Now, we're talking!

  The old dog had enough energy to walk with me to the back part of the property.  His wobbly legs made this a slow-paced walk but it gave me plenty of time to photograph things along the way.  Near the small pump shed, there is a scraggly (for most of the year) shrub that always brightens my day during this time of year.  The American Beautyberry is one of my favorites!  During the winter months, the stalks sit bare and dry but come spring, it burst forth with bright green leaves.  In the beginning of summer, those stalks start showing some nondescript clusters of tiny flowers.  Being as they are the palest of pinks and well hidden beneath the large leaves, the blooms often go unnoticed.  Later, those tiny blooms drop and the brightest violet berries take their place.  It is those berries that claim all the glory for the shrub!  Also, it is those berries that bring my smiles.

  Although the calendar says that fall has not arrived as of yet, I do believe it is here!  The American Beautyberry says it is so it must be true.  The shrub would not lie!  By all accounts, the shrub's berries ripen in the fall so fall it is.  I am ready!  These berries are an important food source for many of the birds on the Bayou.  Back when I was just a tyke running barefoot on the farm, Pop told me the bush was a "Turkey Berry" bush so the name stuck.  It makes sense.  Turkeys love the berries and Pop would often scout out the heaviest laden shrub.  Then, just about Thanksgiving, he would quietly sit near the bush and wait.  If a turkey happened to come dine upon the berries, we had a grand Thanksgiving dinner!  

  Now, however, the shrubs are left as landscape beauties.  Turkeys can freely dine upon them along with the many other birds.  My happiness lies purely in the fact that summer is coming to an end and fall is on its way....according to the American Beautyberry shrub.  Now, we're talking!  Fall...yes, please!