Fallen Leaves

We are enjoying an especially beautiful and lingering Fall season here in Mississippi. Everywhere you look, the roadsides and fence rows are ablaze with God's glory.

I was pleased to capture a little of that beauty last week on the Natchez Trace near Ridgeland, Mississippi (you can click on the link if you would like to read that post).

Today, I would like to share a few pictures I took while walking around our yard yesterday afternoon. It is that time of year when leaves are falling and are finding their way into every nook and cranny of our yard, courtyard, and patio. And while, overall, they make everything look "messy," I discovered that up close they are truly amazing little works of art.

I find it hard to comprehend how these Crape Myrtle leaves managed to nestle themselves around the holly berries in this picture (you can click on the picture to enlarge it, if you'd like to get a closer look) ...

Wouldn't it have been interesting to watch them fall during a time-lapse video!

A few more Crape Myrtle leaves stubbornly cling to their branches ...

This little leaf was resting on a birdhouse, and caught my attention as I walked by ...

As did this one, nestled in a clump of Liriope ...

This Sycamore tree is behind the fence in our backyard and its dinner plate-size leaves are littering the flowerbeds.

But upon closer inspection, there's no way you could call this beautiful leaf "litter!"

I found this pretty red leathery-looking leaf in a flowerbed. It was the only one I saw like it ...

Our Burford Hollies have an abundance of colorful berries this Fall ...

I plan to use some of them for my Christmas decorating ...

The afternoon sun was highlighting the white feathery plumes on our dwarf Pampas Grass plants. I love the way they contrast with the trees in the background.

Japanese Maple Tree

This lantern hangs on the path leading from the courtyard to our backyard, and, even though the lantern is a little out of focus in the picture, I like the Christmas Camellias and Crape Myrtle trees in the background.

These are just a few of the things that caught my attention as I walked around the yard. Now, when I look out my windows and see the "messy" courtyard and patio strewn with leaves, I will remember these pictures and enjoy the leaves while I can. Soon, the trees will be bare and the landscapes drab as winter sets in, and I'll be wishing for some color — even if it is "untidy" fallen leaves.

Summer's End

I recently came across the lyrics to a song on a beautiful blog called, "The House in the Roses," which is written by a lovely lady named Cielo. If you haven't discovered Cielo's enchanting pictures and stories, I hope you will visit her magical House of Roses. I'm sure it will become one of your favorite places.

The song I mentioned is called Summer's Almost Over, and was written by Cheryl Wheeler. I'd like to share these beautiful lines ...

Summer's almost over and I'm crying but I don't know why,
Sentimental old fool, weeping for this blue, blue sky,
And the way the cat is sleeping and the way the garden grew,
Wagging dogs who lick my face and the way I feel for you.

Who could help but welcome autumn and the promise of the winter snow?
Still there's something sweet and wistful as I watch this lovely summer go,
But the sun is sinking sooner and the weeds have won at last,
With the berries on the bushes and the crickets in the grass,
Oh, summer's almost over and I'm crying but I don't know why.

Isn't that lovely! Thank you, Cielo, for letting me share it here at Southern Lagniappe.

I would also like to share a few pictures I took yesterday afternoon while walking around in our yard. I was thinking about the lyrics to that song, and found several signs that mark the passage of summer.

These are the last two lingering blossoms on our Crape Myrtle trees ...

Our Sasanquas are loaded with buds ...

They will look like this when they open:

I love the way this little rosebud's tip looks as if it's been "squashed." It's probably one of the last roses we'll have.

I think the faded rose pods are pretty, too ...

I captured these leaves on a Sycamore tree whose branches hang over our back fence.

They're almost as big as a dinner plate and are so pretty in the tree, but when they start falling in the flower beds, they're not so pretty.

I just happened to look into our cobalt gazing ball and couldn't resist capturing the reflection of an iron arbor in it.

I like this shot of the fleur-de-lis finial on the arbor, too.

I'm not sure what these shiny black berries are. They are growing on a vine in a tree behind our fence, and look like little glass marbles.

My lagniappe for the afternoon came in the form of this little emerald green chameleon who was playing on my glass butterfly feeder (you can click on the pictures to see him up close, if you'd like).

I bent over to photograph a fading Lantana bloom and captured a little bit of serendipity instead.

These little guys will be leaving soon.

Farewell, little hummers — Godspeed!

" ... There's something sweet and wistful
as I watch this lovely summer go."

Leaves

You've probably heard the expression, "can't see the trees for the forest," and I think that is so true when it comes to flowers (and trees) and their leaves. We admire and appreciate and photograph colorful flowers and trees, but, oftentimes, we overlook the leaves.

With that in mind, I'd like to share some of my pictures that focus primarily on leaves (I was surprised by how many I have in my photo files).

Take, for instance, Hydrangeas, with their large showy flowers.

Very pretty ...
but look a little closer at the leaves.

Amazing, aren't they!

In the fall, we admire glorious fall foliage displays, but, again, overlook the beauty of the individual leaves that create those displays.

Like the golden fan-shaped leaves of this old Ginkgo Tree.

I took the next picture last November. I'm not sure what kind of tree these leaves fell from, but I love the way they were resting on a bed of moss, all snuggled up against the trunk, as if they were waiting for winter.

One of my favorite "leaf pictures" in my collection is this one I captured of leaves floating on a lake behind my parents' house in Louisiana. Only God could create those colors.

I'm sure we're all familiar with the saying, "Leaves of three, let it be!" And although they're pretty little leaves, you don't want to get too close a look at Poison Ivy ...

I love using pots of Crotons in the fall for splashes of color in our courtyard. The leaves are absolutely gorgeous ...

The next two pictures were taken last December when we received an early, and completely unexpected, snowfall. My Asparagus Ferns were still pretty and green and looked like they were encased in ice bubbles.

This is a closeup of a leaf on our Japanese Maple tree that was dusted with snow.

My last pictures feature a tree whose leaves are almost as beautiful as its blossoms, and there's no way you could overlook them when admiring the flowers.

Yes, I'm talking about Magnolia Trees, with their shiny and lush dark green leaves, with velvety copper undersides.

They are especially popular this time of year for use in floral arrangements and garlands for weddings and wedding receptions. In warmer climates, they are used for decorating year-round.

Yet another old saying comes to mind -- "Stop and smell the roses," and I hope I have inspired you to take time to "stop and look at the leaves." I know I will ... especially this fall.