Autumnal Equinox

One of the fantastic animated fall images from: The Huffington Post The First Day of Fall of 2013.

Today is the first day of fall and I am loving it.









We experienced a huge harvest moon September 18th.

I love living where we have four distinct seasons.  I think fall is my favorite time here in New Mexico. As the days and nights are cooling off, we get fantastic blue skies and beautiful white clouds.

Sunflowers in the Manzanita Mountains

  

Soon my Cottonwood will turn golden (picture from last fall)

The wildflowers are producing their last blooms and fruits.

Copper Globemallow Sphaeralcea angustifolia 

Cornflower/Batchelor Button

Cornflower/Batchelor Button

Indian Blanket/Firewheel Gaillardia pinnatifid

White Honeysuckle Lonicera albiflora fruit

Hartweg's Sundrops Calyphus hartwegii

Yellow Columbine Aquilegia micrantha

Bahia Bahia dissecta

Purple Aster Machaeraanthera bigelovii

 And then there are the caterpillars...everywhere...seemingly consuming everything!

Devouring scrub oak leaves

Not sure what kind of caterpillar this is...do you?

Could it be an Io Moth caterpillar in a later instar?
 If you know what caterpillar/moth this is, let me know.

Tuck it In For Winter

Trees burst forth 
in yellow hue,
 flower petals
drink in the dew.
'Tis the season
they call the "shoulder",
wedged between
hot and colder.
Look upon these flowers tender, 
get to work --  tuck it in for winter!

Happy Autumnal Equinox  to you.

And Happy September Birthday to...

...my daughter, Mary, in Bloomfield, New Mexico.  She turns 29 years old.

Mary with her husband, Matt

...and to my sister-in-law, Ginni, in Columbus, Ohio, who turns 76 years old!

Ginni with her husband, Fred