Oxford Barn in the Fall

Oxford Barn in the Fall
Originally uploaded by linfrye

Daily Practice
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Though our nighttime temperatures are below 50F and often in the low 40s, our daytime temps are still quite warm -- mid 70s to, over the next few days, in the 80s! So our foliage is still predominently yellow and gold.

This old barn sits about 10 miles from my home among several other barns, grasses and implements that cover most of ground. I tried to simplify this scene for a quick painting after a long day.

Despite the overcast skies, the trip to the JC Raulston Arboretum was wonderful -- colors of flowers, trees and berries were richly saturated in the low-light, and the threat of rain kept most folks somewhere else. We found a TON of still blooming flowers including, would you believe, the most incredible sulphur orange cosmos that dazzled us against the deep dark of the evergreens it was planted against. Camellias, roses, cascades of pink lespedezia, yellowing leaves of sycamore, tulip poplar, redbud, berries of American beauty berry, Japanese Pagoda trees, rose hips and more -- just beautiful in the grey light.

After lunch we headed to the NC Museum of Art and began our walk around their woodland park to view the sculptures and native plants ... we walked about 1/'4 of the way down the trail when the heavens finally opened and we dashed indoors. We returned to campus around 4:00 to catch up on mail and phone calls and head to evening classes.

Today we take the Plant a Row for the Hungry volunteers to the State fair to view the gardens and observe the vegetables displayed in all their finest. We'll return to campus all inspired to grow more produce next year!

Hope your day is terrific!