Fall Equinox 2026

Colchicum 'Waterlily'

 

The Fall Equinox came last week with over an inch of rain, and my Colchicum 'Waterlily' sprouted three lovely flowers. The previous year it didn't bloom at all--I dug it up and re-planted it just a foot or so from where it had been--it was being crowded out by other plants-- it seems a lot happier now.

 

 

As the summer flowers in other beds fade, the classic fall flowers begin their show, and berries decorate my bushes. Along my front yard the Salvias in pots are still hanging on, feeding the hummingbirds that are now migrating, while the leaves of the dogwood tree turn to autumn shades.

 

Along the front walk

 

The Viburnum 'Brandywine' on the east side of the house is displaying its berries in pinks and blues. My Pink Turtlehead in the woodland garden managed to produce one flowering spike; the deer ate all the other buds, despite having a deer repellent on a stake right next to it! I'll have to try to protect it more next year, in hopes it will become a respectable clump. The Anemone 'Honorine Jobert is still looking good.

 

Viburnum 'Branydwine'

Pink Turtlehead (Chelone obliqua)

Anemone 'Honorine Jobert'

 

In the back yard the swamp sunflowers have opened up, making a nice display. Last Friday I had agreed to lead a workshop drawing flowers for Art in the Park, an annual weekend event at Shenandoah National Park. I had to provide my own flowers, as one is not allowed to cut any plants from the park, so I went out that morning and cut a bunch of my sunflowers and little wild asters that I let grow all over my yard, along with a few of my Agastaches and ornamental grasses. 

 

Swamp sunflowers (Helianthus angustifolium)

Wild asters growing next to my veggie pagoda

The workshop turned out very well, I had about 20 people, four adults had brought children with them, between the ages of 6 and 10--I was impressed by how well-behaved and attentive the kids were. It was wonderful to see them doing art, brought back memories of myself at that age.

Driving south on Skyline Drive on my way in, I almost ran into two wild turkey hens eating something in the middle of the road. I slowed down and carefully drove around them--they didn't even budge, they were so absorbed in whatever was there. Two other cars behind me did the same. I wish I'd had the time to stop and take a photo, it's seldom one sees a wild turkey these days, much less two! But I was running late...

Yesterday I found a neat surprise in my back yard--a circle of lawn mushrooms growing in front of the back bed--these are the edible Agaricus campestris, same variety that are sold at the grocery store as button mushrooms. Naturally, I went out this morning and collected enough for dinner tonight. These will have more flavor than the grocery-bought ones, which have had the flavor bred out of them.

 

Edible lawn mushrooms (Agaricus campestre)

 

Lawn mushroom harvest

In the backyard the Muhly grass is starting to open its airy plumes, and Herb's bed still has some Agastaches, Sedum 'Autumn Joy' and ornamental grasses. The yellow Chrisanthemums are holding their own, while the other mums are getting ready to open.

 

Muhly grass

  

Sedum 'Autumn Joy'

Yellow Chrysanthemum

 

Pink mum in bud

 

The two Beautyberries 'Early Amethyst' in the back yard have a nice crop of berries--the color is so lovely against the yellowing leaves.

 

Beautyberry (Callicarpa dichotoma 'Early Amethyst')

Recently I've been working on a new piece on a material new to me--Aquabord. This mineral and clay surface is quite different from working on paper, it absorbs water and dries at a very different rate from paper. It's challenging whenever one tries something new, but the idea is to be able to seal it and mount it in a floater frame rather than put it under plexiglas and a mat. Below is the new work in progress.

 

Monarchs on Prairie Blazing Meadow Star, 16" x 20"

 

As the nights get colder, the leaves will soon begin to turn shades of red and gold. I wonder if we'll have a colorful fall this year? 

Hiking on Dolly Sods, Part 2

 

Red Spruce forest.

 

 

We were still on the Wildlife Trail, which is about 1.6 miles long. Eventually we crossed a stream, and the terrain began to change. The forest became denser, darker, and mossier, the ground rockier. We must be getting closer to the junction with the Rohrbaugh Trail. It was getting on toward four in the afternoon.

 

Getting on the Rohrbaugh Trail.

 

The junction with the Rohrbaugh Trail was marked by a sign; one could see the trail dropping downhill on the right and the light through the trees hinted at the deep canyon beyond. Taking the left hand side, the Rorhbaugh Trail continues towards some towering cliffs. We crossed another smaller sod, where we saw a couple of Monarch butterflies--too far away to photograph. The bees were having a feast on the Goldenrod.

 

Bee on Goldenrod

Heal-all (Prunella vulgaris)

Getting closer to the cliffs one could see the mountains on the other side of the canyon through the Mountain Ashes in fruit. In this more exposed area, being drier, grassy spaces bordered by Rhododendons, mountain laurel, blueberry and huckleberry bushes opened up.

 

The western side of the mountains through the trees.

Rhododendron and Mountain laurel meadows.

 

Ground pine and reindeer moss grew under the dwarfed spruce on the sparse soil near the cliffs.

 

Ground pine spore structures with reindeer moss and ordinary moss.

 

Side paths near the Rorhbaugh cliffs.

Climbing over the rocks toward the overlook, one can begin to appreciate the size and splendor of this vast wilderness--the view is spectacular! 

 

Climbing towards the overlook.

View from the overlook.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Rorhbaugh Cliffs.

 

Getting back to the main trail we wandered through through thickets of  Rhododendrons and Mountain Laurel so dense they overhung, forming tunnels.

 

Getting back on the main trail from the overlook.

 

 

Rhododendron forest.

 

Beyond the climax of the overlook, the trail stepped back into the shelter of the forest. The forest once again changed character, becoming very mossy and lush. The rocky trail was intersected by a number of small streams and run-offs, and the Rhododendrons were taller, shaded by red spruce and hardwoods. The tree roots intruded upon the trail as much as the rocks, making it difficult to walk smoothly. The muddy patches continued, and we had to skirt around them as best we could.

 

The Rorhbaugh Trail beyond the overlook.

Big Belled Web Caps (Cortinaria largus)

Stream on the Rohrbaugh Trail.

 

Mushrooms began to appear again, though not in the profusion and variety as on the Wildlife Trail. Mosses carpeted the sides of the trail and rocks, Sphagnum moss in the wetter parts.

 

Moss on the sides of the trail.

Sphagnum moss.

The tall trees, Rhododendrons, and mosses gave the forest a magical, fairy-land atmosphere. Imagine how lovely it would be when the Rhododendrons and Mountain laurel are in bloom!

 

The Rorhbaugh Trail

 

This was the last photo I was able to take--my phone ran out of power completely right after this. The rest of the hike was very similar, rockier and muckier in some places, up and down, mostly up, with many beautiful sights. We harvested two more Lion's Mane mushrooms along the way, fortunately well within our reach without needing any sticks. More than enough for a great supper for both of us and our spouses!

We were totally exhausted by the time we reached the trailhead and my friend's car, well past six PM. We'd been hiking for over five hours to cover the 5.2 miles of both trails. We drove back to my car at the Wilderness trailhead and drove down the dusty mountain road as the sun was leaving the tops of the trees on the heights--it was after 7 PM and starting getting dark.  We were still a two and a half hour drive from our homes--I didn't get home until a quartet to ten that night.

I "left it all" as they say, at Dolly Sods that day, but I'd love to come back in the spring to see some of the bogs in the lowlands, as well as the Rhododendrons and mountain laurel in bloom!

Hiking on Dolly Sods, Part 1

The view east from Dolly Sods Road Overlook

My friend wanted to hike on Dolly Sods Wilderness in West Virginia. I remembered that Herb and I had done a hike on the Wilderness Trail and part of the Rorhbaugh Trail up to the spot where the rock cliffs are located, about a decade ago. I had always wanted to see the rest of the Rorhbaugh Trail, so I suggested we start our hike on the Wilderness Trail and continue to the end of the Rohrbaugh Trail, a total of about 5.2 miles according to my trail map. We each drove our own car so that we could leave one car at the Rorhbaugh Trailhead and ride together in the other to our starting point at the Wildlife Trailhead. This would save us a long walk back.

The weather was marvelous, so we agreed to go out last Friday, the beginning of Labor Day weekend. We arrived at Dolly Sods Wilderness around eleven-thirty in the morning after a long dusty ride up the rough mountain road. The clouds were just breaking up on the plateau, allowing a clear view of the mountains to the east from the panoramic overlook at the entrance. It was windy and chilly, probably in the mid fifties, and I put on my lightweight raincoat for an extra layer of warmth.

 

Goldenrod and Jewelweed at the Wilderness Trailhead.

 

We drove down to the picnic area and had our lunch there, parking my friend's car, then drove back up to the Wildlife Trailhead in my car. There were lovely wildflowers everywhere, a hint of fall showing in the foliage and flowers.

We hadn't gone more than forty or fifty paces into the forest when a ray of sunlight highlighted a whitish fungal growth up on a tree trunk... it was Lion's Mane mushroom! Thank heaven my friend is an expert forager, and had her forage bag with her. She found a stick long enough to reach the Lion's Mane and coaxed it down. If we could find a few more, we'd have a tasty supper.

 

Lion's Mane mushroom

 

We started looking around more closely--and more mushrooms began to crop up. A group of large polypore-looking mushrooms was scattered upon the forest floor. We picked a sample for later identification, not sure of its edibility. I think they may be Hedgehog mushrooms (Hydnum repandem) which are considered edible.

 

Hedgehog mushrooms (Hydnum repandem)

Closer look at Hedgehog mushroom.

 

The trail was impossibly muddy in places, indicating that the summer rains had been plentiful. To make matters worse, a group of horseback riders had ridden on the trail recently, and their tracks made our going more like an obstacle course.

Although it had been dry for the past couple of weeks in our area, it's obvious this plateau gets a lot more rainfall than our area of Virginia. The Allegheny Front forms part of the Eastern Continental Divide, with the western side draining into the Mississippi River Basin, while the eastern side drains into the Atlantic, the Chesapeake Bay specifically.

 

Violet-stemmed mushroom (Laccaria ochropurpurea?)

 

The quantity and variety of fungi in this forest was amazing: lots of Polypores were growing on fallen and standing tree trunks: Turkeytails, and False Turkeytails, but the Horseshoe conks on this tree (Fomes fomentarius) were unusual. 

 

Horseshoe conks (Fomes fomentarius)

Coral fungi (Clavulina coralloides?

This high-elevation forest is botanically rich in many unusual plants such as club mosses, known as ground cedar (Diphasiastrum complanatum), ground pine (Lycopodium obscurum), ferns, as well as many plants more likely to be found in New England and eastern Canada, such as red spruce and birch. We spotted and harvested more Lion's Mane, one specimen high up on a trunk required a large branch to bring it down.

 

Lady Ferns and Ground Cedar.

 

A big tree with a unusual seed pods caught my eye, and on closer examination turned out to be a huge Cucumber magnolia (Magnolia acuminata). A group of several large Mountain ashes in fruit brought seasonal color to the late summer forest.

 

Cucumber magnolia with ripening seedpods (Magnolia acuminata).

Mountain ash trees in fruit (Sorbus aucuparia)

Beechdrops, a parasitic plant that feeds on the roots of Beech Trees, were still flowering, if a bit past it. We also collected a bit of Chaga mushroom on a trunk--these black fungi look like burn scars and associate only with Birch trees. They have medicinal properties and are used in Russian folk medicine to treat a variety of conditions.

 

Beechdrops (Epifagus virginiana)

 

Chaga mushroom (Inonotus oblicuus)

Everywhere we turned, there were different kinds of mushrooms. A piece of greenish spalted wood on the ground gave evidence that Green Elf Cups (Chlorociboria aeruginacens) had at one time colonized it--the elf cups are a rare sight. All these mushrooms and we had barely covered a mile! No wonder we were walking so slowly, it takes time to take it all in!

 

A mushroom with Volva--an Amanita? 

 

Spalted wood indicates Green Elf Cup colonization.

Yellow Waxy Cap mushrooms (Hygrocybe flavecens)

Eventually we came to the first of the sods--the season was too advanced to see many butterflies, but there were a few Great Spangled Fritillaries on the goldenrod and thistles. I remembered these meadows buzzing with countless butterflies and bees when Herb and I visited so many years ago, but that was in early August, at the height of summer, and now it was getting on toward fall.

 

The first of the sods.

 

Great Spangled Fritillary on Thistle

We reentered the forest, finding yet more mushrooms we couldn't identify.

 

On the Wildlife Trail.

Cluster of brown mushrooms.

To be continued in Part 2.