A FEW HINTS OF FALL COLOR BUT GREEN STILL PREDOMINATES

VIRGINIA CREEPER BEGINNING TO COLOR UP

A FEW RED LEAVES ON STAGHORN SUMAC

A POISONOUS BUT COLORFUL AMANITA MUSHROOM

Friday,  8:00 AM.  61 degrees F,  57 on the back porch.  Wind W, moderate. The sky is partly cloudy and overcast, with weather still coming in from the west.  The humidity is 77% and the barometer is rising, currently at 29.93".  It should clear and be a nice weekend for our garage sale.
   The skies did clear for a while after yesterday's threatening storms, and last night was filled with moon and starlight, and the soft hoots of a pair of great horned owls out hunting rabbits.
   Despite all the rippening fruit, the colors of fall haven't really begun to show themselves.  Some swamp red maples are coloring up, but the leaves of other trees have not yet begun to change. Virginia creeper vines are displaying a few red leaves, as are staghorn sumacs and some dogwoods, but that's about it.
   We have had a lush growing season and the leaves of most plants are not stressed, and we haven't had any temperatures remotely near freezing.  Decreasing daylight will eventually force the leaves to turn, and  drought will cause leaves to change color early, but that sure isn't the case this year.
   With all the rain we have had, we should be due for a spectacular mushroom display, but I have only seen a few of the deadly but very pretty Amanitas.
   The bottom line:  there are a few hints of fall color but green still predominates.