Here on the Farmlet it seems that every fall, just when we start getting some great color, the wind comes and takes it all away. This fall was no exception and to make matters worse I find myself lame and on a walking stick. And for those who are wondering, “YES, I am going to the Dr. tomorrow because it has been a week and I am not improving.”
However, wind and lame knee aside, I decided I would give it my best shot and get out to see if I could capture what remains!
Lil’ Bit tiptoeing through the wet leaves.
A festive chicken yard
The newly revamped front flower bed.
NOTE: It used to be harder to find native plants, shrubs, and perennials, but all of a sudden the deep South is “getting it.” I am back in my element! Not all is native, but the bulk of it will be when I am done!
*Winged Sumac This is something I have wanted in my garden for some time, but had not found a local source for it. I don’t know how it got here perhaps a bird, or the tornado storm, but it is definitely a welcome native. Do you know why she is called “winged?”
Notes from the USDA Native Plants Database: “Sumac serves primarily as a winter emergency food for wildlife. Ring-necked pheasant, bobwhite quail, wild turkey, and about 300 species of songbirds include sumac fruit in their diet. It is also known to be important only in the winter diets of ruffed grouse and the sharp-tailed grouse. Fox squirrels and cottontail rabbits eat the sumac bark. White-tail deer like the fruit and stems.
Sumac also makes good ornamental plantings and hedges because of the brilliant red fall foliage.“
One burnished tree.
This one can be viewed closer by clicking on it. 😉
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Happy Autumn!
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(I had fun, even if the results are less than spectacular!)
NOTES:
- Today’s title “Fall is Not Easy” comes from a favorite children’s book I used to share with my little students during the season. If you have little ones Pre-K to 3rd grades (+ or -) then perhaps you would like to preview this entertaining book. Look HERE
- Why is Winged Sumac ‘winged?’ Have a look at the USDA Plant database PDF – HERE and the site information HERE
Related articles
- Native plants support native animal populations (triblive.com)
Life on the Farmlet 
Well, you may have felt you’d missed the best but it sure looks good to us. the festive chicken yard is a dream, lucky chooks. How very curious you mention Sumac – we’ve just discovered a simply fabulous chef from the Middle East (Yotum Ottolenghi) who uses crushed Sumac berries in many of his recipes. We’d never heard of it before and had to source it in the UK. We’ve just eaten his lamb recipe and it is to die for. Sumac, we love you and now we find it is a great source of food in the autumn for wildlife – does it get better?
OH, Annie, please share the recipe! We love middle eastern food! Thank you!!! Glad you enjoyed the mini-fall-tour. 😀
Our yard looks pretty much like yours – minus the cat and chickens of course. 😉 Once the wind dies down, I’ll be out there (for a while) raking them all up.
Ugh! That wind has been vicious, and apparently, it will be here a bit longer and stronger! I’m ready for some calmer days.
I hope your visit to the doctor with your knees goes well.
Thank you, Tom!
Oh Lynda, so sorry to hear about your wounded paw… But glad you got out for some fall colour psyche boosting!!
I’ll check out your link in a minute, but I’m guessing the Sumac’s “winged” because of the outgrowth along its stems? Our Sumac up here is called Staghorn ’cause its branches are fuzzy like the newly-emerged horns of native ungulates such as deer, caribou and moose (so I figured the name’s descriptive might be a clue for yours as well; )
LOVE that red! And did you know that Sumac “bobs” – the also fuzzy fruit – is Vit C-packed and makes a great tea or lemonade?
Hope you get better soon, xo D.
Thanks Deb, and yes, your supposition was a good one. 😉
I have seen Miss Daisy deer nibbling sumac, but just a few bites. Somehow she know just what her tummy needs!
Your photos are always interesting and beautiful. Of course I love all of your animals and birds… add the fall foliage splash of color and it’s simple a DREAM!! What a lovely farmlet you have my dear!
Funny, I feel the same way about your place, Lori! Thank you for your compliments!
Wonderful photos and I hope that knee improves soon!
Thank you, Julie! The knee is actually feeling better this morning… but I am not taking chances!
Lynda: Those are some beautiful pictures. now about your knee how did you hurt the knee? You are not supposed to do those kind of things.
I know you got mad at Bob and was chasing him with a large stick and fell and hurt it.Ha Charles and AlisonHi guys, glad you like the pictures. I hurt my knee digging with the garden fork to put in the new plants out front. It didn’t even hurt til I sat down later in the day. Then when I got up and tried to walk I thought I was going to pass out! I have a Dr. appt. for tomorrow afternoon.
It will be interesting to see what is left here after Sandy moves on. Your front garden still offers a lot of texture, and the last tree is beautiful. Off to see why it is “winged.”
Thanks, Patti. I think we will be relatively unscathed where we are. Are you in danger in your neck of the woods? Oh, and did you find the answer to the winged mystery? 😉
So lovely! But I couldn’t figure out why the sumac is winged. I looked and looked, but I’m probably reading right past it.
You’ve still got a lot more color than Kansas does! Lots of completely bare trees here – not all, but a lot. Still, it’s very pretty. I like bare trees, and I was even happier to see frost on some of them this morning. In another day or two things will be warming up and the frost will be just a memory.
I love the photo of Lil’bit trucking through the leaves. And you know – I can smell those wet leaves! Gosh, I miss a real autumn! You’re so lucky!
Thanks, Linda! We do feel blessed to live in a place with real seasons. We never had them in SoCal. OK, Look at the picture of the Sumac… closely! You will see the wings. 😉
I think the results are utterly spectacular. I love the Fall colours you guys get over there. Just beautiful. So sorry to hear about your knee and hope the Doc finds that it’s nothing serious.
Thank you! We never really had a fall season in California, and we are certainly enjoying having all the seasons since we moved here! 🙂
I think you did a fine job capturing fall! The wind took our leaves sooner than I would have liked as well. I just made a trip to Lowes yesterday to pick up some of their half price perennials to spruce up my front flowerbed. Yours looks great! Thanks for the childrens book recommendation… I’ll have to see if I can get my hands on a copy for my boys.
Piper, I always love shopping at the end of the season. You save so much money on everything. Yes, there is often less to choose from, but the savings make it worth it! All my new plantings were 50% off! Thank you for the compliments, and I hope your boys like the book!
I love the chickens. I am hoping your limp repaired/healing. Take care.
I’m so glad you enjoyed the chickens. They really are a lot of fun! As for the knee it is feeling much better! Thank you!
Ouch – so sorry about the knee. I hope the doc can give you something…
Great pictures – the colours are amazing 🙂
Thank you Dianne, I am feeling much better!
So glad you persevered to take these wonderful photos. I especially love your festive chicken coop. Thanks for the book suggestion as well. It’s not a book I’ve seen and on your recommendation, I will be having a look at it for my library. Hope you get some relief for that knee.
Cindy, Thank you! I am glad you liked the book suggestion. Perhaps, if they tie in to whatever I am writing, I will make others in the future. Tell me what you think of this one when you have the opportunity to look it over. 😉