Photo-a-Day Week 38

As fall comes, there is a big change in my garden. Orb Weaver spiders and fall colors on the deciduous trees and shrubs. 

Day 258-

Large spider webs in the garden appear in the fall. The Orb Weavers put their webs up at night and generally take them down in the morning. That's a lot of work each and every night! This one was quite large, the circle was probably about two feet across. It was also across the middle of the yard, so the spider had to secure its web from the Magnolia tree to the right and the house on the left. 

Spider Season

The color version of this photo wasn't as impressive as the black and white one.

Day 259-

I have multiple Oakleaf hydrangeas in the yard. Three of them are in the front yard, they are Hydrangea quercifolia 'Ruby Slippers'. They really live up to their name in the fall. Their fall color is so vibrant, it really pops in the garden. The dog hair is an added bonus! 

Ruby Slippers with Dog hair

Day 260-

We live in an area where active timber harvesting is year-round. The log trucks are often overfilled. One doesn't want to follow too closely behind these loads. 

Log Truck

Day 261-

When I went out front to play frisbee and rings with the dogs, there was a tiny gray feather that I just had to get a photo of. Fiona is a bit of a vacuum cleaner- she will inhale anything unusual on the ground, especially if you wanted to give it a closer look. I needed to get my photo quickly. Not sure what bird lost this feather. 

Tiny Feather

Day 262-

We made a quick trip to Nashville for the weekend. This was the sunset reflecting off the buildings of downtown. Grandson (five years old) was having soccer practice on the field with views of the city.

Sunset

Day 263-

With the kids going to school and parents working, Charlie and I played tourist for the day and went to the Grand Ole Opry for the backstage tour. If you are ever in Nashville, it is a good tour to take. I really marveled at the size of the stage where "Hee Haw" was filmed. It seemed rather small. We walked  through the building to the main stage. The photo was taken of the ropes and cables of backstage where the Opry is performed. The black and white image shows all the shadows and shapes.

Backstage

My first thought for the photo of the day was in the entrance area. The lights with all the guitars were an interesting photo. All these guitars are Gibsons, donated by the company. 

Day 264- 

Coming home from the above mentioned grandson's soccer game we encountered this trolley. It made me laugh, the name on the trolley was "Trolley Parton". These trollies circle through town, where you can do a pub crawl of different breweries. Always something to see in Nashville.

Trolley Parton

Another week done! It is fun to gather photos from trips out of town. My day-to-day experiences at home center on the yard and garden. See you next week.

©Copyright 2025 Janet. All rights reserved. Content created by Janet for The Queen of Seaford. words and photos by Janet, The Queen of Seaford.

Photo-a-Day Week 37

Welcome back to another weekly roundup of photos. Some garnered more attention on Facebook than others.

Day  251- 

While playing with the dogs in the front yard, I looked to the back and saw an odd shape in the tree. Usually it is a bird, Mourning Dove or Red-bellied Woodpecker or Brown Thrasher. Turned out it was a squirrel! They don't normally sit up that high. 

Squirrel in Silhouette 

Also observed that morning was a pair of Bald Eagles soaring high in the sky. I only had my cellphone with me, so the photo isn't great. My choice for the photo of the day was the squirrel, while it also wasn't a great photo, it was a nice silhouette. 

Day 252-

Since we have had Millie, our kitty, we have made sure to keep the door to the room to the toilet closed. As a small kitten she would love to play with the roll of toilet paper, unrolling it all the way to the cardboard tube. So, as a rule, we keep the door closed. I guess one of us left it open. Millie unrolled a nearly full roll of toilet paper. When she does that we say that she is having a party.  This was a photo that got a lot of laughs. 

When the Door is Left Open

Day 253-

While getting ready to water the containers with the hose, I re-encountered the Carolina Praying Mantis. The long, tall shadow made on the wall was impressive. Thought that it would make a good photo choice. Hope you agree.

I'm Still Here

Day 254-

It is Ironweed season. The variety I have growing in my yard is quite tall, perhaps Vernonia noveboracensis. This one grows 6-8 feet tall. I have found there is a nice, more garden-friendly-sized variety called Iron Butterfly. I may try to move these tall giants to a better space. It is a gorgeous shade of purple, and pollinators love it. 

Ironweed

Day 255-

When we first moved here, I planted a variety of Panicum virgatum, a native grass. There are several varieties of Panicum virgatum. I have/had three different ones- Shenandoah, Heavy Metal, and Dallas Blues. This one pictured is either Heavy Metal or Dallas Blues. I can't remember which of these two I planted in which location. Shenandoah is smaller and has green blades that turn red in the fall. The two I can't remember specifics of location, are taller, and have bluer foliage. I will have to try and determine if this one is Dallas Blues or Heavy Metal. The morning light illuminated the seedheads so nicely.

Panicum

The rejected photo was the original photo, in color. I thought the black and white image showed the brightness of the seedheads better. Which do you like better?

Day 256-

This day's image is of something that sits on my dresser. It is the telegram that my dad sent to my mom's parents, my grandparents, telling of my birth! My dad was in the Army, and he and my mom were stationed overseas, telephone calls were unheard of at that time. A telegram was sent to announce my birth. It is faded and tough to read, but I love having it.

Telegram!

Day 257-

This beauty is a native plant growing in my side yard. I have others in various spots in the yard, this one is the largest. Deer love it, so many remain small. Its botanical name is Euonymus americanus, with many common names. Our favorite is Hearts A' Bustin' because of a song by Billie Joe Shaver. Another name is Strawberry Bush. You can see why it has these names. These drupes really pop against the green foliage. 

Hearts A' Bustin'

This brings us to the end of another week. Thanks for stopping by. 

©Copyright 2025 Janet. All rights reserved. Content created by Janet for The Queen of Seaford. words and photos by Janet, The Queen of Seaford.

Photo-a-Day Week 36

How is it Sunday already? The days just zoom by so quickly! I hope everyone had a good week last week. Let's talk about the photos from this past week.

Day 244-

For those who were on the Memphis Fling, you might remember a planter that had a kaleidoscope focused on the blooms in the planter. I remembered that I had a small kaleidoscope in the drawer of our hutch. After a few trial shots of other items, I settled on using this one of  Lantana camara 'Miss Huff', in full bloom. 

Lantana Kaleidoscope

Here are a few other photos using the kaleidoscope. The first, taken in the house of an item on the hutch.

Once outside, I took a photo of the rose bush by the front door. It was fun to use the kaleidoscope to capture some photos. I might bring it out again during Christmas season. 

Day 245-

We rotate hosting bridge, and this past week it was close enough to walk. The setting sun created long shadows as I walked east towards the gathering bridge game. Walking home in the pitch black night is always interesting. I was good until close to my house when I heard a sound, perhaps a fox, call out in the darkness. I turned on my cell flashlight to finish the walk to my house. 

Walking to bridge

Day 246-

Resurrection Lily, Spider Lily, or Hurricane Lily, this fall-blooming bulb is always a treat to see. The botanical name is Lycoris radiata. I  have them planted around the yard/garden but so far, these are the only ones blooming. I also have a Lycoris aurea, a yellow bloom. At one time I also used to have the pink variety, Lycoris squamigera, often called Naked Ladies. All the Lycoris bloom after the foliage fades.

Resurrection Lily

Day 247-

Fall is also the time when the Tea Olive blooms. Its fragrance is distinct. I have heard some say it smells like Fruit Loops to them. Osmanthus fragrans is an evergreen shrub that can be trimmed into a multiple-stemmed tree. I leave mine in its full form. Amazingly, this tiny bloom can have such a large fragrance, it perfumes the entire yard.

Fragrance Abounds

Day 248-

In the same drawer as the kaleidoscope, I found my birth announcement and a photo of newborn me! Stay tuned, there may be more archived items showcased. 

Things You Find in a Drawer

Day 249-

Saturday was an SEC (Southeastern Conference) football game. For Mizzou fans, the game was against Kansas. Long-time rivals. (or arch enemies, depending on with whom you are talking)  This is the Mizzou tiger logo, in a prominent position in the living room.

MIZ-

Day 250-

Today's gem is my dad's metal truck, Buddy-L. Not sure when my dad got this toy, but I remember riding it in my grandmother's backyard as a little one. I inherited this and it has spot on the shelf in the living room. My grandkids rode it around the living room this past Christmas, four generations of love. 

Buddy-L

I tried a different view for the photo, but I liked the full side view better. The one below just wasn't a very good photo. It happens. 

Another week's photos shared and explained. Hope you enjoyed it. See you next week.

 

©Copyright 2025 Janet. All rights reserved. Content created by Janet for The Queen of Seaford. words and photos by Janet, The Queen of Seaford.