Wednesday, October 1, 2014

A Second Look--October 1, 2014

Here are a few things I saw this week 
during a Second Look.

By the time I got outside this week for a Second Look, dusk was approaching. Consequently, it was hard for me to get many good pictures with my unsteady hands and point and shoot camera. Nevertheless, I enjoyed my look.


It's easy to see from this balloon flower bud why it is called a balloon flower.


This is the first mum so far to bloom.


As the mums are beginning to bloom, the sedum is turning darker red while some has already turned brown.


Japanese Maple. Most of our maple trees produce seeds during the early summer. However, the Japanese maple produces them in the early fall.


Poke berries--a favorite of many birds and animals.


Praying mantis hiding in the grass. I've wondered why some praying mantises are green and some are brown. After a bit of research, I couldn't find a definitive answer. In our area, we have several different kinds, and apparently different kinds have different coloring. One site said that if there is good moisture, they are green and if it is dry, they are brown. Another said that as they age they turn from green to brown.