And Now It's November

When I look back at my October post, I can hardly believe how much everything has changed in the natural world around me. We finally saw our first frost at the beginning of the month, and it was a hard freeze to boot. It changed everything. The flowers in the garden are gone, and now, even the fall colors are behind us. But what a show it was! I've labeled photos as to the park where they were taken, and if not labeled, they're simply from home. 

Chestnut Ridge

Robin's Nest

Robin's Nest

Robin's Nest

Robin's Nest

Blacklick Woods

Chestnut Ridge

That first freeze I mentioned above arrived on the night of November 1st. We knew it was coming, so I went out to the garden that day to say goodbye. I captured photos, picked peppers, gathered bouquets, and even saw a couple of monarchs! It was far too cold for them, and yet there they were. I was so glad that one butterfly bush still had blooms for them to fuel up on, especially because the next morning, those same blooms were gone. When I gathered the frost bouquets, it saddened me. But for the next week, in their vase, they reminded me of the fine garden season that it was. 

Once the big freeze came, I finally tackled my bulb planting. I wait until frost knocks down my annuals because my bulbs go back into the same spots where they were growing, and it's much easier to work the soil with them out of the way. It's generally pretty darned chilly when I do my bulb planting. I have to admit, it isn't my favorite task. My soil is quite hard, it makes digging difficult. But the results are more than worth it come spring. And once that chore is out of the way, I can have a nice long garden rest. 

Our fall color finale was delayed about two weeks this year, due to the late first frost. Normally November would only have a few spots of color. But this year, the first two weeks of November showed our peak color display, and it was worth the wait. I should have kept track of just how many times I visited my favorite parks to see it all. The answer was MANY.  

Sharon Woods

Sharon Woods

Sharon Woods

Dawe's Arboretum

Dawe's Arboretum

Dawe's Arboretum

Dawe's Arboretum

Dawe's Arboretum

Dawe's Arboretum

Inniswood Metro Gardens

Inniswood Metro Gardens

Inniswood Metro Gardens

Inniswood Metro Gardens

Slate Run 

I've been told that autumn is my Super Bowl, and I've adopted that saying. I'm sure you know many people who declare how much they love fall. But I don't just love it, I'm obsessed! Something in me needs to see each beloved tree change colors, and record it with photos. I'm just awestruck at the autumn show, and it never gets old. I have my favorite spots to visit repeatedly, like Blacklick Woods and Chestnut Ridge, and then there are the big popular spots that aren't nearby, so they only get one visit. And then there are new spots  to add to my rotation, like Slate Run, Sharon Woods, and Blendon Woods. For the most part, these parks are drivable, I don't even have to get out of my car to see the colors. I stop and point my camera out the car window, hoping the other cars stay away until I get the shot. I've been known to wave them around me, if they have the nerve to interrupt me. And sure, I do often get out of the car to walk around and enjoy the sights. 

Blendon Woods

Blendon Woods

Blendon Woods

Blendon Woods

Blacklick Woods

Blacklick Woods

Blacklick Woods

Blacklick Woods

Chestnut Ridge

Chestnut Ridge

Chestnut Ridge

Chestnut Ridge

Chestnut Ridge

Chestnut Ridge

Chestnut Ridge

I even have some particular trees that are like "pets". These are the big showstopper trees, and I know where each one is. I'll drive by several times, checking on their progress, until I see they are ready to put on a show. Divas, in tree form! 

Blendon Woods

Blacklick Woods

Blacklick Woods

Blacklick Woods

It was so beautiful while it lasted, but now the trees are bare. I'm wrapping up my Christmas shopping, decorating the house, and filling up my outdoor planters with Christmas greens. But I'll leave those photos to share in December. I checked on the garden, and there wasn't much to see. I found a few hardy flowers out there, it always surprises me how some of them actually prefer the chilly weather. Snapdragons are usually the last flower, and even they are mostly wilted away. 

And so I say goodbye to the lovely month of November. I used to think of November as a drab month with nothing of beauty to share. But I've changed my mind over the years. Fall color often holds over into November, and bits of beauty still cling on in the garden. One of the prettiest parts of November is when the sunsets swing around to the back of the house where I can spot them out the kitchen and upstairs windows. I find myself frequently popping down to Pickerington Ponds for a quick sunset fix while dinner cooks. Just call me a skywatcher. 

Pickerington Ponds

Robin's Nest

Pickerington Ponds

Robin's Nest 

Pickerington Ponds

Pickerington Ponds

Pickerington Ponds

Thank you for your continued visits to my humble little garden blog. Many people have stopped blogging, but I plunge onward, trying to record what happens here in Robin's Nest, and other much loved spots near and far. Come again next month, I love to hear from you.