All y’all, it’s fall!

Fall has definitely made its presence known here in the Arkansas Ouachitas!

DOGWOOD — Dogwood leaf’s red glows more intensely as the morning light hits it.

CONTRAST — Color contrasts against the autumn sky.

GOLD — Hickories light up the forest with their yellow leaves.

COLOR – Fall color spreads through the valley.

FALL VISTA — Fall is ramping up to its peak here in the Arkansas Ouachitas.

Living color

Tonight’s sunset was quite a contrast to last week’s WordPress Photo Challenge, which had “monochromatic” as its theme.

RED AT NIGHT — Setting sun’s red light sprays the bottoms of cloud deck as it sinks behind the Arkansas Ouachitas.

Signs of spring

About nine days ago, Arkansas saw record low temperatures. Today, the sun is shining and the mercury hit 69 degrees by mid-afternoon. It’s the perfect day for a photo safari and time to take to the deer trails and old logging road in search of spring.

Tiny Houstonia blooms spangle the re-awakening “lawn.”

The first rock violet bloom looks a bit droopy after days of rain.

Cardamine is an early bloomer in a late-starting Arkansas spring.

Birdland

Been a while since we posted. We had a couple rounds of heavy winter weather and being trapped away from home for days at a time. Nice to be back home. Between bouts of wintry mix, the birds came out and did what birds do.

One of several bluebirds availing themselves of sumac seeds.

Red-tailed hawk takes flight over the office parking lot.

Tufted titmouse in tree with open hickory nut. He flew the half-nut into the tree and spent a few minutes brunching on it before knocking it to the ground and flying away.

Sparrow on his takeoff roll.

Yellow shafted Flicker in the sumac.

Dinner is late, blame the moon

While prepping dinner, I glanced out the kitchen window to see a big orange full moon floating off to the east, obscured by winter-bare branches.  This was the first clear night we’ve had in ages. Dinner could wait. Grabbed a couple of cameras and the truck keys (after having to run back inside to grab the memory cards that were still in the readers and briefly consider bringing a monopod) and flew west along the ridge to a higher, more tree-free vantage point.  Dinner was a few minutes late, but after savoring a sight like that, there were no complaints.

FULL MOON RISING OVER LITTLE ROCK’S HIGHEST POINT, SHINALL MOUNTAIN. TAKEN JAN. 4, 2014. 

Mountain wave

Arkansas is a landlocked state, but it doesn’t mean we don’t see mountainous waves on occasion. Back in July, this thick bank of fog rolled in from the west, breaking over a long fold ridge and spilling down its southern flank. The second shot is the wave just a moment or two earlier as it was cresting.

Blue skies

December fog gives way to blue skies at the Fruit Research Station in Clarksville, Arkansas.

BLUE SKIES — December morning mist dissipates. Taken Dec. 9, 2014. 

Holding back the sun

Thick mist holds back the morning sun at the Fruit Research Station in Clarksville, Arkansas. Taken Dec. 9, 2014, near one of the station’s peach orchards.

MIST IN THE ORCHARD — The sun, filtered  by heavy fog, throws peach trees in silhouette at the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s Fruit Research Station.

Weekly Photo Challenge: Convergence II

When functions Converge: When your rain gauge also becomes your thermometer.

(Typical Arkansas fall weather – 15 degrees F two weeks ago, mid-70s today.)

BRRRRRRRrrrrrr!

More convergences we liked:

• http://katieprior.wordpress.com/2014/11/28/weekly-photo-challenge-converge/
• http://www.szeweyskitchensink.com/convergence-milan/
• http://vonnscottbair.wordpress.com/2014/11/29/overhead-trolley-wires-on-haight-street-28-november-2014/

Almost bookends

We’ve seen a bit of unsettled weather in Arkansas over the last two days. Not ideal for meteor or Super Moon watching, but the sunrises and sunsets have been spectacular. These two are bookends for the last 48 hours.

Sunrise on Friday, Aug. 8, 2014.

Sunset on Saturday, Aug. 9, 2014.