Smells like Autumn Spirit!

One of the best things about autumn is the explosion of colour that fills the trees and covers the ground.  The leaves changing this time of year are a breathtaking melange of reds, oranges, yellows, rusty-browns and gold.  As I walked through the Seaton forest today, the smells of fall took me to ... well... ‘my happy place’.  The sweet smell of fallen leaves is like nothing else.  It's invigorating.  When the cool autumn breeze blows, I take a special breath just to take it all in. 

Yellow, Rust and Golden leaves of the walnut trees

Red Maple leaves are especially lovely on the nose :-)

 

Red, Orange and Yellow Maples



White Pine needles also fall during autumn... as do all evergreens.

 

Of course the smell of decay is not left to the leaves alone.  The salmon along Duffin’s Creek have already spawned and, as is the way for salmon, they have given up the ghost.  They too have left not only their bodies, but also their ... ahem... spirits.  It wafted up from the creek every now and then.  But, once the trail moved away from the water, the more pleasant smells of fall took over again.

You'll have to look carefully for the evidence of decaying salmon. 
That too left an extra-special smell on the trail.  Enjoy :-)

I love autumn walks.

Tall Meadow Flowers

Amongst the Wild Carrot and Sweet White Clover
(some folks are sensitive to Wild Carrot)

Flowers within your child's arm’s reach can be fun to touch. Many of them are in bloom in the late summer; they are also very attractive to even young eyes. Because they within your child’s reach, it is makes for good texture and tactile learning experiences as they sit in their carrier.

Joe-Pye Weed, Goldenrod, and Spotted Touch-Me-Not

Burdock's prickly burrs are soft to the touch when they are just beginning to bloom. 
Once the blooms are fully formed, the burrs can be painful to the touch.

Detail of Elecampane

Elecampane standing tall in the Background with Wild Carrot in the Foreground
(some folks are sensitive to Wild Carrot)

Joe-Pye Weed's fuzzy tops are soft to the touch

Tall Joe-Pye Weed in the Background

The above plants are generally safe to touch.  But, many others are not , especially mega-tall ones like Giant-Hogweed and the taller plants of the parsnip family.  For more on that, check out www.invadingspecies.com

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