Arkansas is in the Mississippi Flyway — the route for millions of migrating wildfowl. These photos do not do justice to the sight of the phalanxes of birds making chevrons across the autumn sky.
Autumn suite
Fall’s vivid colors have spanned several months here on the mountain. Most of these photos were taken in early November, a couple of them were taken within the last week. Even here on the penultimate day of November, the oaks, hickories and sweet and black gums still retain their color, even if the canopy is thinning day to day.
Golden leaves in Little Rock’s midtown.
Row of red sumac leaves.
Red grass seed head.
Fall’s jewel tones.
Dark purple asters.
French mulberries.
Wide shoot of fall foliage.
Fire in the Delta
This week’s photo challenge is Let There Be Light.
The sun set the sky on fire. A beautiful end to a day of thanks. All taken along I-40 and U.S. 70 east of Little Rock.
BINNED — Grain bins in the sunset between Hazen and Lonoke.
REFLECTION — Sunset reflects in flooded farm field along US 70.
TREE — Tree silhouetted against fiery sunset.
I-40 BRIDGE — Thanksgiving sunset shines through the eastern arch of the Hernando de Soto Bridge.
Others who switched on this week’s challenge:
- Multiple lights: http://icezine.wordpress.com/2013/11/29/let-there-be-light-weekly-photo-challenge/
- Stained glass: http://marichulambino.com/2013/11/30/weekly-photo-challenge-let-there-be-light/
- Under the mangroves: http://brokenlightcollective.wordpress.com/2013/11/29/shadow-light/
- Study in yellow and blue (main image): http://myvividvisions.com/2013/11/29/weekly-photo-challenge-let-there-be-light-old-ways/
- Season of light: http://teepee12.com/2013/11/29/weekly-photo-challenge-so-begins-the-season-of-light/
A girl and her dog
One of our nieces and her new puppy, a rescued dog. They are kindred spirits, these two.
Bridgework
The steel girders. The mottled sky. The muddy river below. The old I-55 bridges between West Memphis, Ark., and Memphis, Tenn., have both strength and an ageless industrial beauty about them.
Art at the speed limit
Typically cars aren’t thought of as tools for creating art. Sure, Top Gear‘s Jeremy Clarkson used a Formula 1 race car to shoot paintballs at a canvas, and BMW ran a new M6 with ink sprayed on its tires to make promotional postcards, but one would never mistake, say, a Porsche for a paintbrush. However, pointing the lens out the window at (um, yes officer sir, we were traveling the) speed limit, can create a delightfully impressionistic pastel effect, with lovely distortions and blending. This is the same Interstate 40-side rice field as seen in this earlier shot, taken at a somewhat slower speed.
Prayer of Thanksgiving
Grateful are we,
For the blessings You bestow,
Unworthy, though we are.
A happy Thanksgiving to you and yours, safe travel and boundless joy in the reunion of family and friends!
After the Beaver Moon
November’s full moon is known as the Beaver Moon. Though taken two days after its full stage, the moon is still beautiful before setting for the day.
At first light
Nature has outdone herself this year in Arkansas. The fall colors seem to have lasted longer and been more saturated than any autumn in recent memory. The sun’s low angle made these colors even more warm.
Waiting for a windfall
The leaves are long gone, but dozens of sweet juicy persimmons hang tantalizingly in the tree’s branches. Some raccoons will climb to get the lower hanging fruit. The rest will just wait for the wind to do the work for them.
