SIGNS OF FALL, AND WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO OUR NATIONAL PASSTIME?

GOLDEN ROD IN BLOOM...

...DITTO

BUCKTHORN FRUIT

Tuesday,  8:30 AM.  71 degrees F, wind SSW, light to moderate.  The sky is mostly clear but it is very hazy, particularly over the Islands.  The humidity is up to 90% and the barometer is still trending down, at 29.87".

It was really warm yesterday, near ninety degrees in the shade on the porch at dinnertime. The evening was moonlit, pleasantly warm and very quiet, a perfect metaphor for summer. Today may be less comfortable.
   Yesterday morning as we were driving down Hwy. 13 toward Washburn, a spotted fawn ran right into the front passenger's side of the truck.  Startled, Joan hit the brakes and stopped as we watched the little guy scamper off, evidently none the worse for the encounter.  There was not so much as a scratch on the fender.

   The goldenrods are beginning to bloom, another sign of approaching fall. According to Almanac records, the goldenrods are about three weeks late this year.   Those pictured are probably Canada goldenrod, Solidago canadensis, Goldenrods are in the sunflower family, the Compositae.  They are a very confusing genus so I don't often name them by species, and when I do it is with the expectation that I may be mistaken.

   Another confusing plant, just because it is such a common shrub and the bark looks like cherry bark, is the invasive European buckthorn, Rhamnus frangula , in the family Rhamnaceae.   Now is a good time to identify and get rid of it because its pea-sized, cherry-like fruits are so obvious as they develop on young branches.  Like most true invasives,  it is extremely prolific.  Note also the opposite branching and the somewhat thorny ends of older branches.   Cherries are alternate branched and have no thorns.

   Gee, can you imagine the unpopular, cheating wise-guy, the New York Yankee's Alex Rodrigues, AKA A-Rod, getting beaned yesterday by the Red Sox pitcher?  Unheard of!  What has happened to our National pastime?