Last Full Day of Summer Shadows #ShadowshotSunday

On a gloomy Sunday day, here are some shadows from this past Monday, the last full day of summer.

Let's take a walk in a local park.  These trees, planted several years ago, have taken a great leap forward in their growth this year.

Today, we are getting the fringes of the nor'easter that hit the East Coast of the United States.  For us, all we are getting is some drizzly rain.  Let's hope it stays that way.

Joining Lisa at This and That: A Blog for her #ShadowshotSunday.
 

Carrot Cake Recipe Shadow #ShadowshotSunday

While decluttering the other day, I came across this cutout from a woman's magazine.  This recipe coming out of the shadows of my life was one of the first from scratch cakes I ever baked.  I believe the recipe would have been published in either the late 1960's or early 1970's.

I baked this now and again in my college years for the fellow student I've been married to for the last 52 years.  Right now I'm not into scratch baking but as the weather gets colder I think I might just make it again.  It really was a good cake.  Nowadays I might want to add some crushed pineapple but I'm not sure how it would affect the recipe.

And no, I didn't frost it.  I'm really not into frosting that isn't chocolate.

 For the sake of nostalgia, I wanted to take a photo just in case I lost it again, and, since there is a shadow, I'm sharing with my fellow shadow photographers.  

Joining up with #ShadowshotSunday, brought to us by Lisa at This and That:  A Blog.

Staircase #ShadowshotSunday

 A staircase, taken September 11, 2026.

Yesterday and this morning, the sky is so gloomy.  That angle of the sun reminds us that fall is on its way. 

Joining Lisa at This and That: A Blog, for her #ShadowshotSunday.
 

Late August Stroll #ShadowshotSunday

Today, for #ShadowshotSunday, brought to us by Lisa at This and That: A Blog, I'm featuring some shadows from two late August walks in a park.

Picnic bench.

Trees and clouds. 

A wildflower that my iPhone photos app identifies as heal-well. 

Update: since my Friday Skywatch Friday post which mentioned the 2026 tornado count in my state of New York, that number has been updated to 22.  I hope September is calmer.

Have a shadow photo?  Why not join us at Lisa's link above?

 

Late Summer Flowers #ShadowshotSunday

Today, some late summer flowers. 

These are pink turtleheads. I bought one plant at a farm market in Asheville, North Carolina in 2012.  I also bought a white turtlehead but it didn't survive.  Turtleheads are a native wildflower to where I live, but I found out recently that while the white turtleheads are native to where I live, the pink ones aren't.  However they are native to where I bought the plant.

Finally, (hiss boo) Japanese knotweed in bloom.  It's lovely when in bloom.  But:  it  was brought over to the United States as an ornamental and erosion control plant around 1873.  By the 1930's it was considered a major problem.  It reproduces vegetatively and is found on all continents except Antarctica.  The only good thing I can say about it is that the honey bees make from it is delicious.

Joining up with Lisa at This and That: A Blog for her #ShadowshotSunday. 

Backyard Plant Shadows #ShadowshotSunday

From this past Friday, let's take a quick visit to my shady back yard.

Last year, a woodland sunflower (according to my iPhone) showed up. This year, several other plants joined it.

Here is the first bloom.   Yesterday, a couple of more showed up.

While I was at it, I got a picture of my Persian Shield plant.  It looks a little wilted so I'll have to get a better photo one day.   I've grown Persian Shield now for many years.  The last two years, I've gotten my plants from Select Seeds.  This is all one plant.

Joining Lisa at This and That: A Blog for her #ShadowshotSunday.  Have a shadowy picture to share?  Why not join us at the linky at Lisa's blog post?  

Mid August Garden #ShadowshotSunday

August is over half over already!   

Bee on a hardy geranium flower. 

Sunpatien in my back yard.

Finally, an update on yesterday's blog post, where I stated I haven't seen any hummingbirds all season.  I saw one yesterday. I heard its wing buzzing when I was outside reading a book, looked at my cuphea plant and a female ruby-throated hummer was feeding on it.  Hurray! I wasn't in a position to take any pictures but that's OK.

Joining Lisa at This and That: A Blog for her #ShadowshotSunday.

Hydrangea and Pepper Shadow #ShadowshotSunday

 Today, a couple of photos of hydrangeas I took in a nearby town. 

It seems these are more popular as ornamental plants each year. 

Finally, here's a photo of a pepper display at a local farm market.

Soon, the veggies that say "autumn" to me will arrive at that same market.  There will be pumpkins and other winter squash of all varieties, early apples, Concord grapes, and pears.

Eventually the summer veggies: the sweet corn, the summer squash, the tomatoes that burst with flavor, will dwindle and eventually disappear.  

The wheel of the seasons continues to turn, as the days grow shorter and we approach winter, one humid day at a time.

Joining Lisa at This and That: A Blog, for her #ShadowshotSunday.

Milkweed Shadow #ShadowshotSunday

Today, I am digging into the near past archives for this milkweed photo.

Taken July 4 at a local park.

Although this doesn't have shadows, I wanted to share it with you today because it is important.

I wasn't able to get close to this monarch butterfly so it isn't the best quality but it is the only one I've seen this year.  I took this picture July 26 and cropped it as much as I dared.

I can only hope there are more butterflies out there.  I see fewer and fewer butterflies each year.  My small yard can't support milkweed, but milkweed is so important to them.  If you do want to plant milkweed, you may be interested in knowing that some types of milkweed grown in warm areas can be dangerous to monarch butterfly migration.

Joining Lisa at This and That: A Blog for her #ShadowshotSunday.
 

More Lily Time #ShadowshotSunday

Some lily shadows from the past week today for your pleasure.

Two of my daylilies, July 19. 

A neighborhood lily, July 24. 

Joining Lisa at This and That: A Blog for her #ShadowshotSunday. 

Still More Day Lilies and their Shadows #ShadowshotSunday

Here are some day lilies in my garden for your Sunday enjoyment. 

This was taken July 14.  This photo is actually on its side because I liked how the shadow looked.

The next three were taken July 8.

Joining Lisa at This and That: A Blog for #ShadowshotSunday. 

Silver Spotted Skipper #ShadowshotSunday

My bee balm plant is in full bloom.

On July 8 I saw a lovely butterfly on it.  I followed it around as it went from flower to flower.  

Thank you for visiting! 

I think this is the first time I've ever seen one of these butterflies.  Or are they butterflies?  I looked them up and, at least at the present time, the skipper family is considered a type of butterfly.  

Joining Lisa at This and That:  A Blog for her #ShadowshotSunday. 

 

Friday Shadows #ShadowshotSunday

This coming week we are going to have a bad heat wave, but, right now, the weather is still decent.  I got out and mowed the lawn today, and we didn't have any good shadows.  So I'm going with a couple of pictures from Friday. 

This was taken while walking in a local park.

While I was at it, I took a closeup picture of one of the several redbud trees in the park.

Joining Lisa at This and That: A Blog for her #ShadowshotSunday. 

Spring into Summer Shadows Shadows #ShadowshotSunday

Here are a couple of shadows from this past week. 

At a shopping center that has had extensive changes since around 2020, one of the last shadow pictures I took this spring.

Yesterday,tree shadows in a local park. Summer began earlier that day.

Joining Lisa at This and That: A Blog, for her #ShadowshotSunday.  Why not come out of the shadows and join us?  All you need is a photo with shadows in it.  

Finally, to all fathers or people who have father roles in the United States, may you have a happy Father's Day.  I'm celebrating by linking to a 2023 post about Northern Cardinals and the roles of their males. 

I hope you have a happy Sunday, no matter where you live. 

Flowers and Shadows #ShadowshotSunday

Today, on a day promising storms this afternoon, I decided to post a couple of shadow pictures from yesterday.

Taken at a local farm market.

My shady back yard, with shadows and golden hour lighting.  Nothing in this picture is yellow; the gold is provided by the sun's angle in what photographers call the Golden Hour.

Joining Lisa at This and That: A Blog, for her #ShadowshotSunday.  

 

Tree Shadows #ShadowshotSunday

Several years ago, trees were planted in several local parks along rivers or streams under a Trees for Tribs program.  Here's more information (from 2022) from my blog on this program.

It's been interesting seeing these trees grow.   

Taken May 31, 2026.

Of course, the trees already in the park cast some shadows, too.

Joining Lisa at This and That: A Blog for her #ShadowshotSunday. 

Honey Garlic #ShadowshotSunday

Today, I spotlight an unusual allium in my front yard.

 

Taken May 29

Allium Bulgaricum, also known as Sicilian Honey Garlic, is an unusual ornamental allium currently in bloom where I live, and is apparently used as an herb in some parts of Europe (especially Bulgaria) but I have never eaten it and don't recommend any of my readers try to eat it without a lot of research.  Here is more information on its use as a flavoring.

I've had this plant for years and like its unusual blooming habit.

Joining Lisa at This and That: A Blog, for her #ShadowshotSunday. 

Storage Building Shadow #ShadowshotSunday

Wednesday, I posted a couple of pictures of a storage building where someone thoughtfully posted a sign warning of a bunny nest. 

Here is a picture of the building, with accompanying shadows. The sign is on the lower right.

 

Here is the sign. 

Joining up with Lisa and This and That: A Blog, for Lisa's #ShadowshotSunday. 

Hanging Basket #ShadowshotSunday

In the United States, where I live, Mother's Day is celebrated on the second Sunday in May.

Last Sunday was the day.  My son always gifts me with a hanging basket.

This year he gifted me with the large basket above, filled with fuchsias.  I hope I can get to see hummingbirds visiting it.  I also hope I can keep it alive.  It's large!

Joining Lisa at This and That: A Blog, for her #ShadowshotSunday.

Plant Shadows #ShadowshotSunday

Plant shadows are a sneaky way to blog about my plants.

 This may be brunneria Diane's Gold. 

Brunneria.  I love their early blue flowers but they were caught in a frost in April, and are just now blooming again.  I wish their blooming season was longer.  We have three varieties, the green the gold and a variegated one. (You can see one of the leaves in the phto below on the right).

In a shady spot, I have trillium has a flower that doesn't open completely.  It has been slowly spreading. I bought it years ago at a plant show in Ithaca, New York.

The day before yesterday, the sun came out for a while.  That's a good thing, because my mail order plants from Select Seeds came on Thursday and they need to recover from transit stress.  They also need to be hardened off, which I am in the process of doing.

This is my second year ordering plants from Select Seeds.  Last year, I put I in a small order of annual varieties I can't get locally and was pleased by the quality.  I didn't lose any to shipping shock, either, a far cry from the last time (2015?) I tried to mail order plants.  That time it was from a well known plant retailer and my experience was way different.  So I finally tried again, this time with Select Seeds, and I am now a repeat customer.  (Not being paid for this plug, either).

Mail ordering plants are expensive but it's also a big convenience for me.  For example, scented geraniums and fancy geraniums are hard to find here. 

So here are my plants, along with two basils and a rosemary (rosemary has to be grown as an annual where I live) I got the other day at a big box store. Three geraniums, two cuphea, two fuchsia, a salvia destined for a hanging basket, and a lavender plant, all perfect for containers. 

Maybe next week (we may get a frost Tuesday) I'll be able to buy sunpatiens, million bells and a patio tomato. 

Joining Lisa at This and That: A Blog, for her #ShadowshotSunday.