Our recent
Outdoor Hour Challenge sent us on a search for fall color, and not just in the expected---leaves---, but in the unexpected like berries, flowers, and other forms of flora. The weather was unseasonably balmy so we could take as much time as we liked at one of our favorite local parks, a man-made lake surrounded by many acres of walking trails deliberately planted with a variety of trees and bushes. While I would prefer more "natural" (wild) settings, this park is easily accessed and well-appointed with necessities, like bathrooms. Sometimes that can make all the difference.
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| Mei was captivated with photographing the geese and ducks. |
The dog was as bent on collecting scents as we were colors, so an early trip-up almost ended our walk before we began. However Mei Wei was a trooper and followed her mother's urgings to press on. Not until the jeans were rolled up to apply first aid did I realize how badly the knees were skinned. Sacrifice in the name of science!
Our goal was to find every color in the rainbow. Here are our results, some of which Mei photographed herself. (Helpful hint: give the child the camera to keep her mind off her troubles... )
YELLOW
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| Gingko tree. |
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| Gingko leaves. The only leaf with no apex. |
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| Not sure. A member of the tomato family I think. |
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| A determined dandelion |
ORANGE
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| Bradford Pear leaves and berries. Our dog loves them. Whatever. |
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| Tamarack with cones. A deciduous pine. |
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| Tamarack trail. |
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| Bittersweet, a parasitic plant. But really pretty. |
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| Red Maple |
RED
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| Wild rose hips. High in Vitamin C. |
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GREEN
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| Osage oranges. |
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| Osage orange insides. Kinda yucky. DON'T taste like an orange. |
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BLUE
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| The pants, of course. The Shepherd's Purse seeds that are stuck on are brown. |
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| Honeysuckle berries. Poisonous to dogs! |
PURPLE
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| Pokeweed. Also called Deadly Nightshade. Pattern to the color here? |
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| Red clover |
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| Wild blackberry leaves |
BROWN
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| Beech. |
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| Pin oak in pond. |
WHITE
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| Timothy |
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| New York Asters |
And lastly the white notebook page! Not bad for one day's walk!
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| Note: Oil pastel is better used in larger format work. :-) But it was a new set, so.... |
Look for other entries in the
Outdoor Hour Challenge Blog Carnival and re-enjoy the last vestiges of fall color.
