A New Season

I've been so fed up with the world of humans, the governments, the politics, the religionists, the celebrities, the corporations, the pundits, the media...and I'm tired of reading or writing about any of it.  So here are some photos of nature, the only thing that is steady...though even nature seems to be acting strangely lately.

The Season of Mums

Birch leaves on the mat

Now I've been playing in the woods since I was a kid and I have NEVER seen these milkweed beetles before.  Like I said, even nature seems to be acting strangely lately.  Does anyone know what they are?  I'll have to google it.  It's a milkweed bug nymph.  Who knew?

The maple leaves are changing early this year.

The ubiquitous, invasive Japanese Knotweed

Goldenrod has a bad rep as a trigger for hayfever, but the color is spectacular.

Even the knotweed can put on fall colors.

Another unexpected phenomena: cabbage worms in the fall.  Usually the moths lay their eggs on tender young cabbages and broccoli in early summer.  This summer was free of cabbage worms, till now.  Go figure.