On the Path -- September 15th, 2011

A lot of my walks the last while have been in marshes, etc. so I hadn't been on the path for a week or so. I did make it tonight though... the first night I've worn a light jacket. The cool weather is here. Hallelujah!


The Poison Ivy berries are at the white stage now and the leaves are tattered & worn.

 

In contrast some of the Wild Cucumber leaves are in great shape. I like its leaves and the patterns they sometimes grow in.

The Fall Webworms have been around for a while now. They're very similar to their spring cousins, the Tent Caterpillars. Apparently neither species harm the trees though the trees do lose some leaves to their hearty appetites.

So many of the invasive species look attractive to me. This is Japanese Knotweed... a very difficult one to eradicate they say. The stems are like bamboo which gives it its other names, Mexican Bamboo or Japanese Bamboo.

It's unusual the way the blossoms grow along the stems. The leaves are large too, these ones are about 6-8 inches long.

I used to call this time of year the "Yellow-White-Purple time" since you see these three colors in fields everywhere in September.

Not many leaves have turned color yet but these reddish ones are gorgeous.

Some Dog-Strangling Vine pods are winding their way around the leaves... and anything else that happens to be in their path.

This is Common Toadflax but I like its common name better.. Butter & Eggs.

We'll still have wildflowers around for awhile yet but their days are numbered.

- fini -