Positive Signs that Fall is Near

In my stroll yesterday, I examined my favorite Dogwood tree and noticed that it is loaded with red berries . .which denotes that fall is just around the corner!

It's my favorite dogwood because many years ago, as hubby and I were preparing to built our home we scoped the property to determine exactly where we wanted the house.

I spotted this tree and was overwhelmed at its beauty and said, "I want the house right here and I want to see this tree from my dining room window."

When the land clearning staff came to survey the area to determine how much work was involved in clearing other trees and underbrush, they were told that this tree had to be saved at all cost. They did a stupendous job and when they left, the only tree standing was my dogwood - and it wasn't damaged.

Since dogwood is an understory (understory means that it does best under a canopy of bigger trees) it did go through a couple of years in shock; but eventually recovered.

I just sit in my dining room . .enjoy my favorite dogwood and know that birds have a good place to live and raise their young in the spring and in the fall, they have all these delicious and nutrious berries on which to feed and build energy for the long trek south.

Now if winter will just get here so that I can sit in my recliner, sip hot chocolate, browse flower catalogs and read good books . . ..

then before I know it, spring will be here and I can go back to the dining room and enjoy the fabulous white blooms .. .