The curtains have closed on the fall production put on by the big trees, but some of the smaller ones decided to put on their own show. Whoever was in charge of wardrobe design for this production sure picked some striking color combinations. I was also impressed by the lighting, which really brought out some of the technical details of the sets and choreography. I can’t wait to see what they can pull off next season.
Bittersweet is an adjective, meaning “both pleasant and painful or regretful“.
Bittersweet is also the name of a woody vine that is recognizable for its brightly colored berries. In the summer, they ripen to bright yellow. In the fall, however, the yellow berry husks open up to reveal a bright red berry.
These cheerful red and yellow berries really catch the eye in the largely bleak gray post-foliage late fall landscape. These are some bittersweet berries I’ve passed on my morning walks.
While there is a species of bittersweet that is native to North America (where I live), the variety I tend to see originates in Asia. It is not only non-native, but is considered to be highly invasive. And sadly, as was revealed when the foliage fell, the vines of this plant can strangle trees.
Seeing the way the vines appear to dig deeply into the tree bark, it looks as if this slow strangulation has been going on for quite some time. Many seasons, and perhaps even many years.
So while I can appreciate the beautiful looks of the berries, I can’t help but feel rather sad about the fate of the trees these vines choose as hosts.
Bittersweet, indeed.
We woke up to a bit of frost outside this morning. As I started my walk with the dog, a number of leaves caught my eye, sparkling in the sunlight. I’ve found it hard to capture subtle sparkling with my iPhone camera (at least without spending more time playing with apps than the dog is comfortable waiting) so I can’t share share the sparkle. I did also appreciate the way in which many of the leaves on the ground were delicately outlined in white frost, giving them the appearance of an illustration.
I took a few photos of these frosty leaves as we started the walk, but as it was a bright sunny morning, the frost didn’t last long.
Current mood: shrivelled and slightly prickly.
The photo above is one I took a couple of days ago of a rosehip in a bush that I pass on my daily walks with my dog. I still found the little fruit photogenic, even though it clearly had left behind the rosy days of its youth. (For comparison, this is a photo of a rosehip from the same bush taken in August. See how plump and chipper it looks? It was probably just as prickly back then, but the thorns were masked by the lush green leaves of youth.)
I’m feeling rather shrivelled myself after a very long day. (Including 3-hour town meeting that only wrapped after 10 p.m. It was long, but I’m still thankful to have a functioning democracy.) I’m also feeling rather prickly for a variety of reasons that I don’t need to get into.
I know I tend to post bits of fluff these days, but it’s a coping mechanism. There is so much going on in the world that has me beyond worried. (The climate crisis. Human rights abuses. Threats to democracy near and far. To name a few.)
As a case in point, it’s heartbreaking to see how repressive the Hong Kong police and government have become. From what I have read, life there has become completely transformed for the residents of this vibrant city in the past few (or many) months.
If you’re interested in a firsthand perspective on what’s been happening in Hong Kong, please visit YTSL at Webs of Significance. See, for example, her musings on the recent events and protests or this post from earlier this week. I appreciate her detailed and heartfelt updates.
In other news, I was happy to see that the US Senate voiced support for Hong Kong protesters, and the House before this. (At least the US Senate is making a show of supporting freedom and democracy, even though I am concerned about how these are being undermined here in the US.)
I expect that I’ll be back to posting light content tomorrow.
I came pretty close to forgetting to post today. But I figured I could find some sort of fluff to share. These are a few photos of fluffy late fall plants that have gone to seed. (I know the middle one is milkweed, but I don’t have names for the others.)
For whatever reason, I enjoy the iconography of signs, and find myself including them in many of my photos. I especially enjoy seeing the varied signs in other countries. Often the meaning is clear, or at least familiar. Other times, the signs are more cryptic and I can only guess at the meaning. And still other times, I enjoy just making up the meaning for the sign. (And hope that the sign I’m chortling about isn’t warning me of my impending demise.)
Since I’m on a roll with my photos from last June’s trip to Poland, I’m sharing a few photos from that trip.
First is one of my favorites: No parking in this tree. 
I read this sign below as a general exclamation. Whether of alarm or enthusiasm, I can’t be sure. (Google translate tells me that “wyjazd z budowy” means “departure from construction,” which doesn’t enormously clarify for me. Perhaps it is just a diversionary tactic.)
This sign in Warsaw clearly means “look up at that cool tower.”
Next we have a neatly stacked display of signs. The top one, clearly, indicates that yellow squares should be displayed at a jaunty angle. Below that is an public service message to keep a wide stance and swing your arms while walking. The meaning of the yellow sign below, though, isn’t completely clear to me. It appears to be a person holding some sort of object. 
AT first I thought it was a girl with a pony tail, wearing a dress, and holding a balloon. But on closer inspection, I think it may be a bald man struck in the back of the head with some unknown object, wearing hammerpants. But I have no idea what the object in his hand is.
This sign in my hotel is Poznan is a weather forecast that must at least be right on occasion. (Fine, it means “elevators.”)
Finally, this sign was for a convenience store. Obviously, it is aimed at cornering the market on frog supplies. I’m not sure whether the intended patrons are frogs, or just people who like frogs. In any case, this is a very happy looking frog.
And now it’s after 11, and I can barely hold my eyes open. I will read this as an unambiguous sign that I should not park my frog in any trees. (Or that I should get to bed.)
My blog is 13 years old today. With this, it officially becomes a teenager. It’s hard to know what to get your blog. Really, I’d love to spend more time with it. Maybe reminisce about old posts and the halcyon days of the blogging community. Maybe spend some quality time composing posts with a bit of substance, or maybe a creative writing project. But as is apparently my mantra, I don’t have time for that today. So I’m getting my blog what I usually get it: a few photos I’d been saving. These particular ones are wrapped up in my ongoing thematic train of thought.
Here are several photos I took of balloons during my June 2018 trip to Poland.
This brightly-colored bunch of balloons drew my eye in the Old Town square in Poznań. I enjoyed the contrast of the regal renaissance buildings and the garish contemporary pop culture balloons.
Colorful stripes abound.
This stylish woman (whether a balloon enthusiast or a balloon vendor) was not to be overshadowed by her bunch in her vibrant hot pink dress.
And finally, this photo was not from my trip to Poland, nor of balloons. But I’d hate for my blog to think I hadn’t remembered the cake.
Happy birthday, dear blog.
I was hoping that posting daily again would bring some ideas to light. For a start, I had the idea to look for some photos of light. I found this one, which I think shows that some spiders had a pretty bright idea (if spiders can be said to have ideas).
If these aren’t examples of effective web design, I don’t know what is.
collecting tokens 