November colors

Just about all the leaves have fallen, except some of the red japanese maples, in our yards. When the sun shines through the maple leaves, they are an unbelievably bright red. I had a hard time capturing that glow. Some of these pictures were enhanced with 'watercolor pencil' effect to bring out the details, but the colors are pretty true. Be sure to click on them for full size images.

 

Bee-n it's November....

 

Well, I'll BEE darned, more bee pictures!

I guess they are the most interesting things in the garden at this time.  I like the artistic effect of the one above. I do have a good time, playing with Photoscape. Great photo editor, and it's free.

After three frosty nights, we are having some nice warm days this week. Flower bed clean-up time. The marigolds are pretty nipped, I  took out the worst of them, the cosmos, and the tomatoes. Begonias and geraniums took a hit, too.  The hollyhock is pretty droopy, I'll see if it recovers.

The poor old bumble bee was not moving much. The honey bees were working on the allysum and marigolds.

Lots of different birds at the feeder these days, and the squirrels are very entertaining, as they stash away the acorns.

November Four

 

 Cold weekend ahead, with our first frost tonight or tomorrow night, so I gathered the last of the tomatoes, and picked some flowers.

I found a carpenter bee on the marigold, still stiff and cold with a dewdrop on his wings.

 Alyssum and marigolds are still making a very nice showing, and I'll hate to see them 'bite the dust'. Also my geraniums and begonias. I dug up some of the begonias to take indoors, but just don't have room for any more. :( 

The hollyhock is hanging in there, and I will have more of them next year.

I enhanced a couple of these pictures: the marigold above, and bird feeder, seen from the kitchen window. (watercolor pencil effect). And a cosmos at the top enhanced: 'cartoon'.  All of these were edited with Photoscape.

The Thanksgiving greeting-- that was also taken through the kitchen window, not well focused, so I enhanced it slightly with a 'watercolor effect'.