Frost

 Winter is creeping down the mountains toward us and the bright sunny days signal colder temperatures.

The sun is sinking lower and lower in the afternoon sky, fading into deep dusk by 4:30 pm.

 Overnight, fog coats branches and leaves with a glittering rime of frost...

...which brings out the delicate lacy textures of the different plants.

 My camera was not able to capture the astounding rich red I saw along side the logging road.

'Winter is coming', as goes the motto of House Stark.  

Drawing Challenge Returns - Fern

The Drawing Challenge took a brief summer hiatus.  I rather missed our little get-togethers!  Thank you to Norma for graciously offering the theme as we commence anew.

Ferns are very prolific in Southeast Alaska.

The underside of the leaves has seed-thingies.

pigma pen in 8x6 gamma sketchbook, daily drawing

Please do yourself a kindness and drop by our friend, the Fairy Yellow Bug Queen to wander amongst a forest of ferns brought to you by many talented artists.

DC - Gossamer

gauzy

silky

lighter than air

wafting 

on summer breezes

insect 

wings

summer 

dresses

ladies 

veils

gossamer

Prismacolor pencil in 8x6 gamma

 Our drawing challenge 'Gossamer' was brought to us by Montana Fairy Princess Tammie over at her enchanting place, Beauty Flows.

Please wend your way there to glimpse more ethereal delights by artist bloggers from all over Blogland.

 

Scene, Recently #32

On the Sunday beachwalk, we met Flossy's friend Cedar.

A mild couple of weeks has melted snow away, exposing tiny lichen and mosses atop old pilings.

A tiny shell was dropped in the moss.

Sentinel tree standing tall along the way to the beach.

Flossy and I wish you all a happy mid week. 

Leaves Drawing Challenge

I quickly post my first response to dear Miss Herzfrisch's drawing challenge, Leaves - no time within the week to do more than gawp at and photograph some of the beautiful leaves around me on the afternoon walk up Twin Creek Road.  I may get time to edit this post with an actual drawing late this evening, but just in case that doesn't happen I offer you the following glimpses of autumn color splashes:

Do look in at the bonfire of leaves roaring away over at Miss Herzfrisch's fascinating blog.

Autumn Colors

After work on a recent afternoon, the sun broke through to illuminate autumn colors in the beach fringe.  

salmon berry leaves rimmed with red

a jelly fish washed up on the tide line

bull kelp glows golden in the late sunlight

hope your week is full of color and joy...

Wet Afternoon Walk

I had to force myself to go back out after getting home from town late this afternoon, and actually waited a bit for the rain to slow down to less than torrential; then, go back out I did.  I wanted to show you how the past few days have brought an end to the season of screaming green, ushering in the first hints of autumn.

Rain and wind made for a perfect imitation of October all day.

Devil's club leaves are among those starting to turn color.

Devil's club fruit - inedible by you and I... but I think the birds enjoy, and perhaps this has medicinal uses for the Indigenous Ones.

The Devil's club fruit will turn bright red before the end of summer like these already have.

Wild celery has gone to seed in a starry way.

wild celery - this plant stands about eye-level tall

salmon berry

New mushrooms are poking through the wet forest floor.

 Hope this post refreshes you, if you are living in the hot dry parts of the world!

Scene Recently, #29

The past several days saw a break in the relentless rainy cold, providing the flowers a chance to flourish around town and beach.

Weird reptilian leaves in a downtown planter.

A flurry of blooms in the planter outside the fabric shop downtown.

Seen in a garden while walking to the post office.

These are Alaskan wild roses, and so fragrant!

FINALLY, we are starting to eat salmonberries.

The wild celery is already going to seed - seems early for that...

A pretty composition of wild beach blossoms.

Wild fox glove along the trail of the afternoon walk.

Hope your week is going well.  Rain is forecast here for later today, but I have really appreciated the little break!  Happy day to you.