Goodbye to Summer

The end of summer is always a bittersweet time for me: while I do love the cool, crisp days of fall, I'm just not that fond of winter. The winter skies in Kentucky are gray and cloudy much of the time, and since we don't usually have much snow, everything else is just dirty brown. It's such a contrast to the lush growth of the other three seasons, which spoil us with rich emerald greens and golds, purples, pinks, oranges, and reds. Maybe it's because I'm a teacher, but winter just seems to last forever!
At this time of year, the plants appear determined to put on one big final show. It's like they're saying, "Uh-oh, we're running out of time- better set some seeds right now!" The blooms burst forth in a profusion of mostly purple and yellow, and it's easy to be lulled into the belief that summer will never end. Here are some photos of the wildflowers of late summer, taken in Lewis County, Kentucky. I hope you enjoy them!



These three are either Downy Lobelia (Lobelia puberula) or Great Blue Lobelia (Lobelia spihilitica), or some of each.


Heal-all (Prunella vulgaris)


Joe-pye weed and Ironweed


Joe-pye weed (Eupatorium fistulosum)


Ironweed (Vernonia gigantica)


Tune in next time for more wildflowers!