August and September 2018

Hot, humid and wet pretty much sums up August and September in the Triangle area of NC where I live but we lucked out with Hurricane Florence having minimal impact in my part of the state. 



I wish the coast and eastern part of my state had done as well.



The coast and eastern part of NC has had a very hard time and rivers are still rising even as the storm moves out.



Although we've had hot weather this summer it has been so wet that in some ways leaves look more like spring than late summer.



The photographs in this post started with August and cover up to yesterday (Saturday, September 16) at the end.



I was surprised to see wild grapes during a walk on the trail that extends past Shelley Lake. 



The shot above, below and beyond were taken at the North Carolina Museum of Art (NCMA) Park walk.



I had a lot of unexpected dental appointments and after what I thought would be my last for awhile I walked at the NCMA.



I've written about the NCMA before but the collaboration between North Carolina State University and the museum to create an environmental ecosystem that is sustainable has been quite a success. 



I'm not expressing it well but through water collection and recycling the pools around the museum that are part of art gardens are self sustaining.



I think water and plumbing inside the museum is also supplied with the collection and recycling systems.



There is a mixtures of native plants including grasses as well as paths of mowed grass.



The great blue heron above did a great job of hiding.



I always enjoy seeing both the long term sculpture in the park as well as newly installed pieces. 



I didn't make it into the forest section of the walk this time but there are always new surprises with both temporary and permanent art.



The piece below is in the children's discovery garden.



There is a sign that instructs children not to climb on top of the pig. 



Don't they know if you design a piece for children to walk up and into it that the fun part is to climb on top, especially if that's not allowed.



The butterfly below was my first shot in September.



It was flapping its wings open and shot so fast, I had trouble getting clear shots.



The shot below is of what used to be mostly grasses and wetland but we've had so much rain long term that on a walk this month it was flooded.



Although we didn't take a direct hit from Florence we did get a lot more rain so I'm sure that the area is even more over taken with water



The mallards above will be replaced in the fall by cormorants who always take over those perches when they return.



The shot below was taken of my deck day before yesterday.



I took the last shot yesterday of the dogwood starting to don it's early fall colors.