Monday, November 1, 2010

Fall Color for Muse Day: November 1, 2010

I've been waiting to post my fall photos for the Fall Color Project at Dave's The Home Garden...and today seems the perfect day to do so--because it's also Garden Bloggers' Muse Day at Carolyn's Sweet Home and Garden Chicago. What a great opportunity to 'kill two leaves with one poem', so to speak;-) Not funny? Oh, come on!

The following quote by Elizabeth Lawrence touches on what I think is an often overlooked aspect of fall: just sitting still, and observing the beauty in nature. We are so busy running around, doing errands, cleaning up the garden, etc., that we sometimes forget to look at the colors changing right before our very eyes. Here she sums it up:

"Even if something is left undone, everyone must take time to sit still and watch the leaves turn."
                    --Elizabeth Lawrence

On that note, I want to share with you an outing we took on a recent weekend. We took our boat out on the Potomac river, entering through a channel on the Occoquan. What lovely color there was that day! The reds, golds, and oranges seemed to literally glow with the addition of the beautiful sunshine and the bright blue sky. Here are some of the sights and critters we viewed along the way, as we sat in our boat and looked around:


A Heron along the river's edge:




Geese migrating north for the winter:



One of the passengers on our boat ride:


A farmhouse along the river helped to create a lovely fall picture:


Although the Virginia Creeper vine adds bright color in autumn, it can be quite invasive:


Two more passengers along for the ride:


Seagulls along the shallow water looked like a row of rocks:


...until they scattered!



Our trusty driver and another passenger:


Boats resting in their boatslips:


Geese on the river:


The mighty Potomac river is actually brown and muddy looking, but in the sunlight it mirrored the colorful blue of the sky:



More Virginia Creeper mingling with the trees:



More colorful tree scenes, as viewed from the boat:




A fisherman enjoying the beauty and solitude:


The highlight of our day on the river was seeing three bald eagles soaring above us as well as swooping down and flying level with the water. My photos aren't as clear as I would like them to be, but in person it was a gorgeous sight!



Thank you for stopping by, and please visit both Dave's and Carolyn's blogs (links are listed above) to view more fall color and muse-day verse.


Today I am so thankful for the reds, golds, oranges, purples and other heart-warming shades of the autumn leaves.


Words and photos ©Thanks For Today, by Jan Huston Doble

28 comments:

  1. Dear Jan, What amazing colours you have captured here and set off so beautifully against a perfect blue sky. I particularly like the images of the trees reflected in the river, they somehow seem to make the colours molten just like rivulets of gold. What a glorious time you had, messing about on the river!!

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  2. You took some amazing photos. They should be on postcards! Thank you for sharing autumn from the water.

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  3. Oh, my gosh, Jan. Oh! This could have nearly been our river and lake, including the eagles, the boats, the fall colors, the blue waters, the farmland and geese. What is that luscious red foliage held tight against the trees? What? This post kinda made me all teary! Thank you so much!

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  4. Jan,

    No beautiful colors like that here in central NC. Some of the dogwoods are pretty but mostly not so much. Loved the bald eagles!

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  5. what beautiful pix! Love the dachshund and all of nature in its glory.

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  6. Hi, Jan;
    Such lovely photos. (That farm house would be a dream come true for me! :-) And, a wonderful sentiment, too. I think that's a big reason why autumn is my favorite season... time to slow down and just enjoy the pretty scenery.

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  7. What a lovely tour, Jan. Isn't Fall a beautiful, beautiful season?? :-)

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  8. Hi Edith, thank you so much for your sweet comments. The reflection of the trees in the river is almost as beautiful as the trees themselves. We did have fun 'messing around' on the river;-)
    Hi Sherlock, thanks for stopping by. I'm glad you enjoyed the views from the river;-)
    Debbie, your compliments are so kind! Especially since you are such a fantastic professional photographer! I always love your photos. I think the red leaves, which are on the vines wrapped throughout some of the trees, are sumac. They add such brightness, don't they?! I added another photo of one of the vines, it almost looks like the shape of a heart. It's near the end of the post--6th one up from the bottom--in case you'd like to look at it;-) I'm so glad you enjoyed the post!
    Randy, I'm so glad you enjoyed the colors. Thank you for your comments, I don't think I'll ever reach the level of perfection that you've acquired w/your photography skills, but it's fun trying;-) I still haven't really learned to capture a flying object (bird) 'clearly'--without some blurr.
    Hi Bonnie, so nice to hear from you! You have a Dachshund too? They are such loveable, wonderful pets!! Thanks so much for visiting & leaving a comment.
    Dear Kate, wouldn't it be heaven to live in that farmhouse along the river? I think that would be awesome! You know, autumn has never been a favorite season of mine, but this one is causing me to rethink my position! It's been gorgeous here and the colors are vibrant! I'm glad you like the quote by Elizabeth Lawrence. So simple--but so true!
    Hi Shady--have missed you! Thanks for stopping by. I need to take time to visit my old buds! It's been a while, hasn't it?! I hope you've enjoyed autumn in your neck of the woods. Fall really is a beautiful season and sometimes I don't think I appreciate enough all that it has to offer. This fall has shown me how sweet it really can be.

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  9. Jan, What a gorgeous post! What a lovely day! Your photos are stunning and really take us there with you. Great Heron shots! Beautiful colors! Rich Rich! I love the Lawrence poem too. ;>)

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  10. Debbie, I made an error when I said that 'lovely' red vine is sumac. While we do have some lovely sumac bushes around the area, I'm pretty sure that red vine crawling up the trees is the very Invasive 'Virginia Creeper'...not really loved by most who understand the problems it causes. But it really is pretty in the fall, probably it's only redeeming quality!!

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  11. Oh Carol, thank you for your sweet comments! You are too kind;-) I'm glad you felt you were there with us and could experience the day. It really was the perfect day for going on the river. Glad you like the Eliz. Lawrence quote, too. It seemed appropriate for the occasion! I have got to make time to visit you soon! I know I'm missing out on a LOT when I don't stop by!!

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  12. What a lovely time of year for a boat ride! Everyone, (including the dogs), looks so relaxed.

    I know it was such a thrill for you to see the eagles!

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  13. Hi Jan,
    My first time to visit and what a lovely stop along the Garden Blog path. Thanks for the poetic pictures....from a place that never seems to get an Autumn.
    David/ Tropical Texana/ Houston

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  14. Wow! Such pretty color and so bright! I've never seen the Virginia creeper spotlighted like you have done. It really does show up well doesn't it? Thanks for taking me along on your wonderful boat trip. Virginia is looking mighty fine this time of the year!

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  15. How exciting to see the bald eagles flying above you, Jan! Your photos are all beautiful; I can't pick a favorite, though I do love all the birds in the air and, of course, your sweet passengers:)

    We had similar thoughts yesterday about combining Muse Day and the Fall Project--I think the first of November has a way of reminding us that winter will be here soon. It's a good time to stop and enjoy the beauty of autumn while it lasts.

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  16. Such beautiful scenery. Adore the photo of the boy and dog!!

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  17. Gorgeous photos Jan, we just don't see that sort of fall color here, and I do miss it. I had no idea that Virginia Creeper could run amok quite like that, impressive! Pretty, but I see it is a bit thuggish. The standard poodle in the one photo looks like he has life perfectly figured out...too cute!

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  18. Hi Jan
    thanks for stopping by .. I have meant to drop by here so many times and yet poof ! didn't quite make it.
    I wrote a lot of posts because it helps keep my mind of of "me" for a while : ) .. Plus you already know October is my favorite month !
    You have some gorgeous photos here and YES ! I lover the creeper .. I have it too and there is nothing like it for WOW factor in the Fall.
    Take care
    Joy : )

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  19. Awesome Jan! So many of those images are exactly what people think of when they see fall. I love the one with the golden maples reflecting in the water. I enjoy watching the herons around here wade through the streams and ponds. And to see an eagle in the wild is just priceless! Thanks for joining in the Fall Color Project!

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  20. Gorgeous, Jan. What a wonderful way to spend a day ... pure heaven!

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  21. Thanks for sharing the beauty of fall colors, so vividly captured in your photos, with us. Floating down the river seems like a perfect way to view them.

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  22. That was fantastic pictures and really beautiful colours.

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  23. Great photos, fall colors and interesting subjects! Enjoy the autumn weather.

    I'm still not back into gardening and blogging. Taking a break. Lost my momentum when I lost Charm.

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  24. aloha jan,

    what a wonderful way to view these autumn colors from a boat...the water and countryside views are quite drammatic and i love seeing it from the water, looks like a really nice way to see the entire countryside. thanks for sharing that with us today :)

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  25. Several of your pictures of rivers edge look like mosaic glass. So beautiful. And I was capitvated by the almost heart of the red vine.

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  26. Love the quote Jan, perfect for this time of year. I have certainly enjoyed the leaves as they change color this year.
    How lucky for you to have the Bald Eagles give you a show!
    Love the picture of the heron in flight.

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  27. great fall photos! I'll need to keep an eye out for the Virginia creeper. I would imagine it's here too?? I don't recall see that bright red gorgeous color. Sure does look like a choker though. I love the photo of the person and dog.

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  28. Wow, what a great trip. Our mountains are famous for fall color, but I think the rest of the state can be just as lovely, as evidenced by this post. I have noticed that the Va. Creeper here has also been especially colorful.

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Thanks so much for visiting and taking the time to comment! Please enjoy your TODAY and all of the gifts in YOUR garden of life!

Jan

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