Lost and Found: SD Card Corruption

I have always enjoyed taking pictures. My father introduced me to SLR cameras years ago and I have many colour slides of people and of places I have visited. Film and developing had a cost attached so we were more careful in shooting as one had to pay for the good and bad pictures.

Digital cameras have changed that! I am able to shoot 100 pictures in a day and keep only 25 without cost concern. I have taken a couple of thousand pictures this year and had about 400 of them on the SD memory card in my camera. These were some of my favourite shots and while they had been downloaded to my computer, they were not yet backed up. On Saturday we spent much of the day at the market with my brother and his family and there were about fifty new pictures from this outing on the 2 GB card.

I proceeded to download my new pictures and received the message, "No images on card". Impossible! I knew there were hundreds of photos that had not been deleted. Melissa from Empress of Dirt wrote a timely post last week about some freeware that successfully found pictures she had accidentally deleted from her memory card. I downloaded the software but it would not run on my system. But thanks to her I knew a solution was possible.

The next stop was Walmart where I put the card in a photo machine. No images! The young clerk told me my card was corrupted and those pictures were lost.

He did not know me...I do not give up easily.

I bought a card reader, which I should have had in the first place, and searched the internet again for a solution. A program called PhotoRescue allowed me to download a trial version to search for my pictures and then required payment to retrieve them on my hard drive. Amazing! In 10 minutes it located 480 pictures and I happily paid $29 to keep the program. There was no loss of quality to the images.


Forensic experts have tools which can find files which have been deleted from hard drives, voice mail systems and memory devices. A while ago our voice mail system at work was upgraded and messages deleted months before reappeared on the new message box. Beware! Electronic evidence is not removed as easily as paper is shredded in a machine.

I hope I do not have to use my "forensic software" again, but have it ready if my SD card becomes corrupted again. I have reformatted it and also bought another card. This list of memory card do's and don'ts was on the internet at this site. I broke about half of these rules regularly but will change the way I use my memory devices in the future.

From the website Digital Inspiration:

Here are some tips that may prevent memory cards from getting corrupt and prolong their life as well:

» As far as possible, use brands recommended by the camera manufacturers.

» Never turn off the digital camera while photos are being transferred to the PC or vice versa.

» It is always advisable to reformat camera cards at regular intervals depending on how frequently you use the digital camera.

» Use the camera controls itself to reformat the memory card, don't do this via your computer.

» Do not switch to the View (or Play mode) while the picture is still being written to the disk.

» Do not shoot the next photograph while the previous one is still being written or saved to card's memory.

» Make sure your camera batteries are properly charged. Shooting images with a low battery may sometimes cause problems. If the camera batteries fail while the image is being written, your card may get corrupt.

» Weird but true - Don't delete files from the Memory card using Windows Explorer. Either use the Camera controls or the photo management software supplied by the Camera vendor.

» If the memory card is showing problems frequently, it's probably time to invest in a new memory card before disaster strikes (again).

» Never eject the memory card while the camera is till ON.

» Do not use the same memory card is different cameras.

PS: Memory cards in the story above refer to all storage media formats including Memory Stick, Secure Digital [SD Cards] or even CompactFlash.

Old Order Mennonite Horse Auction

Old Order Mennonites selling flowers

Our area has some of the best year round farmers' markets found anywhere. I like the Byward Market in Ottawa ON, but other than that have not seen anything that comes close to the markets in Waterloo, ON. A large Mennonite population lives in the region and their farms are often mixed, self sufficient operations. They offer a wide variety of produce, homemade foods, flowers and crafts at the markets. Other area farmers and growers from the Niagara Region sell seasonal fruits and vegetables and more food stands from other cultures are appearing each year. In one of the indoor buildings one can find a large variety of meats, fish and cheese. The St. Jacob's Market is on the same property as the Ontario Stock Exchange and livestock auctions occur a couple of times a week. We used to watch the auctions and walk the catwalk high above the stalls, but the public can no longer enter since mad cow disease appeared in Canada. A large flea market features outdoor and indoor vendors and you can find everything you need as well as plenty of things you didn't know you needed.

Slideshow of market images

I have gone to this market for years, and this weekend an off day horse auction was held with many Old Order Mennonites in attendance. A large track outside the auction barn was set up with various wagons and carts so a buyer could try out a horse before or after purchase. It was like test driving a car at a dealership. A light drizzle was falling most of the time, but that did not deter these farmers. All kinds of horses, from ponies to working stock were hitched up and taken for a ride.

Pony cart drivers

These youngsters handled the pony cart with expertiese. I have more pictures of Mennonite children in the slideshow as many came to this market with their families. Grade school aged boys and girls sold flowers and vegetables capably giving change for purchases made. All the children are well disciplined and assume adult like responsibility at an early age.

I am very sure our markets are the best but would love to hear of others that you think are worth visiting.

Friday Flowers: Mums the Word

Mystery Pots - June 11 ( Neil's Pictures)

Neil is my husband's co-worker. He loves photography and has a natural curiosity that leads him to good photo opportunities. They work in a rural area north of the city where there are many Mennonite farms. Neil noticed these pots and the interesting irrigating system as he drove to work last June and had no idea what they were.

Mystery Pots - Aug 21 (Neil's Pictures)

He took this picture of the same field in August. There appears to be another crop in the foreground but the pots are visible in rows, now full and green but not yet identified.

Mystery Solved - Sept 10 (Neil's Pictures)

He posted this picture recently on his Flickr site showing chrysanthemums in full bloom, filling the field with beautiful colour. So that is how they grow them around here!

Pots of fall mums were set out for sale yesterday at one of our local farmers' markets. I have purchased several over the years and have planted some of them in my garden where they come up season after season. If you cut them back by half on the first of July, they produce many more blooms in September and October. These frost hardy plants add colour to my autumn garden but are also very effective placed in pots on a deck or porch.

Perhaps I shall buy a new colour or variety this year.

And thanks to Neil for letting me use his pictures.

All the birds had fled...(almost)

Autumn is well established even though the days continue to be warm and sunny. Bird songs have changed and the woods echo with Chickadee and Nuthatch notes accompanied by the drumming of Woodpeckers. The Cardinal's cheep is heard in the berry bushes and crows caw overhead. Male Red-winged Blackbirds started flocking in early August and were gone by the middle of the month, the females following soon after. Each week since another familiar bird has gone missing.

Female Ruby-throated Hummingbird

Male Ruby-throated Hummingbirds also leave ahead of the females. This lady was perched on a branch near the river last week but she too was on the move south. I have seen a number of migrant warblers including Black and White, Nashville and Canada Warblers in the past few days.

Juvenile Flycatcher, identity uncertain

I took this picture of a juvenile Flycatcher of some sort. Bird identification in the fall can be very challenging with adult breeding feathers gone and young birds still in dull colours. The tree was full of these Flycatchers one noon hour last week with at least fifteen of them perched and resting in the branches.

Blue Jay with a caterpillar

Blue Jays are found here all year round but I seldom see them. I don't know if their numbers are decreasing. I used to have them visit my feeders in the winter, particularly for peanuts, but have not had one around the house for a long time. This week I found a flock of them close to dusk as they chattered and feasted on caterpillars on the limbs of one tree. They must engage in some migration activity and perhaps our winter jays are a different population than our summer residents.

Pied-billed Grebe

Over the next few weeks migrating ducks will rest in our local rivers and ponds. The tiny and plain coloured Pied-billed Grebe blended in with the muddy banks of a reservoir in the city this month. Some ducks and raptors will be spending the winter here, coming from the far north to our relatively mild weather. Bufflehead, Goldeneye and Common Merganser ducks are common from November to March and Bald Eagles and various owls will be here in the same time period. The arrival of Tree Sparrows, Juncos, Crossbills and Redpolls will let us know that winter is just around the corner.

It seems that all the birds have fled, but really we are just going through a changing of the guard in the forests, waterways and meadows.

Old People

Seek out old people. When you find some, give them joy.

Listen closely. Be useful. Bring the gift of yourself.

Be voluntary. Visit with magic.

Try playing their game. Let wisdom seep in.

Cradle your own future old person. Be gentle. Listen closely.

Pay attention to an old person. The treasures will be revealed.


from Sark, A Creative Companion

I have this quote posted on the bulletin board beside my desk at work and love its simplicity and wisdom. I work with "old people", some of whom are really very young in spirit and others who are truly ancient.

I have been looking for some old people to photograph as an illustration for this post. A white haired lady was walking her dog in the park but when she turned around she appeared vibrant and healthy and not old at all.

One of my friends will be 80 next year. He writes on my Facebook wall frequently and keeps in touch with people all around the world. He has a bounce in his step and an interest in everything and everyone around him. Is he old? I think not!



This couple brought their lawn chairs to the park and were sitting in the afternoon sun at the edge of the little lake. They were old but not retired from enjoying life as they watched the ducks and geese and children around them.

Here is another quote from Sark that defines old in a "new"way...

The opposite of old is not young. The opposite of old is new.

So as we do and feel new things, we can never be “old.”

(Unless we wish to be.)

Summer's Last Sunset

Autumnal Equinox Eve 2008

"Autumn begins with a subtle change in the light,
with skies a deeper blue, and nights that
become suddenly clear and chilled.
The season comes full with the first frost,
the disappearance of migrant birds,
and the harvesting of the season's last crops."

Glenn Wolff and Jerry Dennis

Early fall colour

Youth is like spring,
an over praised season more remarkable
for biting winds than genial breezes.
Autumn is the mellower season,
and what we lose in flowers we more than gain in fruits.

Samuel Butler

New Butterfly!

I have been watching large groups of Monarch butterflies gathering together amongst the wildflowers in the meadow over the past week. Our three Monarchs have been slow to eclose and today, three weeks to the day that the caterpillar shed its skin for the last time, the first one appeared. The other two will be three weeks old on Monday and I expect they will not eclose before then.

Photos by Becka....Click image to enlarge

This morning the chrysalis looked completely black. My cousin Samuel could not believe how small the chrysalis was. My photos have shown them much larger than they actually are. It is hard to believe such a large butterfly could unfold from such a small space. The Becka took the pictures of the butterfly from the time it came out and during the time it took to pump its wings open and elongate its thorax. The whole process took less than ten minutes.


The butterfly is still hanging and will not be ready to fly for a while. I gave Samuel one chrysalis and still have one left at home. Perhaps I will catch it on video next time if I am lucky.

Friday Flowers: Noxious Weeds?

Painted Lady on Spotted Knapweed

About an hour west of our home is an area known as the West Perth Wetlands. The town of Mitchell transformed their old sewage lagoons into a series of ponds which attract large numbers of waterbirds especially during spring and fall migration. The surrounding meadows and woodlands are connected by a trail that extends into the town and along the Thames River.

West Perth Wetlands

It is a lovely area for walking and for birding. On a recent visit there we saw hundreds of shorebirds on the muddy flats. I became thoroughly confused while trying to identify juveniles and birds in non-breeding plumage. A flock of Bobolinks were in the thistles and weeds and because the males look far different than the ones I saw this summer, I did not know what they were until I downloaded my pictures.

Orange Sulphur on Spotted Knapweed

It was much easier to identify the many butterflies that were about that day. The preferred bloom was Spotted Knapweed, a non-native plant considered invasive especially in Western Canada. These plants in this family are copious nectar producers are are favoured in some areas by honey producers.

Seabrooke of The Marvelous in Nature wrote a recent post in defence of Purple Loosestrife called the Purple Monster. She pointed out that many invasive plants gain a foot hold due to human activity in highly disturbed areas. Her post is well worth reading to gain perspective on both sides of the coin of this issue.

Monarch on Spotted Knapweed

I do not have the knowledge to argue whether or not Spotted Knapweed is a significant invader in North America. The butterflies in these pictures have no concerns about the source of the nectar they are enjoying.

American Lady on a Butterfly Bush bloom

Near the parking lot a number of Butterfly Bushes had been planted along with Highbush Cranberry, Dogwood and other native shrubs. The Butterfly Bush (buddleia davidii) is an import from China and is considered an invasive plant in West Vancouver. But it is frequently recommended as a planting for butterfly gardens. The bushes at West Perth were covered in butterflies of different species.

American Lady and Milbert's Tortoiseshell on a Butterfly Bush bloom

Seabrook states in her post, "There’s no shortage of invasive species; Invasive.org lists 694 exotic plant and 228 non-native insect species on their website as well as 43 other organisms."

Invasive plants or not, I enjoyed their blooms and their visitors. And I applaud the efforts of those who have transformed the sewage ponds into an important nature area.

Overdue

Day 18

The chrysalis is becoming more transparent
and soon will appear to be black.
The butterfly should eclose soon.
I do hope to see it happen!
(click to enlarge photo)

(Seabrooke just wrote an interesting post on Monarchs here)

Newfie Fries and Other Interesting Foods

Many Newfoundlanders live in the province of Ontario. They continue to identify with their homeland and are fiercely proud of their heritage no matter how long they have been here. Newfoundland entered into Canada in 1949 as the newest province. Many of its residents are of Irish and Scottish ancestry and the dialect, music and cuisine reflect this connection to some degree. Potatoes and fish are staple foods for sure.

Close to the hospital on an empty lot stands an old "Chip Wagon". It is actually a trailer and the flag of Newfoundland flies proudly above it. One of my patients who had been in hospital for three months following surgery made this the destination of her first trip to the outside world. I drive by the stand every day but have never been inclined to stop for a meal.

The Becka severely limits her intake of sugar, dairy and wheat during ragweed allergy season but had a craving for some french fries one evening. We decided to have some real french fries, not the fake, factory moulded items sold in fast food restaurants. The trailer menu was interesting. Newfie fries came with gravy, peas and stuffing! Poutine, the French Canadian artery clogging delight, came with cheese curds and gravy. And the most trendy option was nacho fries with sour cream and salsa. We settled for a small order of plain fries which ended up being large enough to feed a family of four. But the potatoes were real and they were hot, crisp and delicious. We hid incognito under a large multi-coloured umbrella and enjoyed the treat.

Most cultures have a signature dish and we all enjoy comfort foods that tend to be tasty if not the most healthy for us. Earlier this week, Laura from Somewhere in NJ posted a meme called the Omnivore's Hundred. Many of the foods are ethnic specialities. Here it is with my results. I have added some comments in italics. What are your favourite comfort and ethnic foods??

The Omnivore’s Hundred:

1) Copy this list into your blog or journal, including these instructions.
2) Bold all the items you’ve eaten.
3) Cross out any items that you would never consider eating.

1. Venison
2. Nettle tea -a patient brought me a big bag of nettles…not bad
3. Huevos rancheros
4. Steak tartare -have you seen Mr Bean hide his steak tartare?
5. Crocodile – well it was Alligator, but only once!
6. Black pudding
7. Cheese fondue- I still have a fondue pot
8. Carp
9. Borscht
10. Baba ghanoush -eggplant is my “iff-iest” vegetable
11. Calamari
12. Pho – one of our favourite Thai take out items
13. PB&J sandwich

14. Aloo gobi - I love this dish! Recipe on my other blog…
15. Hot dog from a street cart
16. Epoisses
17. Black truffle
18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes
19. Steamed pork buns
20. Pistachio ice cream
21. Heirloom tomatoes
22. Fresh wild berries
23. Foie gras
24. Rice and beans
25. Brawn, or head cheese
26. Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper
27. Dulce de leche
28. Oysters
29. Baklava
30. Bagna cauda
31. Wasabi peas
32. Clam chowder in a sourdough bowl
33. Salted lassi
34. Sauerkraut
35. Root beer float -I hate root beer
36. Cognac with a fat cigar
37. Clotted cream tea- I think this an error. You eat clotted cream with your scones and fruit at tea
38. Vodka jelly/Jell-O
39. Gumbo
40. Oxtail – Mom often made oxtail soup
41. Curried goat- pretty standard fare at Indian buffets
42. Whole insects
43. Phaal
44. Goat’s milk
45. Malt whisky from a bottle worth £60/$120 or more
46. Fugu
47. Chicken tikka masala
48. Eel
49. Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut -once
50. Sea urchin
51. Prickly pear
52. Umeboshi
53. Abalone
54. Paneer- Delicious Indian cheese
55. McDonald’s Big Mac Meal

56. Spaetzle
57. Dirty gin martini
58. Beer above 8% ABV
59. Poutine
60. Carob chips
61. S’mores
62. Sweetbreads
63. Kaolin
64. Currywurst
65. Durian
66. Frogs’ legs
67. Beignets, churros, elephant ears or funnel cake -or “Beaver Tails” at the Byward Market in Ottawa Ontario
68. Haggis
69. Fried plantain
70. Chitterlings, or andouillette
71. Gazpacho
72. Caviar and blini
73. Louche absinthe
74. Gjetost, or brunost
75. Roadkill
76. Baijiu
77. Hostess Fruit Pie
78. Snail -sounds better when called “escargot”
79. Lapsang souchong -tea lover that I am
80. Bellini
81. Tom yum- I made this yesterday but the chili pepper was very HOT!
82. Eggs Benedict
83. Pocky
84. Tasting menu at a three-Michelin-star restaurant.
85. Kobe beef
86. Hare
87. Goulash
88. Flowers
89. Horse
90. Criollo chocolate
91. Spam
92. Soft shell crab
93. Rose harissa
94. Catfish (this is on the list twice)
95. Mole poblano

96. Bagel and lox
97. Lobster Thermidor
98. Polenta
99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee
100. Snake

Postscript: My nephew Alex did not think I had enough disgusting food on the list so he has added some of his "favourites". The links are not for the faint of heart or stomach!

None of this stuff is particularly gross, so I’ll add some:

Kopi Luwak ,Casu Marzu ,Balut ,Escamoles ,Lutefisk ,Rover ,Bugs! .And last but not least – Ortolan

Mid-September Morning

It is hard to believe September is half gone. Most mornings have been cool and some have been to the point of frost in outlying rural areas. The earth is still warm, the dew is heavy, and mist rises from the river early in the day.

My feet are soaked as I cross the lawn to pick raspberries for breakfast. The fall harvest of this fruit produces the biggest and sweetest berries.


The Monarch butterfly chrysalis is sixteen days old now. Wings are even more visible through the green shell but this group of three is slow to eclose. They need to start on their southern journey before it gets much colder.


Another butterfly drinks from moisture beads on a leaf. I seldom see an Eastern Comma and this one is reluctant to open its wings.


Finally it gives a salute to the morning sun before it flutters away.

Our local newspaper published this story on Monarch butterflies on September 13, 2008. The link is here, but as links quickly go dead, I will copy the text below.

Monarch butterflies TheRecord.com - Life - Monarch butterflies

Everything you need to know to look like you know about...

Valerie Hill
RECORD STAFF

Among the insect group known as lepidoptera is the monarch butterfly that this month embarks on an incredible 5,000-kilometre journey to wintering grounds in Mexico, sometimes flying more than a kilometre above the Earth.

Four life stages (metamorphosis): egg, caterpillar, chrysalis and finally butterfly.

Stage one: Butterflies sip flower nectar but caterpillars only eat milkweed. A female will search for a healthy milkweed plant on which it will lay one egg on one leaf, up to several hundred in an area.

Stage two: Caterpillars emerge from eggs in three to 12 days and undergo five stages of growth known as instars. Caterpillars have a tough exterior called an exoskeleton and as it grows, this exoskeleton splits, sheds and is consumed by the caterpillar. By the time the fifth moulting takes place, a chemical reaction within the caterpillar creates a lovely green skin with gold dots that hardens into a chrysalis.

Stage three: The chrysalis is the pupating stage, where the monarch transforms from caterpillar to butterfly. Attached to the bottom of a milkweed leaf, this stage lasts two weeks with the chrysalis eventually becoming transparent.

Stage four: The monarch emerges as a fully formed butterfly, though it must inflate its wings by pumping fluid which is aided by gravity given the butterfly is hanging upside down under the leaf.

Summer butterfly: The so-called summer butterflies live two to five weeks and do not migrate; rather their purpose is to mate and lay eggs, often several times during a lifespan. As the weather cools and the days shorten, a chemical reaction occurs triggering the last summer generation of caterpillars to emerge as migrating butterflies, with a life span of up to eight months and no interest in breeding.

Mexican holiday: Canada has two populations of monarchs: eastern and western, both with different migratory patterns. The eastern population, anything east of the Rocky Mountains, overwinters in fir trees in a remote area of Mexico, while remaining largely inactive. Researchers studying the population fly overhead, photographing small sections from which they estimate numbers based on density and distribution. Unfortunately, the monarchs' numbers are shrinking, from 20 hectares just a few years ago to last year's estimate of 4.6 hectares, due to diminishing habit, pesticides, herbicides and illegal logging in Mexico.

The milkweed run: Mexico lacks milkweed so in March or early April, monarchs leave for Texas where there is plentiful milkweed for egg laying. Several generations of monarchs will hatch, pupate, emerge then lay eggs as they re-colonize North America. eventually spreading into southern Canada.

Technology Tortoise

A local city park we visit has a small zoo and one pen features a South African tortoise with a number of rabbits and guinea pigs. The sign on the fence reads "The Tortoise and Hare". We watched the tortoise doing deliberate laps around the perimeter of the enclosure while the rabbits (not hares) burrowed and nibbled on greens.

When it comes to technology, I am a tortoise with the newer toys. I have never had an iPod even though there are a number of them floating around the house. Our daughters have received free iPods for opening bank accounts and buying computers but I have never understood the appeal of walking about with headphones on. I like to listen to the sounds of nature on my walks and think earphones are unsafe in a car. (Do you notice the people who do not hear an approaching siren on the roadway?) One of my patients who is in her late 70's was listening to an iPod at her bedside recently. Her husband had programmed it for her and I was very impressed with their youthful attitude.


I purchased a new laptop a year and a half ago with Windows Vista OS installed. The computer is not compatible with the printer that came with it, nor my relatively new Canon scanner, even though I have installed upgraded software. I have to reinstall my printer software every time I use the printer. Recently the computer has decided to crash rather frequently...click...black screen...all is lost. I have logged over 200 such crashes in the past few weeks with as many as eight in a row during rebooting. We used Apple computers until I purchased my first PC laptop for work in 2000. I no longer need a laptop since I resigned from my community job, so it is time to return to Apple.

We welcomed two new MacBooks into the family last week and each came with a bonus iPod Touch. I can check my email and browse the internet wherever there is a WiFi signal and do not need to subscribe to a service. I am able to add pictures, videos and more songs than I can listen to. I have decided I really like this little gadget now that it is personalized with my favourite images and music. Mind you, The Becka had to provide some coaching assistance with the set up. The unit comes without an instruction booklet and says only to "plug into your computer and follow the directions on the screen". Well those directions were rather vague to say the least.

This tortoise is on the move! Maybe I will even catch up with my children one of these days. Maybe not, but I am still in the race.

Weather Wisdom

Clouds from Ike approach SW Ontario

Most everyone in North America followed the colourful and dramatic satellite images of Hurricane Ike as it approached the coast of Texas this weekend. The giant storm had already caused much damage in the Caribbean (under-reported by the media in my opinion). We are waiting for the remnants of Ike to pass directly over us this evening with lots of rainfall promised and flood advisories in place.

Weather forecasting has always been of interest to people, especially to those who farmed and fished for a living. Severe weather brings severe consequences, especially to the unprepared. In the past, observations of the natural world led to the creation of many weather proverbs and sayings that were passed down from generation to generation. Some have merit, and some are just silly.

David Phillips, Senior Climatologist at Environment Canada compiled a list of "more reliable" weather proverbs at this site. Here are some samples to go along with the pictures I took today.

When the forest murmurs and the mountain roars,
Then close your windows and shut your doors.

When leaves show their undersides, be very sure that rain betides.

When the night goes to bed with a fever, it will awake with a wet head.

When clouds look like black smoke a wise man will put on his cloak.

When sea-gulls fly to land, a storm is at hand.

When the ditch and pond offend the nose,
Then look out for rain and stormy blows.

If bees stay at home, rain will soon come,
If they flay away, fine will be the day.

When evening comes, you say,
"It will be fair weather for the sky is red"
and in the morning
"Today it will be stormy, for the sky is red and overcast"...
Matthew 16:2,3

An Osprey waits for the storm

Friday Flowers: Closing for the Season

The trails I walk are lined with wildflowers closing their heads and going to seed at the end of the summer. The showy blooms of Queen Anne's Lace have been centre stage in the meadows for weeks now but are responding to change of season, the shortening hours of sunlight and the cool evening air.


Wild oats have grown year after year on this land that used to be part of a farm. Heavy seeded heads droop among the clover. I remember collecting oats like these from a friend's farm when I was eight or nine years old. My brother and I crushed the individual seeds with a rock to make "rolled oats" which we gave to our mother for the porridge pot. I couldn't resist crushing a seed for my daughter.


Not everything is closing though. Some flowers bloom in the cool weather and survive the early frosts of fall. Autumn Joy Sedum is opening in my garden and bees are attracted in large numbers to the blossoms. This bee's pollen sacks are full as it prepares for the arrival of winter.

Woodland Sunflowers are at their peak and the bright blooms of the tall plants catch the sun's lowering rays in the afternoon.


New England Asters are native perennial wild flowers that add bright blue and purple colour to the yellows and oranges of the autumn season. They are just now staging a fall opening and will bloom well into October. By then, the season for all flowers will be closed until the long winter has passed.