sunshine via flowers

While the air outside wears a crisp chill, chrysanthemums living in a greenhouse bring sunshine to the day.

photos! chrysanthemums

Photos from yesterday's visit to the 2023 Fall Chrysanthemum Show at Smith College can now be viewed in the gallery chrysanthemums at Smith College :: 2023.

Click here to wander through the colorful mums.

layers of color

What a treat!

Today I headed west in the state to visit the 2023 Fall Chrysanthemum Show at Smith College. If Northampton was an hour closer I would probably visit more than once. Still, wandering through the bright flowers made the two hours travel time well worth the effort.

I arrived just after the conservatory opened for the day and was delighted to have at least an hour for my first wander through the flowers without too many other humans.

across the dunes

Vegetation on the dunes at the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge shows the color of autumn.

to Parker River

Today's weather brought a bit of warmth sandwiched between two colder days.

Temperatures in the mid-60s pulled me to Parker River National Wildlife Refuge for a low tide walk by the ocean.

oak leaves in red

While most leaves remaining on trees are wearing shades of rust and brown some insist on being different.

Today I saw an oak tree wearing autumn red.

coastal Odiorne

Yesterday was the last summer-like day for what will probably be a long time.

I took advantage of the 80+ degree temperature to walk along the coast in Odiorne Point State Park.

late dahlia

As autumn leaves fall from trees there are still dahlias in bloom in the gardens of Maudslay State Park.

one

A single maple leaf in bright red is caught by the branches of a tree.

bright & fading

Trees wearing autumn leaves continue to paint bright pictures even as the color is starting to fade.