Radio question of the day: You can change this 293 ways, but it would still be essentially the same thing.
You should see the beautiful autumn we are having in Pennsylvania. It's always beautiful, but this year it's not just that the trees are beautiful, the weather is also beautiful.
Yesterday my husband Niks and I drove out to Hershey and beyond to Annville, just to see the leaves. Well, and to eat. Niks doesn't go far without eating. That guy.
On my morning walk in the park today I realized that we are at our peak as they say about the leaves in this part of the world. The leaves have changed to red and gold and orange, but they are still mostly on the trees. The grass is still a bright green. Add in the evergreen trees that abound here, and you have a lovely scene.
I just noticed Ginkgo trees this year. They are the closest thing in appearance that we have to quaking aspen trees. Quaking aspens grow only in the west I think, and always in groups. They have wonderful white bark and round leaves the size of fifty-cent pieces (if you can remember those). In the fall the quaking aspens' leaves turn a brilliant yellow and shimmer like gold in the breeze. The amazing thing about them is that what appears to be a grove of 40 or 50 trees is actually one organism. One of the largest organisms in the world is an 80-acre quaking aspen grove in British Columbia. A grove of quaking aspens trees is one plant whose many trunks are connected by a unified system of roots. That's how they multiply.
Ginkgo trees don't multiply that way. There are male and female ginkgo trees. I'm sorry to report that the female ginkgo is a bit high-maintenance. It produces a fruit that has an awful odor. I know that some of you are rolling your eyes and thinking "just like a woman." You guys. Don't go there. You were once a smelly little fruit yourself. Some of you still are.
Answer to the question of the day: There are 293 ways to make change for a dollar.
29 comments:
The youth of today couldn't make change to save their lives. Take away the cash register or calulator and they are doomed.
An 80 acre organism. That is incredibly cool!
lol, love the gingko analogies!
I was thinking the same thing about the leaves as I drove home today. I feel like I should grab a camera and forget everything else that I need to do today ...
I loved watching the leaves change this year. For some reason I really noticed this year while it was happening. Unfortunately, the storms that blew through here this weekend took most of the leaves off the trees. But the roads sure look good now! :)
Woof! The Devil has many forms.
wow, Lucy, pat yourself on the back for me! you actually taught me something!! not only about trees, but about change! ;-)
BoUnCeS!! LibbY!
I'm still laughing, TLP. The last paragraph is priceless. Isn't it the gingko leaves that smell, though? I remember walking on them in Iowa and my shoes would smell like barf.
I love quaking Aspen in the fall.
Ahh trees...I remember when I was younger and actually saw soem of those.
Now, living in iceland, using the word tree involves serious imagination and stretching the truth. We call trees what you´d probably reagrd as bushes!
Mike, head up to Helen.
Just like a woman. (Someone had to be the idiot and say it, might as well be me.)
Doug, it's just the fruit that stinks. And boy! It stinks!
Fred, you bad boy! Stay after school.
Mike, I don't know trees either. Just a few that I look up on line 'cause I like'em.
Poor Monika!
LiBbY! I live to serve.
Lula and Icy: I will NOT go over to the dark side.
Mary, we had a lot of wind blowing yesterday, but the leaves hung on anyway.
3D: You should leaf-watch while they're there. They'll be gone soon enough.
J.D. I have to agree. It's sad.
Lime: thanks.
Your post made me miss "home" so much. Thanks for sharing.
Woof! Sometimes the Devil forgets who he is. I loved that image of the aspens ... all the quivering gold. xoxo
You said: Don't go there. You were once a smelly little fruit yourself. Some of you still are.
Oh
My
God
I am still laughing as I'm typing. Oh thank you thank you for ending my day for me with a big ol' laugh!
Hey TLP - thanks for the botany lesson! Seeing leaves or eating... My mom told me she wasn't coming to see me off at the airport yet when Dad picked me up - there she was. Had nothing to do with seeing me off - Dad promised to take her out to dinner afterward! =-)
HA! smelly little fruit? I have known a few of those myself.
I love autumn. I'll be in New York this weekend. I wonder if I'll get to see much foliage in the city. It will be the closest I get to autumn for a long time.
Autumn? We skip that in Texas. Did you see the beautiful picture of fall leaves that poopie posted? I can't remember what state she's from, but they're awesome. I'm jealous ;)
Have I mentioned lately just how much I love the fall and the beautiful vibrant colored foliage?
Between just reading Actobell's post and now yours, I'm inspired to share this Mark Twain quote:
Change is the handmaiden Nature requires to do her miracles with.
Isn't there a book with that title: "Shoots leaves and eats?"
Your post made me miss the NorthEast, my "old country."
savtadotty - yes there is and I've got a copy. It's about grammar (didja know?). Saw the author on tv, she's funny. British.
You were once a smelly little fruit yourself... *g*
I love ginkgo trees, they're so uniquely pretty! Crepe Myrtles also have that lovely, silvery papery bark with an added bonus of gorgeous blossoms. We have a lot of them down here...in between the gas stations and diners... *rolling eyes*
Great day for Hoss. I got the radio question without peeking, we had a swell gingko tree where I used to work, and we got lots of aspens in Oregon. Triple header for Hoss.
I love autumn! Being from CA it doesn't get as dramatic as the east, but we get some nice crisp days with a few trees turning!
You can make change from a $1?? Coinage...yuck!
Christine – Sorry and you're welcome. Leave John Doe and escape to the north.
Mireille - That Devil. You see aspens right? Is there a scent?
Amber - And some of them are a tad smelly!
Kate – Some people just love to eat! Not sayin' who.
Kenju – So have I!
Monique – I hope the leaves put on a show for you! Either way, you'll be in NEW YORK!
Ivy – Skip autumn? But it's the best! I'll check out poopie.
Sar – You're so refined. Reading Acton Bell will do that to a person.
Keith – I believe that yearly bath story. You're a very clean fellow.
Savtadotty - The northeast is beautiful, but you're in a pretty spot yourself.
3D – I knew. Is it good?
Saur – Crepe Myrtles are lovely. We do grow them here. Not so many though.
Keith – You been drinkin' the bath water again?
Hoss – You always win. Hoss 3, TLP 0. Story of my life. Niks and I were in Oregon last fall. It's beautiful.
Leigh – Yes, you can even spend (gasp!) coins! Amazing, huh?
293 ways to make change for a dollar? Wow. That is a lot.
Who the hell has the time to figure these things out?!?!
Lazy Iguana - I guess I have the time, but not the patience. But I did check it out. I googled it and found a site that shows the 293 ways. Too long and too boring to post.
Sad to say we don't get much of the autumn colour here in Queensland, being sub-tropical, some parts of the southern states have a good autumn display.
According to my new favorite website - www. ediblelandscaping.com - "Ginkgos are the oldest cultivated nut tree. The nuts are delicious with a cheese-like texture when steamed, excellent in any rice dish." I'm fairly jealous now of your Ginkgo discovery!
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