Anne Elliott's photos with the keyword: interestingness#256

I was thrilled to find two or three of these hanging Chinese Lanterns growing at the Reader Rock Garden the other day. I have loved these for many years, but normally I never see them. "Popular for the papery bright-orange lantern pods that develop around the ripening fruit, these are often cut and used for Thanksgiving and Halloween arrangements. Plants are aggressive spreaders, and best kept out of the perennial border so they don't take over. Also can be grown in tubs. Small white flowers appear in midsummer, over a bushy mound of coarse green leaves. Pods are green at first, but should be harvested as soon as the orange colour develops, the leaves stripped then stems hung upside down to dry in a warm dark room." From www.perennials.com .

I got a bit too close for this one, but I liked the fall bokeh : ) Called in at Sikome, Fish Creek Park, on my way home from a morning's walk at Beaverdam Flats natural area. We saw a Great Horned Owl at Beaverdam as well as two magnificent Bald Eagles across the river. Had to scrape the ice off my car windows this morning, but at least it didn't snow again.