Rose

Beautiful America: Almost November

I say in jest that I moved south for the warmer climate. People look at me funny and wonder aloud if I meant to go to Florida. No, thank you, been there, and I remember fire ants and scorpions from my toddler days when Dad was stationed at Homestead. No, I really do mean that Southern Ohio is south. South of New Hampshire, of Alaska, and even, looking at a globe, south of Oregon where my grandmother and great-grandmother lived on the coast. Oregon at this time of year is a place of rain. Lots of rain, and for a change, fog. But at least not snow.

Dad tells me NH has had snow already. I think it was last year I took my kids trick-or-treating in 6 inches of snow… but here in Ohio, I can pull in the last of my tomatoes as the frost has just started to kill the plants, roses are still blooming, and after class yesterday I captured a butterfly dancing over the grass before settling on a dandelion only slightly brighter yellow than his wings. Oh, yes, I can say I moved south.

Rose in bloom
Roses still smell sweet, even if it is almost halloween.
Love these multi-blooming roses, very common in Ohio.
Love these multi-blooming roses, very common in Ohio.
Rose
Perfect bloom, even after a hard frost.
cherry tomatoes
The tomatoes are almost gone, but the plants closest to the house still survive.
Miami University Middletown
Peaceful campus in fall… on my way to an afternoon class.
butterfly at rest
Yellow butterfly (likely a sulfur) on a dandelion