Today is a cool and breezy October day when the sky is covered in solid dark gray clouds. A cold drizzly rain is falling at a steady continuous pace blown sideways by strong west winds. It is one of those days when outdoor work is postponed and it is excusable to stay inside and read, relax and think. In my thinking I like to plan for the coming gardening year, and to reflect on the things which happened in the current year. Some of my thoughts remind me of things I forgot to do, things I still need to do, and remember some of my favorite places that I enjoy visiting. Which brings me to this picture of a country road lined with a generous mix of native trees. The photo was taken on October 9th a few years ago when leaves were just beginning to change colors and fall to the ground. This road is somewhat isolated and is perfect for leaf collecting and wildlife sightings. I like to park and simply walk the roadsides to enjoy the scenery.
To avoid making this a boring post I want to be brief, yet informative. I noticed several species of trees and saplings during my stay. Most were hardwoods like oaks, hickories, maples and saplings like dog woods and red buds. There was also a few stands of sassafras mixed along the edge of the road in spots. There were others too; which I did not identify easily. Some of these included shrub-like bushes and briers similar to black berry and raspberry canes. And some were thorny like haw thorns. Outside of my home gardens these excursions to these places are a relaxing, peaceful pastime. I cannot imagine life without these trips.
