It is impossible to walk quietly in the forest today, what with the swish, crinckle, crunch of dried leaves underfoot. So don't even try. Let your child be wild; kick and scrunch the leaves about as you will. Who knows what treasures such abandon will disclose.

 
The light is dramatic now; with painterly sunsets mirroring the colors of the leaves. Some leaves seem to glow up out of the dark. Others are so densely colored that they seem to be underwater.

None of these photos has been altered or changed in any way.

 

Woods Walk, contd - Mushrooms

Late fall/early winter is often a great time for mushrooms. I think of them as a special gift to my immune system; lots of minerals to build powerful resistance to colds and the flu. Here are some of our recent special finds, including puffballs, inky caps, and a stand of orange turkey tail mushrooms.

On our way home, you must stop and see what is happening in this low spot. It is completely covered in this small knotweed. The ground looks pink. The camera sees the ground ivy hiding in the midst of the knotweed. Hard frost will kill the Polygonum, while the Glechoma will continue on.

I still await the first hard frosts to drive the energy of the plants into their roots. Once that happens, we will take our spading forks and make some tinctures. Until then, enjoy. And remember, herbal medicine is people's medicine.