LOL, the rainbow was the first thing that jumped out at me....and THEN I noticed how gorgeous the landscape is! I love it when nature gives us surprises, don't you? We had some 'thunder snow' not too long ago. I heard the loud cracks of thunder and went to a window to look at what I figured would be a a rain storm coming, but it was snowing like crazy. Didn't you post a picture of a double rainbow at one time, Ken? That's something that we see only a few times a year, here. Have any of you ever seen a 'sun dog'? That was a new one for me this fall. Robert came in from the west facing front yard and told me to hurry up and come look! The last time he said that, a tornado was bearing down on us. But there was the strangest phenomenon in the sky...I can't even really describe it properly so I'll attach a google page. These images are really what they look like and not done with fancy lenses. Here is a link that might be useful: Sun dogs

Helen, we think many of the colors are different this year. Our Pin Oak has the most brilliant color it has ever had. I see a lot of brilliant gold/yellow along the roadsides too. I am guessing some might be hackberry. I wish we had more in our yard but we are limited on sunny areas. I think we will take a local drive today along Sac River and maybe up toward the lake (Stockton). We decided we didn't need to go to Arkansas; we have gorgeous trees here too.

Thanks, Holiday-ers! I'm not here often enough either ... such a good forum with caring folks ... Happy Thanksgiving to you all & thanks for your comments! luvs ... so good to hear from you & glad you friended me on FBk .... I hardly use email anymore ... most chatting done on FBk plus I'm one of the administrators on the 'Flea Market Gardening' Fbk page ... you all know I'm a gardener @ heart! Time slips away very fast! ~~hugs & today I got to be outside for a few hours with some volunteers ... my dear hubby & I cut branches from our pines & collected cones & decorated some of the flower urns in our small town but this old green wagon @ the Heritage Park garden lots ... we also put up the barnwood tree there today ... removed frozen pumpkins, gourds & mush since it's been freezing temps for a few weeks now ! So, Winter decor came early! ~~Jeanne

Tsk, tsk rose lovers. Don't be timid! She is the queen of modern roses, well worth her thorns. In 6 years I've been nailed only once by them. I don't know how well she is faring in my garden with so little sunlight, though. I think this summer will tell me whether we are going to have a lasting relationship. I need to upgrade my fertilizer program. In the photo below, it is October in British Columbia (!) She is not much afraid of the cold. The large blossoms got started before the real cold, but the new blossoms are pale in colour because of the cold. They never got a chance to open fully but were, nevertheless, exquisite. In the ensuing summer, the healthy pink blooms returned.