Autumn falls

We've been in a drought situation for 2 years, currently behind about 13 inches of rain for the year. That doesn't count last year and I think the PTB may have given up on counting that. In previous years, such conditions have given us leaves turning to dry crackles and falling from the branches at the first stiff breeze. Such dry conditions would not seem to foster a beautiful color-filled autumn, but that's not the case. And I'm so glad.

The oak trees are in the middle of a revival. One in particular, a large specimen whose canopy covers its adjoining house and yard, is deep green--except where it would appear someone has tied bright orange pumpkins on the limbs. Splotches of color make me slow down as I pass by and wonder at it. There's another oak on the highway. It was turning red last Tuesday; it was mahogany on Saturday. Its fellow oak has yet to be hit by the turning-color bug and is green.

Our pecans trees are having a bumper crop, although I don't know how edible they are, since they're falling early and with hulls in tact. But there are so many of them. Maybe the tree decided that without water it needed a final hurrah and has manufactured lots of descendents. The squirrels are certainly helping in its endeavor to procreate because they're busy burying the nuts. Next spring I will be pulling fledgling pecan trees out of my flower beds.

The bois d'arcs (Osage orange) are full of their apples. Seems hot, dry weather does not slow them down.

I should have pictures, I know. But I tried that once and it just wasn't the same. So use your imagination: a huge, spreading 30 foot oak tree--with pumpkins tied on!

Happy fall!