Signs, Signs, Everywhere There's Signs ... Part II

As a follow up to my last post, I found some more signs in our yard of the impending and inevitable change of season. I've noticed that along our roads the colours are starting to become more vivid in the bushes and trees. I feel a photo shoot coming up soon to capture the blaze of glory with which God paints his creation before He lets it go quietly to sleep beneath a blanket of white. 

I love to think of nature as an unlimited broadcasting station, through which God speaks to us every hour, if we will only tune in.
(George Washington Carver)

(60mm  f8.0  1/20 sec  ISO200)

(60mm  f10  1/40 sec  ISO200)

(60mm  f11  1/15 sec  ISO200)

(60mm  f7.1  1/25 sec  ISO200)

(60mm  f7.1  1/200 sec  ISO200)

(Day 285) Flotsam and Jetsam of Fall

I was out on the old David Brown yesterday and again today, cutting a few acres of grass before we get hit with heavy frost. We've had beautiful, although cool, weather over the past week and it feels a little cooler than the thermometer suggests due to a fairly stiff breeze. I've noticed that besides the usual autumn leaves, there's lots of other 'stuff' floating around on the wind.

After the grass was all cut, I wandered around the yard some, camera in hand. Often when I set out on one of these jaunts, I'm never too sure what I will see and what might prompt me to stop and make a photo. After dinner I noticed that the wind had calmed down so I went in another direction, this time with an idea of what I wanted to capture. I think I discovered some of the sources of the flotsam and jetsam.

(70-200mm  f18  1/160 sec  ISO200)

(70-200mm  f7.1  1/80 sec  ISO200)

(70-200mm  f5.6  1/60 sec  ISO200)

 (70-200mm  f11  1/20 sec  ISO200)

(Day 224) No touch ... just look

A few weeks ago I posted a couple of shots of a rather prickly plant we have in the backyard. In some places it grows in profusion, but I've only found one in our yard - it's now at a height of about 5', since it's the only specimen, so I haven't treated it as a weed. I had promised to post a shot when it bloomed - that day arrived today.

(60mm  f14  1/15 sec  ISO200)

(60mm  f5  1/40 sec  ISO200)

(Day 204) Beautiful, but beware

I confess - I couldn't wait to make a few photos of today's subject. Once its flowers open, it's even more striking, which detracts from its less than benign features.

Of course I'm talking about the Canadian thistle. How it got its geographic designation isn't known, but it's a misnomer apparently since it didn't originate here. It is widespread throughout many countries.

A closer examination through these two photos quickly reveals why simply touching one of these is quite painful. Ah, but once they flower, they're tempting to cut and put in a vase, very carefully.

(60mm  f22  15 sec  ISO400)

(60mm  f22  55 sec  ISO400)