One benefit of this summer's rain has been the particularly splendid show of colors this fall. For weeks now, the trees have been adorned in vibrant yellows, fiery reds and warm oranges that call out for attention in the midst of an over-busy life. They remind me to leave my desk and computer screen, even if only for short walks around the neighborhood outside my office.
This week, there are still trees to admire as I drive down into Ithaca. Out our way, though, most of the deciduous leaves have dropped, nearly all blown down by Friday night's strong winds. But last week's photos of the American filbert (above) and blueberry (right) -- both planted in the north beds we added this summer -- prolong the memory. These native shrubs would be worth growing just for the fruit and nuts they will eventually produce; in the meantime, we savor the color they add to the landscape.
The small plant with the red berries, behind the blueberry, is a lingonberry, an edible fruit-bearing evergreen ground cover native to Scandinavia. Cousin to the American cranberry, it favors the same acidic soil conditions as the blueberries, making for a wonderful pairing. I put in a dozen small plants this year; eventually they will spread to cover the ground between the blueberries bushes. Surprisingly, even as we pick the tart ripe berries, new flowers are continuing to bloom.
And then there are the mums and dwarf barberry right outside our front door. Just reaching their peak, they still welcome us -- outside and in -- with color on even the greyest of days. 
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