The roller-coaster temps and wacky weather continue to march on. Yesterday it was sunny, but frosty; today was about as gray and gloomy as you could get, albeit some 15 degrees warmer than yesterday. Quite honestly, I’d have preferred the sun to poke through the clouds, but that didn’t happen. Rain is slated to arrive this evening and continue through the weekend – ugh!
Luckily, I took lots of photos at Council Point Park Wednesday and Thursday so I could share more of Michigan’s ever-changing color palette with you.
Talk about a BRRRRRisk walk!
Yesterday, we awoke to temps around 30 degrees and we’d had a hard freeze. It was a brrrrrisk walk to be sure. When I first arrived at the Park, it was so sunny, I was momentarily blinded and had to shield my eyes with a gloved hand for fear of tripping over, or stepping on, any squirrels who might circle around, or gather at my feet. Large areas of the grounds were covered in frost, the blades of grass looking like stiff white bristles. I stopped for a picture before I started on the trail.
No missed mist opportunities for me!
Almost immediately, the walker who told me about his coyote sighting the day before, rushed over and said he was glad he had found me. I’m not always an optimist and immediately thought the worst … was the coyote still roaming about the Park, or, worse … had that coyote hurt or killed any of the squirrels? I was almost afraid to ask what was up. He told me the mist was rising on the Creek and the mallards were in that mist swimming around, so he knew “The Camera Lady” would probably like to take a picture. I thanked him and said I’d hurry right over there. Whew! I had to smile because I already have the moniker of “The Peanut Lady” so I guess I have a new alternate name.
Now, I must admit I’m a creature of habit. I always start on the perimeter path on the first loop, right-hand side, each and every time I walk at Council Point Park. Evidently those savvy squirrels know my walking habits as well. They likely already saw me start, then abandon, my regular route. Those squirrels are no slouches because they decided to join me. Soon there was a passel of peanut pals following me as I cut across the frozen grass, my heavy walking shoes leaving indentations on the frosty blades, as I hustled to get to the opposite side of the loop. Just as I arrived at the cement precipice where the heron scopes out his breakfast, I could see the mist swirling and hovering over the Ecorse Creek. I pulled out the camera and took a few shots in case the mist dissipated quickly.
Meanwhile, out of the corner of my eye, at least a half-dozen squirrels had gathered around me, circling closer, and impatiently waiting for peanuts to be handed out.
I finished my shots, plus another of the frost on the grass while I fed them.
The Park’s color palette has been changing this week.
Those beautiful trees and bushes I recently spotlighted, that were ablaze in rich shades of red, burnt orange and golden yellow, have now dropped their leaves. A few more trees have begun their transition with the maple trees giving the prettiest show of colors.
This maple tree must be diseased as it has these ugly spots on it, but it still managed to turn a vibrant shade of red as you see in the frost-tinged, spotted leaf below.
Lots of green leaves still remain, but these Autumn color tones sure are pleasing to the eye.
Golden leaves perk up the perimeter path …
… as do these brilliantly colored berries.
I wonder what type of berries they are? They’re shiny and look soft and squishy.
I researched a little, but can’t identify them. These bushes are scattered around the Park and I’ve never seen any critters feeding on them, unlike the mulberry trees where the squirrels, birds and even the groundhog, have a go at those berries during the Summertime.
Some delicate purple flowers, the hangers-on that didn’t die off from that hard freeze, rise above the Creek bank to lend a pastel tone to the landscape.
In the second walking loop, the part of the figure eight perimeter path that is not so colorful, nor critter filled, I noted that the trees are starting to turn and I’ll try capturing their vivid hues again next week, but, in case tomorrow’s stormy weather makes the leaves wriggle free and land on the ground, I took these pictures.
By the second time around, the mist had started to lift and in this portion of the Creek, I got a better view of the mallards, as they swam on what looked like a golden pond from the reflection of the trees onto the water.
There was a new and unexpected addition to the Park.
Sadly, as you can see my favorite nature nook has begun transcending into Winter. Soon the trees will have no cloak of colors, whether it is green or a kaleidoscope of hues, but instead they will be bare and stark looking in contrast to the snow. I am reminded that once the snow and ice arrive, my daily walk will sometimes become a trudge, if it happens at all. But for now, the journey was joyous and my trek was tranquil.
Linda Schaub
WALKIN', WRITIN', WIT & WHIMSY 
Linda:
Great photos as usual. I can’t help you on the berries but if the critters are avoiding them…..Bad!
There are lots of sights online about red berries so ….!
Stay warm.
Fred
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank Fred – they look like red currants if you’ve ever seen them, but I agree with you – if the critters avoiding them, it must mean they’re poisonous. They all love the mulberries, as do a few of the humans who eat them right off the bush. We’re back to a little warmer weather, but rainy. There seems to be no happy medium in 2018 as to the seasons I’m used to.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear “Miss Camera Lady”………………………those are some awesome autumn pictures you took today with the bright colored leaves and trees and red currants…………………………thank You……………….
LikeLiked by 2 people
I’m glad you liked them Ann Marie … I just love the colors of the trees right now and I’ve not seen many orange leaves yet this season. You know I thought those were red currants too … they are the right size and shape and are soft and squishy, but nobody’s eating them – critters or people. Some ladies like picking the black raspberries and the mulberries in the Summer. You and I talked about red currants before – my mom loved red currant pie and they were hard to come by. Andy’s Fruit Market on Northline and Allen Road used to sell them and it was a sad day when it suddenly closed up shop as they carried those currants and so many other goodies back in the day.
LikeLike
Your photos of the mist are super. I liked the colorful trees, too. What a lovely walk you had today!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thanks Anne – I’m glad you liked the photos. I took two red leaves shots just for you as you said how much you liked the ones from Sunday’s trip to Heritage Park. I am glad the walker pointed me in the direction of the mist – it reminded me a little of dry ice. We had a neighbor down the street and for Halloween she had spooky music and dry ice floating around the front door … it had colors in it too, maybe purple and green? It was a nice effect and she put a lot of effort into the decorating/effects. I only went trick-or-treating for maybe two years after we moved to the States as I got too old, but I sure remember Mrs. Byrd’s house. Today there is no lovely walk as it is raining off/on the entire day so I’m going to do stuff in the house all day … I still have groceries to put away from the big shopping two weeks ago and have resisted going up/down the stairs too many times in a single day as I get shin splints … I did that before and then had to stop walking about four days to heal up.
LikeLike
Yes, I appreciated the red leaves. The mist was beautiful, too. Mrs. Byrd’s decorations must have been super.
LikeLiked by 1 person
They were a lot of fun Anne. Mrs. Byrd was an elementary school teacher, but a substitute teacher. She was divorced and raising three boys, one who was the same age and grade as me. She subbed for our 6th grade class a few times. The kids would come from blocks around and she had loud speakers in the front and back yards with the eerie music playing for effect.
LikeLike
Fantastic!
LikeLiked by 1 person
That mist is pretty cool! That’s something you don’t see every day!
Saw a lot of red Maples today. They truly are extraordinary in the fall! 🙂
LikeLiked by 2 people
I thought that mist was cool too Tom – it reminded me of dry ice the way it was swirling and hovering over the water … and the ducks did not seem to be bothered by it. They kept paddling along and it was so thick so you couldn’t see them in the photographs – they just looked like dots. The red maples are so beautiful – I was happy to see one tree in bright yellow too.
LikeLike
Linda,
Thank you for so many photographs. I loved the myriad of colours you showed through them. Green, to yellow to red, to orange to brown to black spots. The mist rising up from the lake looked ethereal. I am glad the animals are enjoying the day and not brooding about what might be in store for them tomorrow. Was Parker there among the furries ? It has reached such a state that every time I read about squirrels in your posts, I want to know if you met Parker and he is alright.
Susie
LikeLiked by 2 people
Hi Susie – I’ve been working in the house all day as we had an all-day rain and just got here a short time ago. We had some nice sunny mornings this past week, so I seized that opportunity to take pictures of the the most-beautiful leaves. The maples are the most vibrant with their golden yellows and bright reds. The mist was unusual and I can’t say I’ve seen it before. It does look ethereal and it did not seem to bother the ducks who were swimming around in it, though you couldn’t see them in the picture. I did not see Parker yesterday, and, just like you, I worry if I don’t see him, but he might have been in the neighborhood and didn’t see me go by, but I usually see him at least once a day, either in the Park or across the street. I didn’t go today due to all the rain, but there will be a small break in the a.m., so I’ll go down there and walk and look for him. I don’t like knowing there is a coyote and the hawks as I worry about the squirrels.
LikeLike
Crazy weather for sure. Right now we have rain and very gusty winds. It is 9:30 Saturday morning and the weekend forecast is not promising. I filled my birdfeeders yesterday so I wouldn’t have to worry about them in the wind and rain. That’s my version of feeding the squirrels! 🙂
LikeLiked by 2 people
Ours is an ugly weekend and I am like you and overcompensate for my little friends when I know I won’t be there. We’ve had rain off and on all day today and a small break tomorrow morning, then rain again.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Color my world it is. Beautiful!!!!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you Bryan – Autumn’s blazing glory.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you for all the lovely photos as usual…..and I am glad to see your squirrel entourage follows you around as you take the pictures!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thanks Joan – they are funny when they do that. Sometimes I’ve been walking along and a few of them are at my heels hoping I’ll turn around, but I am not aware of it because they have come from a different part of the Park and I didn’t see them until I see people giggling and pointing to look behind me. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wow!!! These pictures are breathtaking. I love the fog rolling off the water!
LikeLiked by 2 people
I could have closed my eyes and pretended it was San Francisco like your recent picture (oh, a few weeks back now) of the Golden Gate Bridge before and after the fog rolled in.
LikeLiked by 1 person
❤ ❤
LikeLike
I love the colors in those photos Linda! The reds are beautiful. We often have mist rise off the river near us and it is so pretty.
I had to laugh about the squirrels following you. My husband does like to hunt but any squirrels in our area are totally safe and he feeds them.I am surprised he has not named them yet!
LikeLiked by 2 people
The colors are at peak here now Faye and the reds are amazing. I’ve never seen the mist off the water before and was happy that someone pointed it out to me. The squirrels are extremely friendly and I have named two of them, had a little black squirrel in the Summer I called “Midnight”, but I think his “human family” was on vacation and he was foraging in the Park when I came along with peanuts – he was overly friendly, as black squirrels are usually a little skittish. The squirrels always give me my morning smile. 🙂
LikeLike
Fall colors are wonderful. Amazing photography:)
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you – the colors are about at their peak right now – the yellows and reds are my favorite. It is very beautiful if you go to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan – there are a lot of trees up there and when they turn, it is awesome. I would like one day to get a chance to visit New England to look at the Fall foliage – I understand it is beautiful there as well.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I think traveling is good, you will get to know new things and different scenery:)
LikeLike
This is true – I am glad I did most of my traveling when I was young and there were no issues traveling wise.
LikeLike
I love how you are also known as The Camera Lady now 🙂. The beauty of the colour changes in this season are breathtaking. You take amazing pictures. Although I cannot see the details, their beauty is still so magical ❤
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes that tickled me too Zena – now two names I am known as. I’ve never seen that mist rising out of the Creek like that – it was amazing, like a foggy or thin clouds hovering over the water. It didn’t seem to bother the ducks as they kept swimming away in it. I was glad the other walker pointed it out to me. I am glad you are enjoying our Fall foliage and I’ll keep describing it well so you’ll have a good description to give you a good mental picture.
LikeLike
You are an absolute star ❤ Thank you for taking such time over writing such descriptive posts. You are such a talented writer who really takes the reader straight into the scenes you write about. Looking forward to all of your future adventures.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you so much for your nice comment and compliment Zena – you’ll make my head swell! It is easier to write when there is such beauty around and the descriptions seem to flow. Unfortunately there were no adventures today as it was crummy weather and Thursday and Friday are not looking good either, but I did get some photos of the squirrels yesterday when I took some walnuts for them. Hopefully they came out okay – I’m going to upload the photos tomorrow morning and have a look at them.
LikeLike
Beautiful photos of a beautiful location! We still (as of October 29) have not had a frost yet in southeastern PA. The leaves on my sugar maple are mostly still green. The temperatures are cool, but not cold.
LikeLiked by 1 person
And we’ve had two hard freezes already Laurie – such a difference between our states. The sugar maple next door is about ready to drop its leaves and I get about 14-15 bags on my property from my neighbor’s tree … it is not all that old but has a lot of leaves. It is a reddish-orange right now. We rain Wednesday through Friday this week and they say in the morning – I may have to change my mindset … should have done that when it was a warm rain, not a chilly rain.
LikeLiked by 1 person
There is no temperature in the 7-day forecast that would cause a frost here. It’s very unusual!
LikeLiked by 1 person
You are lucky Laurie – the weather folks are hinting at a rain-free Saturday and Sunday right now and I am pretty excited about that since we had a rainy weekend last weekend. I’m hoping to get out and catch the rest of the peak colors before those leaves flutter to the ground. I wonder if we’ll have an Indian Summer? Something to look forward to.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s 70 here today! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m so jealous – we were warmer today than it’s been but it rained hard, then was soggy and damp the rest of the day and rain Thursday and Friday as well.
LikeLiked by 1 person