Signs of The Apocalypse, er Autumn

Cooler nights will be coloring deciduous foliage shortly. Some trees are already starting, but not very many. I found this beautifully colored Maple leaf on the sidewalk, along with some of its duller friends. Hey, there's always one in the crowd if you're lucky!

I'm not sure what this annual is called, but I've noticed that now that the extreme heat is over, and the nights are a bit cooler, this purple daisy variety is doing much better. It is blooming more profusely and with richer and more saturated flowers. It looks perfect growing along this slab of granite at the edge of a short retaining wall. I think purple fall-blooming flowers are really important in a New England garden. Purples and Violets are just so wonderful next to the bright oranges, yellows and rust colors of a typical Autumn landscape. I don't have any at this house, but I've had New York Asters in the past, which grown to 3-4 feet all and have large, beautiful purple flowers well into the Fall.

Fall will bring the open-air, or "plein aire" painters out in droves. I guess standing out in the hot sun when the temperatures are nearing 100° isn't all that fun, so spring and fall seem to be quite popular with this type of painter. For the Wiki on this type of painting, click here. I work outside sometimes, but usually only when I have sawing and sanding to do, to cut down on the dust on the inside of the house, a losing battle most of the time! That is a beautiful young dark Copper Beech tree he is painting under. They can get really huge and are one of the more majestic trees in our neck of the woods. 

Of more interest to artandcolour, are the Buicks in this family. In the background you can see a '90s Park Avenue and the great new LaCrosse. The garage to the left, empty in this photo, is usually home to a 1932 Buick phaeton in mint condition. I've seen a Reatta convertible here in the past too, so I'd say this family really WOULD rather have a Buick, to paraphrase the marque's famous tagline of the Sixties..