperature and precipitation standpoints. I heard the crunch of snow beneath my feet and I saw falling snowflakes. Warmer days will return before winter settles in; today brought a sense of the coming season.
Rusty brown has replaced the summer green of oak leaves. Acorns litter the ground, creating a slippery surface.
Both are a sign of the season.
The sky wore layers of clouds and the water was still. Trees show a shimmery reflection in the quiet waters of Field Pond.
Reflections of trees and leaves create the feeling of an impressionist painting.
The colors are quiet, showing the continuing advance of autumn.
in Valley Forge National Historical ParkThe transparent wings of a glasswing butterfly provide a sort of camouflage, the ability to blend in with background plants.
I repeated a favorite walk in Topsfield, MA earlier this week to check the state of autumn color. While green paints the ground and some of the trees, many trees are wearing bright colors.
As I walked south along the North Pool dike in Parker River National Wildlife Refuge I saw a trail sandwiched between water and highlighted by bright red glasswort. Interesting cloud cover enhanced the red.
I find it difficult to capture both sides of a butterfly's wings. Both are visible when flying but it seems that each butterfly chooses to sit still either with its wings open or closed.
In my visit to the Magic Wings Butterfly Conservatory last week four types of butterflies allowed me a photographic glimpse of both sides of its wings.Cairns Birdwing butterfly:
Blue Morpho butterfly:
Dead Leaf butterfly:
Malachite butterfly:
Trees painted in autumn colors pop in the rain.
captured at Collins Pond, Harold Parker State ForestIn honor of National Wildlife Refuge Week, the North Pool Dike Path in the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge is open for walking this week. I headed to the refuge today to take advantage of this uncommon opening.
As I walked along the dike I noticed patches of bright red in the salt marsh. Luckily I was able to ask a refuge staff member for its name. The plant is glasswort, a succulent that thrives in saline environments. It wears bright red as the season turns to autumn. The splashes of red are wonderful.
It was a windy afternoon; I was amazed that the seeds of this milkweed hadn't already dispersed.
Like most places, the Magic Wings Butterfly Conservatory closed for several months because of COVID-19. I checked their site periodically, hoping to find that they had reopened. Last week I saw that Magic Wings was open again with reduced days and hours. I quickly planned a drive out to western Massachusetts to visit the butterflies.
Visiting hours are set in 2-hour blocks starting at 11 AM and running through 5 PM. Each block is limited to 50 visitors, and the conservatory is emptied at the end of the time block. I spent some time chatting with staff and found that there were designated individuals who worked through the closure to feed the birds and animals, to provide food for the butterflies, to make sure plants were watered and growing well, and to continue propagating butterflies. It was a sunny day with bright light pouring into the space. The butterflies were very active with some resting and eating and many flying overhead. I had a number of the beautiful creatures decide to ride along with me, in my hair, perched on my shirt (a teal green color that seemed to attract the butterflies), even walking down my bare arm. What a delightful visit!
Malachite butterflyMoving mirrored squares are attached to an abandoned building in Turners Falls, MA. I stood and watched, fascinated by the motion.
Flowers nearing the end of the blooming season present a different kind of beauty. I enjoy all stages of a flower's life cycle, from the initial emergence to faded petals.
Leonotis leonurus, also known as lion's tail, splashes bright orange color in the garden.
It was delightful weather for a walk along the coast today.
as seen from the tip of Cutts Island in Kittery, Maine
