So when does Autumn become Fall? Or when did Fall become Autumn?  Autumn: a time of full maturity, esp. the late stages of maturity or the early stages of decline.  Ah yes, the Autumn of life. Now does that follow the senior citizen discount age offered by HyVee or by Kohl’s? Is that Medicare age or retirement age? Are the “early stages of decline” meant to be physical or mental? And Fall: to drop or descend under the force of gravity.  Or The Fall: the lapse of human beings into a state of natural or innate sinfulness through the sin of Adam and Eve (oh yah, blame it on the relatives!). Or fall: the season between summer and winter. 

photos from 09 Sept 2012 followed by 17 oct 2012

more solidago rigida

the last of the solidago reds

last of the yarrow reds

solidago seeds

Asclepias taking flight

Bidens hitching a ride…Note this is Bidens cernua NOT Bidens josephia…

gentian september blooms and october seedheads

–I started wondering just how much of the day is spent with me and Yellar stand idle at red lights. So on 11 Oct, using the stopwatch on my phone, I timed the whole day. Unfortunately it was a day of being totally synchronized with the red lights (in my favour). At the end of the day we were idle for 15 minutes and 21 seconds at red lights. 

–I also started wondering about the hawk population. I’ve read where they say it is increasing, particularly near/in urban areas. I usually see two hawks north of Dodge at 168th in the dead trees. Their hunting ground is probably Northwest Park.  I also see a resident one on telephone poles and wires on 180th between Maple and Fort. So when we traveled to the Sandhills last weekend, we did a hawk count starting from Hwy 92 going west.  We saw a total of 25 while on the road.

–And lastly to ponder – Theories are great because they don’t have to be based on proof.  So, my theory is that GNOMES RULE THE UNIVERSE!!!

gute nacht