FROST ASTERS ARE BLOOMING

SMALL WHITE FLOWERS WITH GOLDEN CENTERS...

...FROST ASTER AND GOLDENROD IN DITCH ON VALLEY ROAD

Saturday, 8:30 AM.  64 degrees F, wind ENE, light with stronger gusts.  The sky is overcast and it is foggy.  The humidity is 94% and the barometer has risen to 30.03" so maybe it will clear up, but it is likely to be damp and humid as long as we have an easterly wind off the big lake.
   We are heading for Milwaukee shortly for a family birthday party, so there will be no Sunday blog.  The trip will give us an updated look at approaching fall across the state.
   The first of the fall asters are suddenly blooming.  Aster pilosis, the frost aster, in the Compositae family is a vigorous plant with clusters of small white flowers and diminutive leaves.
   The genus name translates directly from the Greek to "star,"which the aster flowers are reminiscent of, and the species name to the stems being softly hairy.   Frost Aster is native to sandy, damp locations in the eastern and upper Mid-Western US.  The combination of frost aster and goldenrod is a stunning reminder that fall is just around the corner.