Welcome to Autumn!

The Autumnal Equinox occurred around 9:00 yesterday evening, and today is the first full day of my favorite season. The Dark Half of the year begins, and the earth slowly cools and sheds its fancy clothes before sliding under the snowy quilt of the long Winter sleep. After a warm and unusually wet Summer things are still very green and lush, but some tinges of color have begun to appear, and the various Fall Asters have begun to bloom. The season has begun!

Unfortunately, the Mosquitos didn't get the memo about the change of season. On my weekly Sunday walk in Dykeman Park this morning they were ferocious! They were traveling in swarms, and whenever I paused to get a shot of something they descended on me. Because the temperature dropped overnight I had a jacket on against the morning chill, but they went right for my open spots, my hands and face. When you get to the photo of the Calico Asters below you'll see one of the culprits in the lower right corner.

A fallen Black Walnut leaf along the Dykeman Walking Trail in the wetland

The wetland is starting to show a tinge of seasonal color

White Wood Asters in the wetland woods

Calico Asters by the north duck pond. Yes, that's a *#$@*! mosquito in the lower right corner

An unidentified small moth up in the meadow

For me, Autumn has always been a particularly Pagan time, when I love to wander in the woods among the rough trunks and falling leaves, looking for Ents and gnomes sitting under mushrooms. What better way to celebrate it than with the title song of Jethro Tull's unabashedly Pagan album "Songs from the Wood". Enjoy!

Photos © 2018 by A. Roy Hilbinger