Gold – Retirementally Challenged

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.