It's That Yellow Season Time of Year With a few Sweet Surprises

Rabbitbrush - US Forest Service

I started to notice things around here the other day in the way of colour out in the wilds and also in people's yards that reminded me of home. Well, not in San Diego, but up in the San Jacinto Mountains. It's when the predominant colour in nature that stands out in striking contrast to everything else is yellow. The high desert plants like Golden Rabbit Brush which contrast beautifully with the silver Sagebrush habitat surrounding them. Rabbit Brush always liked the drier locations around chaparral communities.

Golden Rod by Joe Lampl

The native Golden Rod around the San Jacinto Mountains was always in association with wetter meadows of Garner Valley where you'd see it around the fringes or up along the stream banks of Hamilton Creek within the Burnt Valley area of Anza. It's always making an appearance some time around late August on through September and October.

BOX ELDER in Fall colour by cnpsci.org

The other outstanding yellow was mostly a multitrunked shrubby looking tree called by the common name like Box Elder (Acer negundo californicum) which has a beautiful striking fall colour of rich golden orange-yellow. Best places to look for this were at the Jct of Hwy 74 &  Spring Crest Drive (Red Skelton's old residence) looking up at the location of the Spring where the water tanks are located for serving this community. Driving up Morris Ranch Road to Trails End from Hwy 74 from Garner Valley and along the right hand side down in the creek bottom is loaded with Box Elder. Also driving down Bautista Canyon from Anza to Hemet CA.

But yesterday I took photos of the Swedish version of the Yellow Season. Every September 1st here is like someone closed a door and opening another one and that is almost exactly how the weather turns here. Autumn starts way earlier here than over in California where I originate. Cooler, often times colder weather sets in with windy days, like yesterday when I took the photos. It's a sort of sad time of year because for me the winter seems the most dominant season. Okay, well first off there was a giant stand of the Swedish native example of Golden Rod which appears every year in my neighbour's backyard.

Golden Rod view from my Dining Room Window

Photo: Mine

I thought this was a Bee at first until closer inspection reveals a Fly (eine Fliege). Most of the insects are out getting their last gaps of life and liquid nectar before it all withers away.

Photo: Mine

This flower bed was at the corner of a friend's apartment house. Though this is the season of deep golden mustard yellows, there are a number of other colours that actually hang on and truly look like they are in their prime. Many will recognize this Sedum which grows terrific here all year before dying to the ground only to spring back every year. Then there were other surprises like this series of Nightshade photos of both the berries and flowers which made up a rather large and long Hedge Row.

Photo: Mine

This rather large hedge had been hacked and trimmed I presume by the landscapers, but they left these three beautiful objects which caught my sight. And I wasn't even looking for them. So I couldn't resist taking the shots.

There were other out off topic surprises which caught my eye and here they are. This first one looks to be a green coloured coneflower of Echinacea fame or perhaps some type of Gaillardia  or Blanket Flower and the other being Rose hips from a wild woodland rose I pass by on way to the Trolley Stop.

Photo: Mine

Wild Woodland Rose Hips

I have several other shots, but I want to retake them as it was super windy and poured rain not long after that. Typical !!! I'll post them here sometime later this week. Thanks for stopping.