Orange you glad it’s almost fall?

Sorry, I couldn’t help myself… but, with this week’s Sunday Stills theme being orange/gold, the advent of fall comes to mind.

Although we don’t get the volume of spectacular autumn leaves here in Southern California, we do see changes here and there as one season morphs into the next.

I’m not sure what type of tree this is, but it puts on quite a show every autumn.

Our neighbor’s huge Liquid Amber tree is a stunner as its leaves turn orange and gold.

And, what we lack in deciduous trees, we more than make up in succulents, native plants, and glorious flowers that give us color year-round.

Many types of Cycads are becoming extinct in the wild. Fortunately, they are fairly common in drought-tolerant Southern California landscapes.

Cycads thrived in the Mesozoic era (65 to 230 million years ago). They were believed to be a main food source for herbivorous dinosaurs.
The orange blooms of the Aloe arborescens contrasts against the bright blue sky.

It’s easy to see why Euphorbia tirucalli is also called ‘Sticks on Fire’.

A golden bee harvesting pollen from an orange and yellow sunflower.

Fall is also the beginning of sunset season as wind patterns and the sun’s angle combine to create spectacular orange, pink and purple displays among the clouds. I’m looking forward to filling my camera with pictures of Mother Nature’s glorious artwork.

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Author: Janis @ RetirementallyChallenged.com

My blog is about travel, relationships, photography, and whatever else pops into my head (even, sometimes, issues surrounding retirement and aging).

85 thoughts on “Orange you glad it’s almost fall?”

  2. Those cycads are so interesting…we had them in Florida, but I had no idea that they were once food for dinosaurs! And your bee on the sunflower close-up is wonderful. Happy almost-fall!

  4. Pingback: Sunday Stills Monthly Color Challenge: Incandescent #Orange and Glowing #Gold – Second Wind Leisure Perspectives

  5. I love SD’s mix of florals, Janis! You’ve captured some gorgeous ones. I didn’t know that about cycads, such an unusual plant. When I visit my daughter, her neighborhood sports a lot of the sticks of fire–love those! Last time I visited SD in December the liquid ambers were putting on their Autumn show, finally! Beautiful photography and I like your new watermark!

    1. The cycads are a bit other-worldly, so I wasn’t surprised to learn that they date back to the dinosaur era. I love the Sticks on Fire too but be very careful if you ever get the white sap on your skin – or, worse – in your eyes. Thanks for noticing the watermark. I had fun designing it.

  7. What gorgeous colors you show us from California Janis. Likely, most people, like me, imagine green trees all year ’round, or more in the way of palm trees.

    1. We have lots of those too, Linda. Fortunately, we also have a smattering of liquid ambers and, in the spring, purple jacarandas. You just have to look a bit harder to find evidence of the changing seasons (besides shorts and flip-flops transitioning to long pants and flip-flops).

    1. I imagine that you wouldn’t have many succulents or cycads in either city, except in a greenhouse. I remember seeing a gorgeous collection of succulents and desert plants in a huge greenhouse in St. Louis. I bet you have amazing autumn leaves where you live… something I envy.

  11. Gorgeous photos. Your climate is very like Adelaide and so many of those plants are familiar. It’s spring here, but I’ve got orange a-plenty outside.

  18. Beautiful, Janis! That’s an amazing sunset. It must have taken your breath away. Your bee capture is spectacular to catch the veins in his wings. WoW!

      1. They inspired me to post the picture of the cicada I used for this week’s challenge. The wings aren’t as beautiful, but I was amazed at how visible the veins are.

  19. The gold, the orange and brown, leaves crackling under foot. The is no Autumn here I’m Lima, Peru……..how I miss those walks through the forest in my native England.

  28. If memory holds, I think I awarded you best post headline not that long ago. You did it again! Love the fall theme and pics in this one. Those liquid amber leaves are indeed stunners. – Marty

  30. All such gorgeous photos, Janis. What’s the story behind HEPDELT, best as I can read it? And that one pic of the cycad was down right creepy! Wowsa. Like fierce red teeth sticking out its tongue. That’s not one I’ve seen around here, but the others were familiar. “Sticks on fire.” Great name. Glad to know it now.

  32. Beautiful photos of my favorite time of year. Our weather is just beginning to turn autumnal. No glorious orange anything yet but I’m waiting with camera in hand.

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